Have time, must explore
As an addicted Country Life Magazine fan, I love quaint little towns and villages. I’m enjoying being at a point in my life, with the freedom, and means, to explore a little more fully the treasure trove of delightful spots in the Western Cape.
Don’t overlook the wonders of your own environment
In our eagerness to travel the world, we often fail to see the charms of our own country. I’m lucky enough to live in a city, considered to be one of the most wonderful cities in the world. Yet, in easy access, are amazing places that we could so easily overlook.
Travelling with friends
For a number of years, in the first week of March, we hire a minivan, collect a group of our Durban friends from the airport, and dedicate a weekend to exploring a special spot.
This year we discovered Greyton, and what a magical, timeless little village it is. About an hour and a half out of Cape Town, it is nestled at the foot of the Riviersonderend Mountain Range in the Overberg. it is an ideal spot for hikers, cyclists and those, like us, who simply need to step off the wheel for a bit.
The village of Greyton
The village, established in 1854, has a rich history, and a beautiful setting, but the thing that enchants me, is that the people who live here, love living here. Horses roam the streets looking for treats, children ride their bikes, dogs pop out to greet you, and everyone heads to the market on Saturdays to support each other.
Friendly locals
The residents seem to enjoy having visitors too, and there are enough delightful little shops to keep the tourists happy. It’s not window dressing though, I couldn’t help feeling that people live great lives here, whether we visit or not.
A place to discover on foot
Although there were interesting things to explore in the region, this was a town for parking the bus, and exploring on foot. The only wine farm in the area, was closed for harvesting, anyway.
Sensory Overload
I love to walk, and always feel more connected to a place, once I have ambled through, absorbing the essence of the village with my senses, greeting the locals, and admiring the flourishing gardens and vegetable patches.
Our two days was too short, but we all agreed it felt as though it had been longer, in the most delightful way. We all wished we had extended our visit to five days.
My Highlights
- The horses that roam through the village. Most likely a nuisance for some the villagers, but they have figured out which houses are a soft touch and arrive for their tidbits, or a nibble on a green, grassy patch.
- The general friendliness of the inhabitants. I love to chat, and most shop owners and local inhabitants, seem happy enough to interrupt their daily lives, for a little small talk.
- “Heart and Soul,” a vegetarian themed restaurant that opens once a week, on Saturdays for lunch. What an imaginative, and delicious harvest table, it has me salivating just remembering it. All the food that is provided is either grown in their gorgeous, and abundant garden, or sourced locally. You cannot pre-book, the place is small, but on a fine day, you can eat al fresco in the garden. I would imagine on a wet day it would be more challenging. Forewarned that it was popular, we did get there a little earlier, and felt immensely proud of ourselves for finding a table. The charm is not just the sublime food, but also the owners, husband and wife team, Steve and Karen Jossel. Karen is the chef, and Steve fronts the restaurant, both are warm, friendly and engaging. What a treat.
- The Saturday morning market. A small market with a selection of locally produced foods and crafts. I loved the unhurried atmosphere, and where ever we stopped, the opportunity to talk to interesting people. Whilst waiting in the pancake queue I met an artist who specialises in paper sculpture, flowers particularly. The pancake, filled with homemade lemon curd, was well worth the wait, and I wished I had ordered two. I certainly should have bought a jar of the curd. A particularly fantastic and fascinating person was the ‘succulent lady.’ She propagates and sells the most delightful, tiny indigenous succulents, and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of their habitats, names and needs. She also has a fascinating story of her reciprocal relationship with a puff adder in her greenhouse. He eats the rats, and she lets him live in peace. I wish I had an opportunity to meet the man, John, who bakes, the best tasting artisanal bread I have ever eaten (other than my brother’s, but that is a story for another day). I assume it is in a wood fired oven, it had that appearance, and paired with the locally produced cheeses and preserves, we feasted like kings.
- The spontaneous conversation I had at the market with an elderly lady, and her lovely Labrador. She asked if I was the guest staying at Lisa’s place. Lisa does own the guesthouse we were staying at, and how this lady knew we were at this particular guesthouse and not one of the numerous others, I do not know. It is just that kind of small town.
- A perfect start to the Saturday was an early morning walk through the nature reserve before it got to hot, with the heady scent of fynbos in our noses, and sugarbirds fluttering ahead of us. The reserve has well marked trails of varying lengths and grades of difficulty, a must for nature lovers.
- Walking home from dinner, and taking a moment to gaze into a deep, dark sky pierced with a thousand stars.
- Trawling the little shops for treasures including delectable chocolate from Von Geuseu, and a fascinating candle shop where the artist is doing strangely wonderful wax sculptured candles by pouring the wax into salt.
- Spending hours, simply reconnecting with people I care about, laughing and reminiscing.
Greyton we will be back
(featured image credited to: Fiona Treverthan)
brenfinding5th.com 