Just before 11 this morning the first solo and team riders arrived in Greyton. They had just completed the fifth leg which had started some 4 hours earlier in Swellendam. The riders will be on their way to Villiersdorp on the sixth leg tomorrow and then finally onto Franschoek and the finish.
The 1982 Toyota Hilux complete with tank, pump and hose trailer up in smoke!
At approx 4pm yesterday afternoon a fire started on the RSE road 3km from Greyton on an adjoining farm. High winds quickly turned this into a fire storm that moved as fast as you could run. The operator of this vehicle was very lucky to escape when it became stuck and was engulfed in seconds in an apocolyptic scene.
The vehicle operators shoes melted while he run for safety. Prior to the fire this was a 1982 Toyota Hilux with a Chev big engine. Sadly the pumping trailer also went up in flames and is a great loss to the Greyton’s bush fire fighting capabilities.
After its initial run the fire was attacked by the working on fire plane and helicopter. This along with a change in the wind slowed progress and allowing fire teams to be deployed. The fire was contained to the Gun Club and zig zag hill. Teams are still busy attending to hot spots at time of writing.
With a new set of windscreen wiper blades she will be on the road in no time again.
Greyton is well known for its amazingly epic MTB and trail running routes available to all fitness freaks (and the not so fit freaks) throughout the year. However, SOME routes are kept secret and we are thrilled to have been granted access to the pristine Greyton Nature Reserve for this exclusive event….
100% of the proceeds raised from this event go to our local village school, Greyton House. More than 30% of the children attending the independent school are accepted on reduced fees, calculated according to the parent’s financial circumstances. The school is currently in dire financial need and we hope to raise as much as we can! Thank you for your support in our endeavor to educate the little people in our village.
How do I enter?
Go to Ninja https://www.entryninja.com/
Well believe it or not its that time already and the Greyton Rose Festival is on this week the 29th & 30th of October. The timing could not have been better as spring is here and the town is looking just splendid. One of the few advantages of the cold winter was a noticeably more vibrant bloom this year. Very fitting as it’s the Rose Festival’s 25th anniversary!
Everywhere there are signs that the local organizers are going all out to make this one to remember, open gardens, an exceptional Saturday market, the parade and rose show are but just a few of the many activities for lovers of all things country. This years program is much fuller than normal and needs to studied carefully. Kindly click below for your own copy.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE 2016 GREYTON PROGRAM
Members and guests of the GGC pose after a successful first attempt.
Without a doubt this weekend’s activities were a huge success. All events were well attended and you could see and feel a real buzz in town. The weather also very kindly played its part with near summer like conditions.
For the first time as part of the weekend’s activities the Greyton Gun Club was open between 2-4pm for an introduction to the sport of Trap and Sporting shooting. As club the is located 1,5km from town it was initial expected that interest would be subdued. How wrong management was, at 13h59 the first group was on the line, (see main photos). Visitors were given a safety briefing and a short overview of the range before attempting a stationary target on the hill. This was followed by a visit to the trap range for a straight away and a few shots at a bouncing rabbit target. Members and visitors took great delight alike at the novice’s success, much support was evident from the sidelines with everyone hanging on the outcome of each shot. Broad smiles and excited chatter followed each success. Many were surprised at the ease at which some quickly grabbed the basics. There may be some hidden Olympic talent lurking in the shadows about to emerge.
Of interest was the fact that many of the participants seemed to have plan for the day, choosing to participate in as many events as possible. No doubt that this was the idea of the organizing committee from the start, but it is always good to plans being executed. All in all it seems that much fun was had by all on and off the range. Many thanks to the organizer for inviting the GGC to participate in the year’s event. This weekend is MTB mountain biking which could be fun as it is raining!
Nestled against the majestic Riviersondereind mountains lies the quirky village of Greyton and for the second year running it is host to the Creative Arts Festival from 26 – 28 August.
To add variety and unconventionality, organisers have cast their net beyond Greyton to include over 40 artists from the Overberg region.
Aside from the DRC hall and Anglican Church hall, works are being exhibited at shops, restaurants, studios, private homes and accommodation establishments throughout the village.
The festival programme line-up aims to attract a wide audience. Included is an outing to a working dairy farm, a guided hike to the Genadendal bushman paintings, close encounters with farm animals, informative talks, an introduction to clay pigeon shooting, an architectural heritage walk of the village, beer tasting at Greyton’s very own brewery, gluhwein by candlelight and a late night movie evening. Children are encouraged to attend various talks on treatment of animals and plant education.
Greyton’s famous Saturday market with its upmarket crafters and local food stalls is extending opening hours to accommodate the expected increase in visitors.
Workshops suitable for young and old have been arranged to take place at various times over the weekend.
“Many small villages as ours rely on tourism as their primary source of income,” explains John McGlashan chair of Greyton Tourism. “An event such as the Art Festival is very important to us as it attracts new and repeat visitors to town stimulating local economic development.”
“The local economies of many towns depend on the revenue, employment, and income that festivals and events bring to the community” Claire Watt LED manager points out. “Amongst the benefits of holding an event such as Greyton Creative: favourable reviews by attendees, number of return visitors – both local and out of town, and the variety of attractions that festival-goers can enjoy indicate that this event is both a successful economic stimulus and an effective community development tool.”
For the program and other events, visit www.greytoncreative.co.za as well as the Greyton Creative Facebook page on www.facebook.com/GreytonCreative and www.greytontourism.com
Some of Greyton’s younger netball winners.
In spite of some very cold and to some extent wet weather Greyton is still very much on the go. A large well attended inter school sports day kicked off the long weekend on the Thursday (Youth Day). Unlike years gone past it did not rain and the fields were dry. Local schools participate in rugby, soccer and netball events supported by local businesses and NGO’s.
Greyton took on Bereaville in a do or die U13 final of note!
Friday saw Greyton packed with the end stage for the MTB mountain bike races. Accommodation was full for the weekend end the market was buzzing on Saturday morning. School holidays start this week Friday allowing many to getaway. Morning temperatures have been freezing with small amounts of frost in places. No snow yet, but it can’t be far way at this rate.
Also the cold crystal clear night sky is an ideal time to see the stars. The night sky tonight and on any clear night offers an ever-changing display of fascinating objects you can see, from stars and constellations to bright planets, often the moon, and sometimes special events like meteor showers. Many of these events are almost completely blocked in Cape Town by light and particle pollution. So next time you are in Greyton have a look up and you may just be blown away. Even a small set of binoculars will enhance the show.
