'''About Ladybrand'''
Ladybrand is surrounded by the beautiful hills of the eastern Free State at the foot of the majestic Maluti Mountains in Lesotho was founded in 1867 and named after Lady Catharina Brand, the mother of President Brand , then president of the Orange Free State Colony. Ladybrand, a frontier post was established specifically to defend the conquered territory from the _gmarauding_h Basotho.
Today, it is a cosmopolitan town serving as a trade and business centre on the border of Lesotho as well as being the administrative centre of Mantsopa District Municipality which include the towns of Tweespruit, Excelsior, Thaba Phatswa, and Hobhouse. Many of the inhabitants commute daily to work in Maseru which is 18 kms away.
The area is traversed by the Maluti Route on the R26 from Kwazulu Natal via the Eastern Free State, up to the Eastern Cape highlands and the Lesotho Kingdom.
Ladybrand especially is an economically bustling town with high property prices and sometimes being popularly referred to as the _ecapital_f of Lesotho.
Get in
Ladybrand is a 15 minute drive from Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. Its about 4 hours from Johannesburg, and 1.5 hours from Bloemfontein. The Bloemfontein - Durban [http://www.intercape.co.za Intercape] bus stops here.
Get around
A pair of shoes is all you need. Google Earth now has some good hi-res images of the town.
See
The sandstone church in the centre of town is the main landmark. There is an old airstrip runway that makes for a nice perspective photo. As with many eastern Free State towns there are some pleasing old houses dotted around.
Do
There are some nice walks around the edge of town - head west towards the hills behind Ladybrand. You can also play a round of golf at the club, horse ride, paintball, and other things, ask in the tourist information office. The [http://www.oldenburglodge.com/ Oldenburg Lodge] 10km up the road offers horse riding, games drives, rock climbing and other activities.
Buy
For those reading this page before taking up a job in Maseru its worth noting that in general the prices of goods are the same or cheaper in Ladybrand, especially for white goods and furniture, however delivery charges may well exceed the savings compared to purchasing things in Maseru.
Eat
'''Imperio Robertos''' (behind Shoprite) is perhaps the best restaurant in town, fantastic steaks, pasta and pizza dishes, nice atmosphere and friendly owner (Roberto) make for a consistently pleasant dining experience.
'''Cranberry Cottage''', [http://www.cranberry.co.za]. More of a guesthouse than restaurant - but the food is very good and the setting perfect for an intimate dinner. Need to book in advance as they start cooking the food before you arrive.
'''Beef & Reef''' (opposite Spar) caters more for the Afrikaaner crowd - steak, fish and chips.
'''Fish Cafe''' (opposite the Church) offers a selection of seafood and fish, nice atmosphere and friendly owner (Munshi).
'''Spizzy Pizza''' (near the church) used to be a fantastic cozy little Italian place serving great pizzas. The pizzas are still good but the curiously stark grey interior is a little off-putting.
As you can see Ladybrand is the best option for eating for those based in Maseru.
Little Italy. pposite Spar. A good place for lunch - reasonably priced pizza, pasta and salads. Outdoor seating and a takeaway menu.
The Siding. n the N8 to Maseru, at the bottom of the big hil. 051) 924 0280. ttp://www.thesiding.co.za/. 29__15'44.77S. 27__27'43.44E. Wholesome South African fare. Do an excellent Sunday lunch. Set in pleasant rural surroundings, with a few walks and nature trails starting from the restaurant grounds, the Siding has been a popular spot for a good few years now. Accommodation also available.
Drink
'''Cheaters''' (opposite Spar) offers the best place for a drink.
''' Spizzy Pizza''' In summer makes a good place to sip a beer under the veranda, watching the sun set behind the church. '''Ciao Ciao Cocktail Lounge''' enjoy the chilled atmoshere.
jc restraunt.
Sleep
'''My Housy Guesthouse''', [http://www.myhousy.co.za/]
'''Cranberry Cottage''', [http://www.cranberry.co.za/]
'''Fort Amity''', [http://www.places.co.za/html/1390.html]
''' Ladybrand Guesthouse
Its worth noting that Ladybrand offers considerably better accommodation than Maseru. You will you pay a lot more for a worse room in Maseru. Compare the Lesotho Sun (R700+ per night) with Cranberry Cottage (R350) for example.
Get out
Explore Lesotho via Maseru.
Head north to Clarens.
Head west to Bloemfontein.