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On this trip Michael-John stayed at High Hopes of Greyton and had a great weekend unwinding and enjoying the fresh, country atmosphere. Go to their listing to make a booking for a refreshing weekend in the beautiful town of Greyton.
On the 25th of January we headed through to Greyton for a Burns Nicht (that's just Night with a Scottish accent). Every year Scots all over the world get together to eat haggis, drink whiskey and celebrate the life and work of Robert Burns, the guy who famously wrote Auld Lang Syne.
My grandparents were from Edinburgh and I have always felt a strong connection with my Scottish roots, even tearing up at the thought of William Wallace's "they may take our lives, but they'll never take our FREEDOM!!!" And so when I heard about a Burns Nicht happening in Greyton it wasn't a difficult decision to go along.
I had actually never been to Greyton before, but whenever I mentioned it to people they told me that I would love it. And right they were. To say it was great in Greyton is both an annoying pun and just plain true. I loved it all; from the Cape Dutch houses, to the quaint restaurants, to the bareback horse-riders cantering around town.
We stayed at High Hopes of Greyton, a wonderful BnB located at the top of the main road. It offers exactly what you want from a BnB in a quaint Overberg town: well appointed rooms, friendly hosts, and a great sprawling garden with place to just sit back and unwind amongst nature. There was even a swimming pool at the bottom of the garden which was a welcome treat in the January heat.
It didn't take long to settle in and feel completely relaxed. Our host, Mike, mentioned that when he first arrived in Greyton he was only meant to stay a short while but ended up staying for 5 years and counting. I can understand why. Greyton certainly feels like the type of place you could easily get lost in as you step away from the excesses of city living and enjoy the charming village atmosphere.
With the trees of the garden forming a canopy outside our room, it felt as though the room was a part of the wonderful garden. Apparently the garden at High Hopes has more than 1000 roses and many more plants that just put you in a place where you feel connected with the nature around you. And that is very much the feel of Greyton; a place to get away from busyness and enjoy the simple beauty of life.
After some relaxing, I donned my kilt and headed off to the Old Post House Pub for a wee dram. This pub was made famous by the 'give that man a Bells' advert. It was certainly fitting to have a whiskey, in our kilts before Burns Nicht. We then headed off to the hall following the other kilted people and general Scottish cheer.
The evening was great fun with everything Scottish including bagpipes, haggis with neeps and tatties, and plenty of tartan all round. I'm a vegetarian so didn't try the meat haggis (I know, what kind of a Scot am I?) but the vegetarian haggis with lentils and haggis spice was really tasty. Then it was time for the ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) dancing, which is a traditional Scottish style of dancing which is quite similar to barn dancing or line dancing. It's a lot of fun, especially once you get into it.
After a long night of good food, whiskey and dancing we headed back to High Hopes of Greyton for a well deserved rest. The next morning we got up and enjoyed an amazing breakfast at the BnB before heading out for a cycle around town. It was nice to get out and enjoy the sights of Greyton from a slightly different point of view, passing the many Cape Dutch houses on the dirt roads around the town.
Along the way we found a hiking trail to a waterfall and took a 15 minute walk up a gorge to explore. It's a nice short hike with a river running alongside you. Eventually you get to the end of the trail and have a choice to either turn back or swim in the cold river water to the waterfall. I opted for the swim and it was a nice little adventure through the gorge.
After the cycle and hike we headed to Searle's Trading Post for lunch. One corner of the store is filled with amazing doll houses. Well, to call them doll houses is probably an understatement to the skill taken to build these miniature rooms. Each one has its own theme with an incredible attention to detail.
Eventually we checked out and headed back to Cape Town, having had a wonderful time unwinding and enjoying the celebration of Robert Burns. I am so surprised that this was my first visit to Greyton, because well... what have I been doing with my life all these years? I'll certainly be back at the very next opportunity.
To make a booking for a weekend away at High Hopes of Greyton, click here.
