Stanford Lake lodge

Right at your doorstep, the 17 hectare Stanford Lake, whose waterfall feeds the spectacular Ebenezer Dam, has trout and bass to test your fly fishing skills. The lodges are situated on a 127 hectare farm with surrounding areas neighboring the Ebeneezer dam, providing an abundant area of vast exciting trails of exploration for any avid mountain biker or hiker. There is also an indigenous area of over 30 hectares which is filled with different species indigenous trees which habitat vast species of birds and plants, making it the perfect destination for any plant or bird enthusiast.

"Stanford Farm" The headlines of two 1941 Limpopo Province newspaper reports read “Big-Game Hunter Drowned in a dam” and TRAGIC ACCIDENT AT “STANFORD’S LAKE”. Seventy-year old Harley Daly Maurice Stanford died in his own lake on the 8th of January 1941. He built it because he loved fishing. He died in it because he loved fishing. Eric, Harley's grandson, then moved with his wife to start a law practice in White River The farm then became a yearly holiday destination. A year after Eric died, his wife Andree' permanently moved to the farm. At that time, Colleen was the only child who lived on the farm as Eric's other daughter, Joan, had moved to Australia and his son Gavin lived in Cape Town. Colleen, Harley’s granddaughter, who still lives on the farm offers foot massages, reiki and more at The Growth Centre Harley’s grandson Gavin, his wife Jady and their two children moved up to the farm from Cape Town in 2000. There were opportunities in Tourism and Gavin decided to do a course on ‘building log cabins’. He finished the course and set out to build the cabins. Gavin now runs "Stanford Lake Lodge".

Farming and tourism are the main economic activities on "The Mountain" as it is called by the locals; Haenertsburg is in mountainous terrain. The Iron Crown is a well-known landmark. Frequent mists and relatively high rainfall have created a lush vegetation with afromontane forest patches occupying the kloofs (gullies) which dot the rolling grasslands and surrounding mountains. The scenic beauty of the Haenertsburg area attracts many tourists. It is a favoured spot for cycling, biking and fishing. Sailing and other watersport take place on nearby Ebenezer Dam. The steepest mountain pass in South Africa, the Magoebaskloof pass, leads one down from the Highveld of the Haenertsburg area to the Lowveld adjoining the Kruger National Park, falling approximately 600m in altitude in less than 7 km travelled. The town was established in 1886 with the discovery of gold by Carl Ferdinand Haenert .