a country air
The undeniable charm of Greyton has as much to do with the people who’ve put their hearts into this village, as with the idyllic country landscape
The locals in Greyton joke they have the longest driveway in the world and, indeed, as you turn off the N2 highway and the road winds past field after field of wheat and canola, you begin to wonder if there’s anything out here. But eventually the speed limit drops to 40 km/h, ambling cows and donkeys assume right of way and you know you’ve arrived.
The strain of the working week is carried away by the cheerful tinkling of a piano as I step into the Greyton Lodge, one of the village’s longest running establishments. For the past three years, owners Vilhjálmur Jon Gudjónsson and Gudmundur Adalsteinn Thorvardarson (known as Villi and Bói, for obvious reasons), from Reykjavik in Iceland, have worked their magic as hosts, creating a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Locals and weekenders converge on the lodge for informal music evenings in their pretty garden or, in colder months, in front of a fireplace in the gallery.
‘There’s an energy you can feel in Greyton,’ says Villi. Hmm, must be all this mountain air and birdsong, I think, distracted by the three resident ducks, Donald, Daffy and Daisy, waddling across the garden towards us. But as we chat I begin to see why, as Bói puts it, ‘people come for a weekend and end up buying a house here’. I’m lucky to have a mother who did just that.
Feeling peckish, mum and I make our way over to the recently opened 254, an art gallery turned eatery, with three interleading rooms bedecked with red velvet curtains and the quirky naïve paintings of local artist Michelle Holloway. Passionate chef and co-owner Herman de Kock details the short menu, leaving me to deliberate over the Camembert with biltong and quince jelly and the grilled nectarine and halloumi salad. I end up trying both. The springbok steak with a red wine reduction is tender and juicy and, at R60, won’t leave you gasping at the bill. Such value should be taken full advantage of, we tell ourselves, as we finish off with the home-made rhubarb crumble with custard.
I relish Saturday’s unhurried awakening. The leiwater gurgles – somewhere downstream a resident will be blocking off the water supply to fill their garden dam – and outside my window a sunbird plops itself on to the birdfeeder, drawing beakfuls of the syrupy nectar.
Ten o’ clock is market time, an eagerly anticipated gathering for Greytonians to catch up on the latest gossip while stocking up with fresh organic veggies, home-made lemon cordial and other farm produce. I head for the cheeses, taste several and then select a stinging nettle Edam made by Desirée Kingwill. To her right, the delectable soft cheese products of the Udder Company catch my eye. For entrepreneur Francy Schoeman, ‘cheesemaking is a hobby that involves lots of experimenting’. Several years ago she left Botswana’s game lodges, where she’d been working, to join her parents who’d bought a dairy farm on the outskirts of Greyton. Since then her legendary feta, cream cheeses and mouth-watering French-style Camembert, have become one of the market’s biggest drawcards.
But even browsing can prove thirsty work, so we make our way towards Le Petit Chocolat in Ds Botha Street for their sublime cappuccino and dark choc chip and macadamia biscuits. A retail outlet for renowned resident chocolatier Richard von Geusau’s sweet treats, it’s a destination in itself for many Capetonians.
As we enjoy the Saturday pedestrian traffic from the lavender-lined patio, manager Lisa Taylor’s 12-week-old baby Eugenie is whisked away by an adoring local and the cooing of passersby follows them down the street. According to Lisa, ‘Greyton is a great place for kids to grow up. There’s no traffic and virtually no crime’. She sings the praises of the local independent school, Greyton House, where 25 new children enrolled this year, bringing the number of students to 80 (pre-school to grade 12).
A little way down the road, in an old milkshed, is Yucca gallery. Open on weekends only, it’s an exhibition space for a host of South African artists, including Robin Mann, Gert Naudè and Mariana Emslie. Artist and gallery assistant Carmen Bryce is deeply engrossed in glass slumping – stencilling a silhouette on to glass that will be placed on a mould and fired at 760°C in a kiln.
While some have chosen to leave the city madness for a quieter lifestyle, for others, like Dora van der Burg, this valley in the Overberg has always been home. Dora is the proud owner of Mafala Textiles, where exquisite silk quilts, cushions and mosquito nets are made to order. There is a flurry of colour as Dora and her assistant match fabric to pattern, busying themselves with a quilt that will be on its way to Germany in a week. An empowerment success story, the business was handed over to Dora by the original owner in 2004, and a framed letter of praise from Archbishop Desmond Tutu bears testimony to her achievements.
After an obligatory Saturday afternoon nap, I drive out to The Blue Hippo, four kilometres outside Greyton on the Riviersonderend road, where Mike and Simone Bothma have set up a ‘wellness retreat’. Accommodation is in Indian-style teepees and activities such as horseback riding, Nia dancing and drumming classes help to reconnect people with nature.
We saddle up for an outride and I’m told that my mount, Cola, is an ex-carthorse from the neighbouring town of Genadendal. Perfect. The trail takes us over the foothills of the Riviersonderend mountains, through carpets of purple ericas and green leucadendrons, luminant in the late afternoon sun. Without the annoyance of a bit (their new horses are voice trained and don’t wear mouthpieces), Cola is free to munch on a fallen pear from an orchard en route, and seems to enjoy the ride as much as I do.
The next morning, defying aching muscles, we walk the zigzag trail that crosses the river below Vlei Street, taking us to a hilltop lookout point where a well-placed bench affords panoramic views of the village below … and some rest. The most popular of the many hikes in the Riviersonderend mountain range is the Boesmanskloof Trail between Greyton and McGregor, a 28 km ‘out and back’ route with an overnight stop in either of the towns. A series of waterfalls and deep rock pools offer refreshing dips in summer and light snow sometimes falls in the winter months. Bookings can be made through the Greyton tourism office.
A leisurely lunch at the Oak & Vigne Café, the effervescent social hub of the village, is de rigueur for weekenders. Charismatic owner Coenie Visser says that Greyton is a favoured destination for people wishing to escape the city. ‘Despite all the new villages that have sprung up, like Riebeek Valley and Darling, Greyton remains a step ahead, which is why people always return.’ Scarlett gallery next door, run by Coenie’s partner Mike Donkin, epitomises the originality that keeps people coming back for more.
All too soon, it’s time to head back to the city. A detour into Genadendal, the oldest mission station in South Africa, reveals a tranquil enclave. It must have left a lasting impression on Nelson Mandela as he named his official Cape Town residence after this town. Children play soccer in the streets with makeshift goalposts and men sit in the shade of an open doorway, smoking their pipes. Imbued with an appreciation of my surroundings, I wave at them. A dozen pairs of hands wave back.
HOW TO GET THERE
Take the N2 out of Cape Town and drive for about 120 km, before taking the Greyton turn-off on your left (5 km before Caledon). Follow the ‘longest driveway’ for a further 32 km.
PLACES TO STAY
Acorns on Oak
2 Oak Street
028 254 9567
Auberge
3 Oak Street
028 254 9192
Barnards Boutique Hotel
16 Main Road
028 254 9394
Greyton Lodge
52 Main Road
028 254 9800
High Hopes B&B
89 Main Road
028 254 9898
Mark Cottage (self-catering)
1 Market Street
028 254 9727
The Lord Pickleby
58 Main Road
028 254 9839
WHERE TO EAT
254 Restaurant
8 Ds Botha Street
028 254 9373
Abbey Rose
19 Main Road
028 254 9470
Greyt-on-Main Restaurant
31 Main Road (next to tourism office)
028 254 9722
Jam Tin
Aster Laan, Boesmanskloof
028 254 9075 (bookings only)
Le Petit Chocolat
Cnr Main Road and Ds Botha Street 028 254 9638
The Oak & Vigne Café
13 Ds Botha Street
028 254 9037
The Pepper Tree
14 Main Road
028 254 9164
WHERE TO SHOP
Blossom
20 Ds Botha Street
072 539 8122
Inside Story
25 Main Road
028 254 9827
Mfala Designer Textiles
Main Road
028 254 9075
Scarlett
Next to The Oak & Vigne Café
Ds Botha Street
028 254 9153
Yucca Gallery
Opposite The Oak & Vigne Café
028 254 9962
(open weekends only)
WHAT TO DO
Cycle around the village
Rent a bicycle from the tourism office
29 Main Road
028 254 9414
Greyton-McGregor hiking trail
Reservations can be made at the tourism office
29 Main Road
028 254 9414
Horseriding
The Blue Hippo
Riviersonderend road
028 254 9595
Massage, reiki and applied kinesiology
High Hopes Healing Energy Centre
89 Main Road
028 254 9898
Yoga
Under the Mountain Yoga Centre
Cnr Park and Kloof streets
082 738 7809
USEFUL NUMBERS
Greyton Tourism Bureau
29 Main Road
028 254 9414