The Valley of the Aristocratic fugitives

HAPPY VALLEY:  KENYA

 

The ridge between the Western side of Aberdare range and Kipipiri is a picturesque setting for what was once clubbed as ‘The Happy Valley’.  The Valley of the aristocratic fugitives of the early 1900s set out in a jalopy through the rain soaked muddy roads leading through the forest reserve bordering Aberdare National park to see the old houses that hold the stories of the actors of that time.  The first house was built in 1901 and sits close to the foothills of the Aberdares.  The Cedar house still stands but is unkempt, but the manager’s house is more interesting, scandal wise.  The stuff that makes the paparazzi wild.  The manager as the story goes was a play boy who had prostitutes driven to the house.

 

Years will roll past as you drive on catch the novels written about this period such as Happy Valley and white mischief both of which were made into movies.  The houses that you will drive past are portrayed in the novels.  Alice de Janze’s and clouds which belonged to Idina and Joss Errol the stars of happy valley era are included in the novels.

 

The period of the three As – adultery, alcohol and attitude came to an abrupt and in 1941 when the body of the play boy loss Errol, (Lord Errol) was found slumped in his car on the roadside in Nairobi.