Somewhere around 2009 Jeanne-Louise Wiese stumbled across the little town of Greyton on a Western Cape road trip. She so enjoyed the tranquil little village, where local kids ride horses through the streets, that she decided there and then to visit whenever she could.
When I moved to Cape Town I discovered everything is far away, except the local Woolies food and favourite surf spot, so when I came across the Greyton MTB Tour I quickly roped in a few mates. And it’s a good thing I did, as the ride was full almost three months in advance and with all accommodation in Greyton fully booked, we decided to stay in a quaint little cottage in Genadendal, which is about 5km outside of Greyton.
To our surprise we found that Genadendal was the first mission station in South Africa. It was originally called Baviaanskloof after a German missionary, George Schmidt, settled in the valley on 23 April 1738. Schmidt began to evangelise among the impoverished and detached Khoi people (also known as the Hessequas and Attaquas) and also taught them how to read and write. This small mission station grew into a picturesque town known these days as Genadendal where we were welcomed with open arms to stay among the friendly residents.
To the North East lies the lovely town of Greyton at the foot of the majestic Riviersonderend mountain range. These mountains form part of the Cape Fold Belt of the Western Cape and run from east to west, separating the Breede River Valley from the Overberg region. The mountains and the valleys can be explored on your trusty mountain bike steed for days on end. For those of you who would rather take a relaxed weekend away from the city hustle, you can explore the famous one-or-two day Boesmanskloof trail, which stretches between Greyton and McGregor.
I would definitely recommend taking a slow ride through this lovely town before heading out on one of the well-marked trails in the area. This town offers a very rich history which was created by its founder, Herbert Vigne, in 1854 when he established a freehold agricultural village on his farm Weltevreden. The town was named after Sir George Grey, the then Governor of the Cape. Most of the properties are all laid out as it was originally designed with water running in furrows along the streets and large open spaces left for horticultural pursuits.
The uniqueness of this country town promoted the establishment of the Greyton Conservation Society, which was founded in 1979, in order to safeguard the historical and ecological significance of the surrounding area. Two years earlier the 2 200 hectare Nature Reserve was also established by Professor Brian Rycroft, who was at that time the Director of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Thanks to initiatives like these we can still enjoy the scenery and almost never ending trails laid out in the area. It’s no surprise that the Overberg Birding Route website refers to this area as a “top birding spot” where you can see birds such as the Buff-spotted Flufftail, African-Rail, Purple Heron, African Harrier Hawk and Martial Eagle. The surrounding area also offers a diversity of plant species such as Proteas and Ericas. Look out for the magnificent King Protea which flowers around July and October. Visit this area during March and April and take a ride with your bike along the foot of the mountain and witness how large patches of the mountain become covered with a colourful blanket of Erica species.
During August every year the town of Greyton host the Greyton Tour which is organised by MTB Adventures (of the Houw Hoek Tour acclaim). It gives you the opportunity to spend some time in the beautiful surroundings where the locals assist at the water tables and even offer to hose down a muddy drivetrain as you pass through. The vibe is relaxed, the competition is good and the single track is suitable for all levels of riding. It’s a great platform for anyone who wishes to start exploring the world of multi-day races or even the professionals out there to have some affordable fun with a few mates. Other races in the area include the Greyton MTB Classic, Dirtopia MTB Festival and Genadendal Mission MTB and trail run.
Those who just wish to visit Greyton and explore the trails on their bike have the option of sticking to the gravel roads which meander through the valley or trying out some of the single track laid out through the area. Bikes can also be rented from several places in town which cater for all ages and which might be a good option if you bring along the family and wish to play around in the Rockhopper Forest without the hills.
Now, as much as I enjoy being a part of the rugged outdoors and taking a ride on the wild side, I have not yet considered what I would do if I should ever come across a leopard in the mountains. I suppose my reaction would make it change its spots from fear of this arm-flapping, hysterical creature tossing a strange object with two wheels in the bushes and running in the other direction. For this exact reason I was very pleased to find out that the Landmark Foundation introduced the Leopard and Predator Project in Greyton around September 2010. The project aims at counting these predators and tracking their movement throughout the region in an effort to conserve the small number left. Other animals recorded included baboon, porcupine, grysbok, small grey mongoose, rhebok, honey badger, spotted genet, African wildcat and bush pig. This just proves the biodiversity of this pristine area and hopefully encourages more people to protect it and learn more about the areas that they ride in.
