R65

If the ambitious dreams of a Scot named Alexander McCorkindale had come to fruition, the out-of-way little town of Amsterdam would today be the thriving capital city of a 'tartan republic' called New Scotland. In 1864 McCorkindale arrived in South Africa with a bold plan for bringing new life to the then Transvaal. He wanted to bring 300 Scots into the area, establish farms, build towns and develop a sea route to the new port he planned to create at the mouth of the Usutu River. The Transvaal government was delighted at the prospect of an economic revival in the moribund state. They offered to sell McCorkindale 200 farms in one huge block on the Swaziland border for 8000 pounds cash.…

Garden Town of Mpumalanga Ermelo is the main centre of the Grass and Wetlands Region of Mpumalanga, surrounded by sheep, cattle, sunflower and maize farms. The extensive pine plantations, endless rows of cedars, acorn trees and wattles, and rolling green landscapes make it easy to see why Ermelo is known as the garden town of the Mpumalanga Province. The town boasts a magical beauty and its’ spectacular surroundings afford visitors the opportunity to enjoy numerous outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, fishing and birding. Ermelo is a town not to be underestimated, the province's tranquil Lake District, which includes the pretty little village of Chrissiesmeer, is only…