New Germany

New Germany, Valley of 1000 Hills

New Germany lies roughly 15 kilometres inland from Durban. It is called such because, way back when, a group of German immigrants to South Africa settled on a cotton-growing farm here called Westville but went on to rename it once they'd turned to growing vegetables and flowers after the cotton production failed.

The little town, given over mostly to a large industrial park, is incorporated into Pinetown, the small city that grew around the old Wayside Hotel, which, back then, served as the main wagon route between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

Despite New Germany's industrial bent, and the stigma that its neighbour Pinetown has as a 'motor town' due to the number of car dealerships found along the Old Main Road, New Germany is a great starter home area, and one of the few places in and around Durban where you can pick up a house for less than R1 million. Its access to major highways and in and out of both Durban and Pietermaritzburg is unarguably one of the best, and people who live here love it.

It helps that at weekends New Germany has great access to green spaces and escapes. The New Germany Nature Reserve might be small, but it has some lovely picnic sites with braai areas, hiking trails and a bird hide at a waterhole.

Over and above that, you can also see zebra, samango monkeys, various antelope and bird species, particularly in the walk-through aviary. Also visit the nearby Kranskloof Nature Reserve, Hillcrest's Heritage Market, and the Valley of 1000 Hills, including the 1000 Hills Choo Choo.