McGregor, for a soulful getaway.
The lovingly laid out garden with abundant fruit trees, vegetables and herbs, aloes and spekboom is enviable, there’s even a rather elusive resident tortoise.
A picturesque country village accessed just off Robertson and surrounded by the Langeberg Mountains with Robertson, Ashton and Montagu as its near neighbouring towns, McGregor is said to be the best-preserved 19th-century South African village with its white-washed reed roof cottages, Victorian and Georgian homes.
Every Saturday there’s a morning market in the square next to the Church, which is a good place to mingle with the local community as they trade in their organic produce, home-baked bread, delicious pastries, jams, books, plants and more. The roads are mostly used for walking, with very few tarred, and the pace of life is idyllically slow.
Things to do include the Art Route, garden visits and shopping at Made in McGregor. Get to the Old Post Office turned pub for a whisky tasting, book a visit to the Tanagra Distillery and for Method Cap Classique, visit the Lord’s Winery.
On the main road and one of McGregor’s biggest drawcards is Temenos. Housed in a restored 19th- century farmhouse with expansive gardens, they run retreats throughout the year, many of which focus on detoxing and stress release, but also covering themes like creativity and cooking, meditation and yoga. Tebaldi’s Restaurant is particularly popular.
For homemade country food during your stay, there’s Green Gables Country Inn, while The Fat Lady’s Arms is a good place for a pizza. If you’re self-catering and simply looking for an excellent coffee midway through your village meander, 51 is the vibey new spot on the main road for that.
Fellow lovers of walking trails might try the Krans Nature Reserve or the Rhebokskraal Olive Estate walk that takes you through the olive orchards and vineyards in the village. Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve, a circular route with bird watching points is equally popular with mountain bikers and hikers.
It certainly is the perfect place for a reviving getaway and quality time with my number one woman.
Originally published at http://theincidentaltourist.com on December 4, 2019.
