Greyton is one of the many "Small Towns of South Africa" and it's an easy drive from Cape Town. Whether you pop in for the day or the week-end, there is enough to enjoy in this quaint town, where horses and the odd cow roam freely. The owners of the cottage where we stayed advised that we could open the gate for the horses. And, lo and behold, on Sunday morning the horses had their heads over the gate waiting to be let in! This was a totally amazing experience with about 6 horses on the lawns at one stage. They were very peaceful and munched away on the grass - they even came right up to our bedroom door to "steal" some of the bird food! It was a 90 minute experience that we won't ever forget.
The Sonderend Mountains of Greyton offer many photographic opportunities, plus hiking trails.
A drive on the surrounding gravel roads can be very rewarding - view the farms with huge herds of cows, we saw a new dam being scooped out, a meerkat taking a rest in the shade of a water tank, some blue cranes and lots of road building action.
For those who love shopping there are a number of interesting and quirky shops dotted around the village. Take time to browse and don't forget to get your chocolate fix from the legendary Von Geusau Chocolates. Stroll around the Fiore Garden Centre to source something for your garden or just take a breather and enjoy a meal in this tranquil setting. For other treasures, continue browsing!
The Greyton Nature Reserve was established in 1977 by Professor Brian Rycroft and, at 2200 hectares, this is the 3rd largest reserve in the Western Cape. There are many trails to choose from and the flora is beautiful. Entrances are at Park Street, where there is a parking area or from the east bank of the Gobos River. We met a number of hikers who has completed the Bosmanskloof Trail and they still looked fit and healthy!
THE BOESMANSKLOOF TRAIL
The Boesmanskloof trail is one of the most popular hiking routes in the country, and it’s easy to see why. The starting point is right here in Greyton, a short hop from Cape Town. The trail winds through the deep and untouched Boesmanskloof gorge, past Oak Falls, before you hike up and out to Die Galg, where overnight accommodation sits perched right on the edge of the gorge. Most hikers stay over in Greyton on Friday, start the 14km hike on Saturday morning, and make the 14km trek back the next day
There are numerous shorter trails - check the Information Office for full details. Remember to take water, hats and cell phones!
Gobos - 1-4km - Gentle, Hardepeerkloof Trail 5km - Challenging, Knietjieshoogte walk 5km - moderate, Loerkop Trail 3km - moderate, Maermanskloof Trail 5km - challenging, Platkloof Trail 3km - gentle, Noupoort Walk 2km - Gentle, Breakfast Rock Trail - 7.6km = Challenging, Gifkllof Trail - 7km -Moderate
Greyton's appeal lies in the beautiful homes that are dotted in the village. Many of these roads are still untarred. The village was founded by Herbert Vigne in 1846 as a freehold agricultural village. The plots still appear be be substantial and the Cape architecture is evident, adding to the charm. The leiwater irrigation system is still in place and feeds the gardens of many homes. So look for these channels along the roads. This village makes for an interesting look back at history yet with plenty of modern day conveniences. It truly is a "must visit" kind of town!
