Push east from Cape Town through the frontside of the Western Cape beyond Hermanus and Franschhoek and you arrive at the small Overberg town of Greyton. The modest urban footprint leans into the lap of the Riviersonderend Mountain Range which ripples sharply skywards, while the shallow Gobos River slinks by town to the East. Though much of the Garden Route is made of cultivated, combed fields, the surroundings to Greyton reflect Edenic expectations – nature reserves, farmlands, vineyards and orchards.

Greyton Lodge is one of the town’s choice boutique hotels, in operation since 1984 within an early 20th century Cape Dutch manor. The latest ownership under Hendrik Bloem started in November 2012, followed by a full-property renovation of interiors by Hendre Bloem in 2012 and 2022. Its traditional setting and manicured gardens pay tribute to both the historic and modern elements in South African architecture.

The hotel is made of 16 bedrooms spread across Manor House and Garden locations. Bedrooms in the Manor encompass traditional features and hardwood flooring, while the nine Garden bedrooms embrace refined, clean interiors (as per header image).

A wine lounge with comfortable, vintage chairs and sofas provides an additional space where guests can unfold from their rooms. A honesty bar with South African wines provides a convenient, self-serve setup accessible at any hour. Breakfast is served in the adjacent restaurant as part of the booking, and a swimming pool is included in the grounds.

Neighbourhood dining options in Greyton are abundant. Start with Ruperts Bistro (Google, no website) who serve small plates with outdoor seating on the Main Street through town – an ideal perch for evenings. Abbey Rose is another option on the same side of the street as Ruperts.

As for coffee, visit The Hub & Spoke (Google, no website) which is the go-to cycle-friendly cafe, with specialty coffee and mountain bike rental on site. Oak & Vigne is another coffee shop to visit – also make the most of their all-day menu.

Greyton’s one vineyard produces outstanding wines under the ownership of Samantha O’Keefe who has spent over 20 years cultivating vines in an unlikely location of the Western Cape. Taste Lismore wines at their tasting room at 13 DS Botha Street.

Training Notes

Greyton’s surrounding terrain provides scope for mountain bikers and runners, reaching out on marked trails from the shady runnable lanes of the town itself. CapeNature sanction the nearby nature reserves with day fees payable on their website (seek out Hiking Permits). A 16km run to Oakes Falls is usually an ambitious hike, also navigable as an ambitious trail run.

Trail runners can tag into group runs with Greyton Trail Running Society (Facebook page with schedule). A late-August “Brew Run” is one race to sync with. Also note the mid-May Greyton Mountain Marathon, a two-day event with 21km routes on each day (1032vm followed by 520vm in terms of elevation gain). An October “Rusty Gate” ultra also includes a 21km distance, paired with a bold 50km and 2,500m of elevation gain.

Mountain biking information is supplied by Greyton MTB who issue permits single day or 7-day access. Their website has route details for both mountain bike and gravel, including downloadable GPX files. For mountain bike rental, contact adam@glimpse.co.za to arrange.

There’s no public swimming pool in Greyton or the nearby area.

Learn more at greytonlodge.co.za. Review based on stay in room #9 in March 2024.