It might not seem like it, with the recent heat waves and the seemingly endless “last of the summer sunsets” Instagrams, but winter is definitely on its way to Cape Town and with the change of seasons, come out -of-season-rates and out-of-city-weekends.
There are so many stunning weekend away options in the Western Cape, with too many to choose from just a couple of hours drive outside of the city; Hermanus, Paternoster, Stanford…but I recently visited a quaint little village that completely stole my heart and has consumed my thoughts ever since.
The drive out to Greyton, 140 km outside of Cape Town
From the breathtaking drive out to this beautiful, quaint village, to the friendly locals and hospitable accommodation, Greyton is my new number one winter retreat destination. Since my visit a couple of weeks ago, I have been asking myself ridiculous questions like “Realistically, how could I move to Greyton?” and other questions that have to do with me spending as much time there as possible.
A couple of Greyton locals
Thaya in the evening light
My friend Thaya invited me to join her for a night at Greyton Lodge, where she was staying on a writing assignment. I arrived in town at around 3pm and we checked into the newly-renovated lodge. Greyton Lodge could not be more surprising; despite having been built in 1933, the lodge is elegantly decorated in modern taste, with enough old-world South African charm to keep the all-important quaintness that forms part of a village like Greyton’s appeal.
The public spaces and rooms have free, fast wifi, the lodge bar is stocked with an array of local wines and the rooms are sophisticated yet cosy, an all-important detail for winter getaways. The dining room has touches of the old (in the original piano, for example) while the new, sleek interior and custom furnishings create a space that is open and inviting.
Added to the mix are the wonderful hosts; an Afrikaans family who are as proud of their beautiful establishment as they should be and who offer South African hospitality and hearty breakfasts with warm smiles and kind eyes.
We wanted to make the most of the last couple of daylight hours, so we popped into the local grocery store where we found a selection of meats and cheeses and headed down to the riverbed for a picnic. It is so beautiful down there – I can’t even tell you. And despite the fact that I am a certified cat lady, a friendly black spaniel decided to make me his best friend forever. He found a black stone between thousands of white ones and insisted with loud whines and puppy-dog eyes that I play fetch with him. I did and don’t tell BABYCAT, but I really enjoyed it.
The sun was setting fast and we didn’t have much time to take advantage of Greyton’s list of activities; horse riding, mountain biking, hiking and more, so we did what we do best…we ate and we drank.
After our little picnic we were invited to have drinks and dinner with a local couple. Their country-style home was actually just too much for me and I would have been happy to live there forever as their cook and cleaner if they’d have offered me the position. Country living sure does seem idyllic.
Dinner was enjoyed at the Hungry Monk, where we chatted and laughed late into the night over too many bottles of wine. After-dinner treats were devoured in bed, a gift from the over-the-top delicious von Geusau Chocolates, Greyton’s own luxury chocolatier.
That night, while the sleepy town was covered in a blanket of country-stillness, I dreamed of country living and riverbed picnics…
Greyton, I think I love you
To book your Greyton weekend getaway, contact Greyton Lodge on [email protected]
For more information on what to do and see in the village visit the Greyton Tourism website or follow @LoveGreyton on Twitter. I have no doubt that you will love it as much as I do.
One comment
See, the thing is, every time you blog about a place, I feel I HAVE to go there. Love your writing.