The Zulu call it uKhahlamba, the Barrier of Spears, while early white settlers found it resembled a slumbering dragon and named it Dragon Mountain. Any visitor to the majestic Drakensberg will agree that both descriptions are apt – the jagged crags and rugged peaks of the Escarpment tower above the coastal plain, a breathtaking, if somewhat forbidding, sight. Easily accessible, this mountainous region offers a host of attractions: there are numerous walking and hiking trails for all fitness levels; birders, climbers, golfers and riders will enjoy it here, as will lovers of the arts and culinary delights; and cosy family resorts and quaint mountain getaways catering to all tastes can be found in the foothills. Stretched out beneath ‘the Berg’, as it is affectionately known, lies the delightful Midlands – an idyllic region of bucolic charm whose thriving villages, cottage industries, artists’ studios, galleries and restaurants are the chief drawcard of the popular ‘Midlands Meander’. This pictorial souvenir is the perfect keepsake of one of South Africa’s most scenic regions.