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This picturesque, historic town originally known as Bushman's River - thanks to its waterside location - was renamed to honour the North Wiltshire MP who sponsored British settlers during the 1850s. In addition to its World Heritage Site access, Estcourt lies just a short drive away from both the Weenen Game Reserve and the Thukela Biosphere, the latter a joint conservation and community initiative dealing with 100 000 hectares of Valley Bushveld.
This picturesque, historic town originally known as Bushman's River - thanks to its waterside location - was renamed to honour the North Wiltshire MP who sponsored British settlers during the 1850s. In addition to its World Heritage Site access, Estcourt lies just a short drive away from both the Weenen Game Reserve and the Thukela Biosphere, the latter a joint conservation and community initiative dealing with 100 000 hectares of Valley Bushveld.
Adventure sports abound in this terrain, along with horse riding, golf, fishing, 4 X 4 trails, hiking, bird watching and wildlife drives.
Estcourt and environs witnessed a fair amount of our somewhat turbulent past, from the Zulu nation's first encounters with Boer settlers to the Anglo-Boer War. Following the execution, on 6 February 1838, of Voortrekker leader Piet Retief and his followers at the hands of King Dingane, many Boer families were annihilated 10 days later at Bloukrans, near Estcourt, where a memorial now stands. The Zulu army was less successful at Saailaager, Rensburg Koppie and Veglaer battlefields, all within easy reach of the town.
Regarding the Anglo-Boer War, Willow Grange, in the hills south of Estcourt, marks the most southern point reached by Boer fighters while north of the town lies the famous Armoured Train Cemetery, where Britain's enemy captured a young newspaperman destined to generate many headlines of his own - Winston Churchill.
Source: Courtesy of Tourism KwaZulu Natal - http://www.kzn.org.za/kzn/
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