The Midlands is a pretty area of rolling countryside north-west of Durban, reminiscent of Warwickshire or Wiltshire, but with more sun. It was this quality that led many of the English settler gentry to take large farms here, and it was also an important staging post for Imperial troops making their way from Durban up to the theatres of the Boer and Zulu wars. This has left the region with a strangely British feeling to it. Stud farms are dotted with trout fishing dams, there are small breweries and many craft stalls and shops. The Midlands abuts the Drakensberg Mountains, and it’s from here that you’d head up the Sani Pass towards Lesotho and the highest pub in Africa; you’ll also find San rock-art in the foothills and mountains. The Midlands today has pitched itself as a gourmet retreat: you’ll find gorgeous homesteads and boutique hotels here, offering luxurious accommodation and absolutely amazing food. It’s a great way to either kick off or conclude a visit to KwaZulu-Natal.