Barrydale is between Langeberg and Karoo Mountains in South Africa in a lush valley. Stay for a few days and explore a few things to do in Barrydale to alleviate the slower rate of living. There were some nagmaal homes and a school in the days before the Church was erected, but not much else.
In 1878, when property was bought for the church, the Dutch Reformed Community of Barrydale was founded. As farmers were encouraged to grow viticulture and orchards in the region, it was logical to finally build a winery and distillery. In 2003, locally manufactured Joseph Barry Brandy was named finest brandy in the world. The settlement developed throughout the years and in 1921 the town was founded. Today’s population is approximated. In the tourist season, the population grows considerably, with tourists drawn from exhibitions of art and craft.
Things to Do in Barrydale ?
Eat in a few restaurants of Barrydale
In a tiny hamlet of this sort there are more than a dozen Barrydale eateries and coffee shops. The location is luminous and beautiful with its red seats and the quiet lawn. Run by a friendly mother-and-son crew, the ambiance is casual and the cuisine is delicious. The lamb kleftiko was sugar and savory, and a chicken patty pie made of citrus fruits with rice and greens and salad. Yum. For dessert, we had a wonderful sweet and spicy Moroccan crunch with a rosewater ice cream. This is your sort of restaurant, if you appreciate delicious, comfortable cuisine without being precious.
The restaurant of the Karoo Art Hotel is another wonderful location to eat. The cuisine is primarily influenced by the Karoo, and we both chose the lamb shank and a vegetarian bobotie for a cold night. We split for dessert, a hint of refinedness at this 3-star country hotel.
The Diesel & Crème retro restaurant is an entirely different experience that is a must for atmosphere and decor. There are tables of wood, menus of blackboards and ancient tin signs promoting something for the engine oil of Pepsi, Castle and Lucky Strike. The finest items here are dairy shakes like Morning Glory, Vintage Villain with chunks of red velvet cake and chocolate brownie, lady and red. Note that the ‘little’ ones are big and the bigots are bigots! The dinner is also served with breakfast, lunch, magnificently delicious desserts and man-sized waffles.
One day after lunch, we were already full and decided to follow the directions for the Blue Cow on the Barrydale Waterfront because the sign seemed so fascinating. It turned out that we might enjoy a look across a dam. We were sitting on the covered deck and others on the grass beneath some trees at picnic tables. The waiter offered us a piece of brown to feed them and we saw fish in the dam. They grouped and muscled each other out of the way to get it – fun for the youngsters. The cappuccino decaf was deceptional, but the cake was delicious. Sarmies, salads, and other light foods are also toasted.
Discover the Hotel of Art Karoo
The Karoo Art Hotel is rather faded from the outside of Barrydale, but enter inside and start working its charm with the peculiarity of the light walls from green to oxblood crimson. A sofa of banana yellow art, a glitter gold case, red and purple embellishments. Each room has a stylish or unique style, a touch off the wall. Go for tea or a dinner, or spend a night in one of the unique Suites for an opportunity to explore the public. See my post about Barrydale’s Karoo Art Hotel to find out more about the hotel and why it is worth a visit.
Get fashionable and skilled
You would love to mook about Barrydale if you appreciate browsing and buying arts and crafts. Visit the Barrydale hand weavers, a skill and employment creation initiative on the Ladismith side of the city, to witness the twisted tapas, coffee making textiles and even the webs in work. The MUD Gallery nearby has a superb building area of local materials, including a collection of paintings, sculptures and ceramics. Relax and have something to eat in the garden. A variety of arts and crafts from throughout Africa is provided by Hardy’s Memories.
Take a look at utilitarian art such as lighting and lamp shades at the Magpie Art Collective, typically with repurposed material. You will be in excellent company if you acquire one; two of their chandeliers used to be in the exclusive Obama’s district of the White House in the USA. I admire the efforts of this four-man group in social enterprise and environmental activities as well. You find Shane Petzer a source of many intriguing anecdotes and insights about Barrydale while he’s at his disposal.
Join the Meander of Barrydale Art
Every mid-December, for the Barrydale Art Meander (BAM), artists from Barrydale meet every year to start opening their art studios and places so that you may stroll and immerse yourself in the creativity of the area. Don’t miss the imaginative Puppet Parade, a fantastic fun both for children and old, on one of the art meander days. Take a look at the times and get your accommodation in Barrydale before it’s too late.
Walk your camera on the streets
Go up and down the roads and see the great church, ancient homes and modern houses, beautiful gardens and abandoned gardens. Take note of the drystone walls encircling certain houses, a fence adorned with an enamel plate rattled with bins and a wall of glass, colored in different colors and capturing the sun. When the shades are long and the light is gentle at first light and late in the afternoon, numerous scenes from Barrydale begin to be shot.
Walk to the cascade
Go on a walk to the waterfall overlooking the Barrydale Tal and watch for the birds along the road, enjoy Renosterveld fynbos. Start early and do not forget to pack a hat, sunshade and lots of drinking water, so you’re not out in the hot noon. It should be around four hours for the 10km return journey.
Go wine delicacies
Two establishments may be found in Barrydale to have your wine taste fixed. One is Barrydale Cellars, a cellar and historic garden are on site. However, it was severely neglected when we visited it. The second is the Joubert-Tradauw Winery, where wine sampling may be enjoyed on the stove or on the patio beneath parasols. Order a dish of Alfresco Deli’s mammals, with cheese and fruit as dessert when you have a great hunger. You may also buy roast veg, lamb, chicken wings and little rivets.
Take a taste of beer.
Take the leading drag at The Maker’s Brew and try some craft beers brewed in the micro-brewery onsite. Before you pick your day’s tasting tray, choose a blond ale, amber ale, yeast and porter. Coffee may be ordered from a menu including pizzas, salads and bars for non-drinkers and hungry guests.
See Bloom’s Barrydale
In October, visit the Barrydale in Bloom and experience the splendor of the gardens. The open garden is the primary draw card every day, but also some other special events like a craft market where you may bring braai to meet the locals.
Dream the dream of a country
Pass a while to browse the listings in the window of the estate agent and fantasize about leaving the speedy lane to dwell in Barrydale. Just be sure in summer and in winter you can tolerate the extremes of heat before committing to major changes in your life.
Stay a couple nights over
The Karoo Art Hotel is a great location to stay in Barrydale if you’re searching for a full service hotel with a unique flair. But there are a lot of free food alternatives, either in the town or on one of the nearby farms, also for people who wish to establish their own business.
Take a drive on Tradouw Pass to Suurbraak
Thomas Bain created the Tradouw Pass and many ancient stones may still be seen. Stop along the road to see waterfalls and caves and get an amazing view of the Tradouw River and the pass. The little town of Suurbraak, one of the country’s oldest mission stations, located five kilometers south of the pass. It is often referred to as residents of the Khoi Heritage. Old buildings have been rebuilt around the town center, along the side of the road, which runs along the river, you will notice a long strip of little cottages. See my Suurbraak article at the foot of the Tradouw Pass for further information on what to look for on your drive.
Visit the contemporary arts of Donovan Julius.
You will swing your head side by side to enter the lovely cottages, the churches, possibly a horse or a few vacations by the side of the road when you travel through the town Suurbraak approximately 38 kilometers from Barrydale. But don’t miss what you do, stop at contemporary arts Donovan Julius. Look for the bright blue, green and orange panel, but if you miss it, somebody can guide you to the ancient cottage from the road. Find a world of audacious color indoors.
Meet the delightful artist Donovan Julius with his thriving Duran Hendricks gallery assistant and you will be struck by how inviting and pleasant they are. Donovan is a self-educated artist with the goal of inspiring local children to “dream” through his painting courses. You may notice his stylistic experiments (including one or two little Duran pieces), but I must declare that I’m a far-fetched favorite of Donovan’s powerful portraits in vivid colours.
Dip into the Warmwaterberg Spa.
Take a soak in the mineral hot source at the Warmwaterberg Spa. You’ll find it on the route towards Ladismith approx. 21km north-east of Barrydale. The warm water in the spring is rich in iron (44 degrees Celsius) and tourists say they feel calm and peaceful after swimming in the pools. Two walking routes are available for the more active.ư
Horse riding
Sit down and travel to Marloth Nature Reserve, a 45 min drive, and ride over forests and streams in the slopes of Langeberg. The outrides are ideal for beginners as well as experts. You must book in front of you.
Visit the Nature Reserve Grootvaders Bosch
The nature reserve Grootvadersbosch is an indigenous swathe of Langeberg woodland. It’s the largest afromentic forest left in south-western Cape, according to CapeNature. Swimming, mountain biking, walking and birdwatching are all things to do here (there are 196 recorded species and a great way to see some of them is from the two bird hides). You can notice bushbucks or baboons when you’re out on a day’s stroll, but the prize viewing would be the forest butterfly or subspecies of the rare spirit frog that can be seen only in this forest.
In Karoo Jewellery
Heather began to design her own jewelry utilizing beads and natural materials. For her future work, the thorns of the Sweet Spiny Acacia tree cleaned, boiled and spun around with simple beads. Her signatures were also porcupine quills, shells, driftwood and feathers. Heather took lessons on silverwork and casting, although he taught primarily himself, and began to incorporate silver, copper, and scratch into her concepts. It has more and more added semi precious stones, coral, crystal, lava pearls and freshwater – a collection of exquisite and unique jewelry combined and transformed into its products.
Her primary collection is made up of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and brooches, and sometimes the bug or decoration is also a creative heart. Heather has its design studio on Route 62 in Barrydale, where you can see the magnificent exhibition of the goods. Her studio reverberates with peace and spirituality and its range of natural resources, including bones, driftwood and huge bamboo. Buddhas, butterflies and lizards all offer her creations with an impressive yet flawless background. But she still feels it’s a grin that wears the finest jewelry.
Conclusion
The settlement developed throughout the years and in 1921 the town was founded. The population of permanent inhabitants is currently approximated. In tourist season visits to art and crafts shows featuring textile, jewellery and African souvenirs grow substantially. The population swells dramatically. Explore Barrydale’s family-friendly sights. Think about things to do in barrydale, then pack your bags and let’s go!
