Weekend away to the eastern Free State

Amazing flights past the northern Drakensberg mountains as we winged our way around Lesotho and the Maluti Mountains to the eastern Free State province and the vibrant little town of Clarens for a weekend jol. Here's a short You Tube video clip.

4 Slings met up at the Ficksburg airport - ZDL, FRP, SAA and Jal where we bedded them down for 2 nights, being picked up by the lodge owner to stay at Shumba Farm

The town of Clarens from the air, encircled by mountains

Sunset over the koppies as we head back to the farm after a day of eating and drinking in Clarens

Lush green veld surrounded by little mountains and rocky outcrops

On our way home the clouds were hanging over the mountains as we skirted them

Clouds to the right were a but hectic so we kept left then dived below to get the gap between the clouds and the land which was now falling from 8500 ft to below 5 000 ft.

In the cockpit of ZDL - Llewellyn (left) and myself Dave (right)

This was a painting we saw in Clarens which looks like home

A view of home - Durban's Bluff, harbour and the northern beaches

Back to Clarens.. photos got mixed here.. Dave posing on a tractor

We did some beer-tasting at the Clarens micro Brewery

Windmills, farmhouses and yummy food and drinks.

In the back-seat of the handy 7-seater that Bob, the farm-owner took us back and forth in

A scary storm we passed on the way to Clarens - 8500 ft up and the staorm system sucked the planes up another 1000ft in a few seconds.

Well organised airfield at Ficksburg where we landed - privately owned, beautifully kept and with an enclosure of lions alongside the asphalt runway.

Horses and animals living happily together on Shumba farm where we stayed for the weekend.



A welcome dip in the reservoir to escape the afternoon heat.