South Africa - Morning Drive via Canola Fields to Genadendal and Greyton

Morning Drive via Canola Fields to:

 Genadendal & Greyton

© Judelle Drake

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradclinphotography

The Canola (Rape Seed) fields in the Overberg region of South Africa are a sight to behold and this can be combined with a trip to Genadendal, the first & oldest Mission Station in South Africa, then on to Greyton for breakfast or lunch.

The route is via the N2 to Bot River, then head for the wheat & canola fields on the R43 to Villiersdorp. Turn again at the sign to Greyton.

Canola, otherwise known as Grape Seed, is bright yellow and makes for a spectacular show when in flower. Drive slowly through this region to enjoy the fields of contrasting colours (during August) then head towards Genadendal for a wander around this tiny village. The Moravian Church holds a special service annually in August to celebrate their youth and they decorate it beautifully with huge flower arrangements. The choir and brass band were practising whilst we were there and sounded fantastic! Although there are a number of other churches in the village, the Moravian Church has the largest congregation. The Genadendal Church Square buildings were declared National Monuments in 1980.
 

Unfortunately, the Museums were closed on the Saturday that we visited but the wander around the buildings was peaceful, the architecture interesting and the locals friendly. This Mission Station has had a long history since 1738 and at one point it was the largest settlement after Cape Town. However, the Communal Reserve Act of 1909 prevented inhabitants from obtaining property rights and this caused stagnation of the town until recently. Nelson Mandela named his official residence in Cape Town, Genadendal in 1995 and an effort is being made to create local jobs. The place has a happy vibe and the residents appear to be happy people.

If you walk through the gate of Pear Tree, you will find a memorial garden, graveyard and hundreds of beautiful white daisies (August) 

 

Greyton is a mere 5 kms away and is a great pit stop with many restaurants to choose from. The roads are lined with oak trees, cute cottages abound, shops are interesting and the Saturday Morning market is a must. We arrived too late for this – make sure you get there before 12.00 noon! It is also a great hiking area with overnight hikes as well as day hikes in the Greyton Nature Reserve. We have done walks in this reserve previously – winter time is best as it gets pretty hot during summer. Wild flowers are in abundance during spring. You can also do horse-riding in Greyton so it is a great place for week-end trips of outdoor fun and relaxation.

Numerous accommodation options are available in the area – Greyton Lodge offers music on Friday evenings to get you in the mood for a relaxing week-end stay!

You can also choose to attend a Cookery course at the Ladle Cookery School. Half day, full day or week-end courses are on offer.

The Oak & Vigne Café is very popular as is the Vanilla Cafe right opposite!

We sat on couches just meant for meaningful conversations whilst enjoying the various breakfast options.

Different Breakfast Options

A cute cottage!

A relaxing drive will take you back to Cape Town well before sundown!

Until Next August!

© Judelle Drake

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradclinphotography

                For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa

                                      www.bradclin.com