This quiet, cul-de-sac in Dullstroom was where my wife and I found Jill Rose and Dream Catcher, our overnight accommodation at the end of a recent road trip. Oranje Nassau Street is about 1km from Naledi Road, which is the main road in the town. As an aside, we had just come from Naledi Game Lodge and while we were there we had watched the Naledi Theatre Awards being live-streamed from Johannesburg! So it seems that the word, which means “Star” played an important part in this, the most recent Travel & Things adventure.
Looking like it had been transported from the English countryside, this was where we were going to be staying for the night. Our accommodation, Dream Catcher, was around the back on the left-hand side of the building. Never having been off the main road through Dullstroom, we were more than pleasantly surprised by the unexpected charm of the exterior of this converted home.
Welcome… A very comfortable bed in a room that had everything that was required for an enjoyable stay. I have to comment that for once, there were MORE than enough socket-outlets for us to plug in our chargers and laptops without having to unplug lights and kettles etc. Given the fact that the room can be utilized for self-catering, the number of outlets made sense.
A view across the bed and into the spacious bathroom.
Two large comfy chairs, a working TV with excellent reception and the ubiquitous tea/coffee station added to the charm of our room.
The accommodation boasted both a bath and a shower…aside from the toilet and wash hand basin that is.
The veranda was perfect to sit and enjoy a cuppa or a meal as the room is set up for self-catering. Even during an unexpected thunderstorm, we were able to sit here and watch the rain pelting down. However, with the town and a plethora of restaurants only about 2km away, it was easier to get a take-away rather than go to the trouble of preparing a meal for ourselves.
An unusual sight…my wife working on her laptop. It is usually me that can be found in front of a screen, editing images or writing articles about the accommodation and destinations we find ourselves at.
The thunderstorm I mentioned earlier produced this faint rainbow. I was hoping that the pot of gold that is purportedly at the end of the rainbow would be close by. Unfortunately, it was nowhere to be found.
Due to the wind that the storm brought with is, the communal pool was filled with leaves from the branches overhead. Needless to say, there was no swimming done.
The early morning light through the trees near our accommodation. I enjoy getting out early before the locals head off to work, or tourists take over a town.
Aside from an extensive network of flyfishing dams, ‘Dullies’ boasts the highest railway station in South Africa( 2077m above sea level) and it is the highest point in the province at 2,332m.
This NGK church replaced one that was built in 1893 and destroyed by the British during the South African War. In 1905 it was eventually rebuilt and inaugurated. In my mind, to qualify as a “small town” destination, the town has to have the following; 1] An imposing NGK building, 2] at least 1 bar and finally 3] a hotel. It seems that Dullstroom qualifies.
The early morning light through this abandoned building attracted my attention as I went for an early morning walk through the quiet streets before packing up and heading for breakfast. During the week, Dullies, as it is fondly known, is relatively quiet, however, on a weekend it is a haven for bikers and those that enjoy the serious art of fly-fishing.
Only in small-town South Africa! Having just spent time in a game reserve where we encountered herds of buffalo, I was wary of getting too close to THESE bovines.
Dullstroom was established in 1883 Wolterus Dull, to settle Dutch immigrants. The village was proclaimed a town by Kruger in Dull’s honour on October 9, 1893. The ‘stroom’ in the name means stream and is a reference to the nearby Crocodile River.
By 1893, the population had reached 48 people in eight houses, served by three stables, ten cattle pens, and a small trading company and store. Boy, has Dullstroom grown since then. In 2011, there were 558 people living in the town.
In 1921, the first city council met an I wondered if they met at this hotel?
This restaurant and the adjoining shop and office is where you pick up and return your keys. And please, do remember to return your keys. Owner Anita Minaar shared stories of guests who had driven off with keys, causing her to have to replace both keys and gate controls. A needless and expensive exercise. BTW, the shop contains a plethora of homemade goodies that are just too delicious to leave on the shelves.
Breakfast at The Rose Cottage restaurant is included in the room rate and this delicious omelette was bursting at the seams with the fillings I had ordered. The menu is comprehensive with something to suit almost everyone’s palate. My wife and I enjoyed a leisurely meal before heading off for the drive back to Johannesburg.
To find out what accommodation The Rose Cottage has to offer, click on the logo above to take you to their website. We did enjoy our short sojourn here and would recommend The Rose Cottage if you are looking for either an overnight or weekend stay.
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