20 things to do in McGregor in Route62’s Robertson valley

​By Roxanne Reid
Whitewashed cottages with thatched roofs, roses curling around broekie lace, quiet country roads, views of mountains and vineyards. It’s as peaceful a village scene in South Africa as you could hope for. But don’t be fooled into thinking there’s nothing to do. Here are 20 things to do in McGregor in Route62’s Robertson valley.

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​McGregor village lies about 20km from Robertson at the foot of the Riviersonderend mountains. Drive down the main road, admiring the old buildings right and left, then keep going. You’ll find yourself on the Road to Nowhere – a gravel road that carries you 15km past vineyards and a flower farm, then abruptly stops. From there, your only way forward is on foot on the Boesmanskloof Hiking Trail across the mountains to Greyton.

That it's off the beaten track and there’s no through-road to anywhere has helped McGregor to preserve its village atmosphere, its 19th century architecture. 

The start of the little village of McGregor

Some houses were built as far back as in the early 1800s as nagmaal (communion) houses for farmers who came in for a church service a few times a year. The line of three small houses in Voortrekker Street called Die Trein is one example of these.

Die Trein (the train), the old communion houses, on the right with the church steeple behind them

Originally called Lady Grey when it was proclaimed in 1862, the village was renamed McGregor in 1906 in honour of Scotsman Andrew McGregor, dominee of the Dutch Reformed church. ​

The Dutch Reformed church was built in 1904

Although it has grown a lot in the past 20 years, its thatched cottages and quiet side streets, its water trickling down old leivore (irrigation channels) mean there’s still a country village atmosphere. Simply chill and enjoy the mountain views, gaze at the stars and absorb the peace. Or knock yourself out with some of these things to do in McGregor.

1. Pop into the Visitor Info Centre 

Hire a bike and get all the info you need from the Visitor Info Centre

Make the Visitor Info Centre on the main road your first stop to pick up a map of the village and brochures about the heritage walks (see point 2), the Art Route (see point 13) and some of the wineries. For just R50 a day, you can hire a bike from here to ride around McGregor. Pedal Power has lent the bikes for the info centre to use for a year or two; after that they’ll be donated to disadvantaged communities through the Bike4All project, so it’s a win for all.

There’s a tiny museum at the back of the info centre – worth a look-in when you’re there though perhaps not a dedicated visit. You can see some aerial surveys from the 1940s, 1960s, 1980s and 2000s to get an idea of how much more built up McGregor has become. There’s also info about what life was like on the farms and in the vineyards in the early 1900s (like bickering over water rights), some old woodworking tools and flat irons, as well as the silver trowel that was used to lay the foundation stone of the Dutch Reformed church in 1904. Old photos tell fascinating stories too. For instance, you’ll see a photo of the church with a much higher steeple than it has today and learn that the original blew down in a strong wind so it was rebuilt lower for safety.

2. Go on a self-guided heritage walk 

This old pink house is on the Church Walk

This 1870s Victorian house is on the Old Mill Walk

​Get a booklet from the tourism office for R25 (September 2019 price). Compiled by McGregor’s Heritage Society, it showcases some of the notable old buildings in town, from simple white-washed and thatched cottages to Georgian double storeys and Victorians decorated with broekie lace. There are four walks – the Church Walk, Old Mill Walk, Old Gaol Walk, and Lady Grey & Graveyard Walk – each containing some gems. Enjoy the buildings and some of the stories about their history.

3. Saturday Morning Market  

The small Saturday Morning Market sells out fast so get there early

If you’re in McGregor at 9am on a Saturday morning, visit the morning market on the corner of Voortrekker and Church streets opposite the church to buy some fresh veggies, pastries, bread, tarts, pies, cheese, plants or books. When we visited there was even someone offering henna tattoos. Appropriately for a small village, it’s not a big affair but a place to meet and chat to the locals, even to walk the dog. Just don’t get there late because it only lasts about an hour and then it’s all over till the next week.

4. Enjoy wine tasting at Lord’s Wines
​You may be on Route62 in the Robertson valley, but you're still very much in the Cape Winelands. Take a drive along the Road to Nowhere to Lord’s Wines, which cricket-crazy owner and viticulturist Jacie Oosthuizen named after Lord’s cricket ground in London. ‘He wanted a name that English people could say,’ son-in-law Louwrens Rademeyer explained when he orchestrated our tasting. Both Jacie and Louwrens’ wife Melané were also around the Sunday we visited, so it’s very much a family affair.

Sample these Lord's Wines and enjoy the view from the tasting room

The tasting begins with a delicious MCC (Méthode Cap Classique) Brut Rosé. I warn you that you will walk away with a few bottles in your boot. Both this and the MCC Brut are low in sulphur and sugar so there’s no need to worry about getting a headache. I loved the elegant small bubbles, achieved, Louwrens said, partly through slower fermentation at lower temperature, with longer time on the lees.

​We enjoyed the dry and sophisticated Pinot Noir Rosé and a Pinot Noir that’s fruity and less composty than your average South African Pinot. Lord’s is the highest vineyard in the Robertson Valley, making it 4-5 degrees cooler than the rest of the valley. ‘It’s not hot enough here to grow cabernet sauvignon,’ he explained. ‘We barely get the shiraz to ripen.’ The shiraz is cold-fermented at 21 degrees, which takes about two weeks, giving it a light and delicious flavour.

Lord's Wines vineyards, cellar and tasting room

Lord’s makes about 60 000 to 80 000 bottles a year in total, some of it exported to Europe and Scandanavia. They follow a reactive rather than preventative pesticide routine, and haven’t sprayed any pesticides for the past five years of drought. All the wines are vegan because they don’t use egg white as a clarifier.

You can enjoy lunch at Lord’s after your cellar tour and tasting, with a wonderful view of vineyards and mountains. The menu includes toasted sarmies, burgers, cheese platters, platters of cured meats and cheeses, also a special of the day. Good stuff to enjoy with a bottle of good wine.

5. Go wine and spirit tasting at Tanagra
​On the lookout for a change of lifestyle, Germans Robert and Anette Rosenbach bought a farm in McGregor in 2009 and Tanagra Private Winery & Distillery was born. The name was inspired by a shady wild fig tree next to the homestead and cellar; it comes from a Khoi word meaning ‘main shade’. The sign next to the road declared it open so we pulled in and got a tasting of some McGregor wines with Robert himself.

Wine tasting with owner Robert Rosenbach at Tanagra

‘We focus on unusual wines and single vineyard wines,’ he told us. ‘We add no yeast, just use the natural yeasts in the grape. It takes longer to ferment but helps to develop the flavour profile.’ The wines are smooth and sophisticated, for instance a colombar that’s dry and full-bodied instead of the usual South African treatment of the cultivar which is too sweet for my taste. There’s also a refreshingly crisp, dry cabernet franc rosé. Robert likes to call them ‘off the beaten track wines’. The range includes a red called Carah, a blend of cabernet sauvignon and syrah for ‘the best of both worlds’. With the involvement of winemaker Lourens van der Westhuizen, Tanagra’s boutique winery produces 20 000 to 25 000 bottles a year.

They also produce marc (they’re not allowed to use the Italian word grappa) and eau de vie using a 200-litre pot still the Rosenbachs imported from Germany. ‘This style of spirit is very popular in Europe,’ he said. You’ll find single cultivar marcs made from cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, hanepoot and sauvignon blanc. The marc is distilled from the pulp, pips and skins of grapes. The eau de vie range uses the lees (what settles to the bottom of the wine tank during fermentation) plus fruits like apricot, lemon and quince for products with a kick (they have 43% alcohol). I particularly liked the quince eau de vie and thought it would be superb on crushed ice. For something a little different, there’s a sweet orange liqueur with 25% alcohol.

6. Visit McGregor Wines ​​

Some of of the McGregor Wines; note the tartan detail on the labels

​Just before you get to McGregor you’ll see the huge pedimented cellars of McGregor Wines, founded in 1948. The winery produces some 11 million litres a year, much of it supplied as bulk wine rather than bottled. Don’t miss a free tasting with the warm, bubbly Mercia Adendorff, who knows her stuff but will keep you entertained at the same time. The whites like sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc and colombard are light-bodied, affordable wines for quaffing with a summer lunch. The cabernet sauvignon reserve is the pick of the reds. But the highlight is the colourful labels and fun names of a fairly new range, like Delicious Monster (white blend), Blushing Bride (rosé), and Morning Glory (shiraz).

7. Explore wineries further afield in the Robertson valley
If you’re really nuts about wine and wine tasting, visit some of the wineries in the Robertson area nearby. Some favourites include Springfield (their Life from Stone sauvignon blanc is one of my all-time darlings and the tasting terrace at the edge of a dam is fabulous), Esona Boutique Wines (vertical tasting paired with Lindt chocolate in the underground cellar), Van Loveren (food and wine pairings, mountain bike trails and hikes) and Viljoensdrift (wine tasting, picnics and river boat cruises).

8. Explore the Vrolikheid Nature Reserve

Yellow melkbos was blooming when we went walking at Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve

There are lots of reasons to visit CapeNature’s Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve on the outskirts of McGregor. Enjoy one of four walking trails among the spekboom, sweet thorn and melkbos plants (choose from 1km, 3km, 10km or 19km). Head out on the 8km circular mountain bike route that should take about an hour. Look out for birds along the way or enjoy the bird hides at the dams on the 3km Heron Trail, the first kilometre of which is also a Braille Trail with info boards telling you about the vegetation you’re passing through. There’s a small info centre at the start of the trails; get a key from the CapeNature office on other side of the road. It has some information on the lichens, geology, vegetation and scat you might notice on your walks and mountain bike rides. Pack a snack to enjoy in the shady picnic area afterwards.

9. Hike the Boesmanskloof Trail to Greyton 

The start of the Boesmanskloof Trail

If you’re looking for something a little more challenging, sign on for the 14km Boesmanskloof Hiking Trail through the Riviersonderend mountains to Greyton. It starts 15km from McGregor at the end of the Road to Nowhere, where you can park your car. You would need to make arrangements to be picked up in Greyton or to sleep over and walk the 14km back the next day. You can also do it in reverse, starting in Greyton. The climbs can be fairly strenuous so you should be fairly fit and well-equipped, but the gorgeous mountain views make it worthwhile. Pack your swimming cozzie for a dip in a series of waterfalls and pools along the way. Take plenty of drinking water, a hat and sunscreen. No dogs, fires or camping along the trail. You need to book in advance and get a permit through CapeNature, email reservation.alert@capenature.co.za or tel 087 0878250.

10. Do the Kleinberg Trail on foot or mountain bike
Go walking, running or mountain biking along the Kleinberg Trail that goes out along the old Robertson road towards where you can see the McGregor crest painted on a hill. From the sign-posted start of the trail it should take about two hours to walk to the top and back again, but allow more time if you walk from your McGregor accommodation in the village. On your mountain bike the round trip would obviously be much faster.​

11. Go for a walk at Krans Nature Reserve ​

Meet the locals on a walk in the Krans Nature Reserve

Go to the end of Church or Van Reenen streets in McGregor and you’ll see entrances to the Krans Nature Reserve, where the town dump used to be. From there it’s about a 1km walk through mountain fynbos and succulent karoo vegetation to the dams at the top of the village. Look out for colourful flowers in spring and birds like spurfowl, bunting, stonechat, robin and sunbird. We met other visitors along the way, as well as locals walking their dogs.

12. Drink whisky in the post office 

The Old Post Office Whisky Bar is open for a couple of hours each evening

If there’s nothing you love more than a local community bar or English-style pub, you’ll feel right at home at the The Old Post Office Whisky Bar. The lovely corner building that houses the bar used to be McGregor’s third post office – hence the name. You’ll find a huge variety of whiskies from blends to single malts, from affordable to super expensive. You’ll also find a fun atmosphere presided over by the owner, who has a good sense of humour and a stockpile of stories to share. If you’re not a whisky lover, fear not; he serves cold draught beer too. When we visited McGregor during September the Whisky Bar was open only between 18:00 and 20:00 each evening.

13. Explore the McGregor Art Route 

Visit a pottery or artist's studio to explore McGregor's creative side

McGregor is the sort of place that seems to inspire creativity. Or is it just the sort of place where creative people want to live? Either way, if you love art, sculpture and pottery – or even chandeliers made from jacaranda pods – you’ll love exploring here. Pop in to the visitor info centre (see point 1) to pick up a brochure with tips on where and when you can visit, from galleries to studios.

14. Stroll around the gardens at Temenos

The Temenos gardens are a shady and peaceful refuge

Temenos Retreat in the heart of McGregor is a place of peace and tranquility. If you’re on retreat there, you’ll enjoy the gardens with their green lawns, stone paths and colourful clivias and periwinkle. If you’re not, ask at reception for permission to walk around and enjoy the beautiful spaces. There’s also a library, art gallery and restaurant called Tebaldi’s on the property.

15. Visit an olive farm

The manor house at Rhebokskraal Olive Estate is a national monument

Visit the Rhebokskraal Olive Estate at the end of a dirt road about 2km outside McGregor – just drive up Buitenkant Street and keep going. Walk through the olive orchards, learn how olives are processed and enjoy a tasting of olive products. To experience all this, it’s essential to book ahead; email info@rhebokskraalolives.co.za, or phone 082 8960429. If you just want to buy Rhebokskraal olive products, pop in at the Country Butcher in Voortrekker Street in the village.

16. Visit the donkey sanctuary, McGregor

Eseltjiesrus means 'little donkeys' rest', which is the perfect name for this sanctuary

Pay a visit to the Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary just outside McGregor to meet some of the donkeys who have a forever home here. Rescued from mistreatment or overwork, they have a restful and happy life where they are cared for and can graze peacefully in a large enclosure. It’s open from Thursdays to Sundays 10:00 till 16:00. You can also visit the bistro in the visitor centre for a light meal. Consider adopting a donkey or making a one-off donation to help with the costs of caring for these sweet creatures.

17. Eat out at some McGregor restaurants
There’s a surprising number of McGregor restaurants and coffee shops for such a small village, though some only open in the evenings and at weekends. The Fat Lady’s Arms serves wood-fired, thin-based pizzas from simple tomato, mozzarella and basil ones to more exotic variants like green bacon, blue cheese and fig. The place was hopping on a Friday night when we visited, so I’d recommend you book ahead, cell 082 7864888.

Tebaldi’s at Temenos has two shady verandahs that make a pleasant stop. Their flat whites, using beans from Beans about Coffee in Robertson, and the peaceful gardens (see point 14) were the best part of our visit. Or, for coffee and pastries, pop in to a place called 51 on the main road.

The front verandah of Tebaldi's at Temenos

Our favourite meal during our stay was the daily special of chicken schnitzel at the restaurant at Lord’s Wines on the Road to Nowhere (see point 4). Regular menu options include platters to share, toasted sandwiches and burgers. The views alone are worth the trip.

A note of caution: if you arrive in McGregor midweek and are hoping for a late lunch, your options will be very limited. If you arrive after 14:00 it would be better to stop in Robertson on your way in, for instance at the Four Cousins restaurant and wine tasting centre shortly before the turnoff to McGregor.

18. Poetry in McGregor Festival
Each year in August, poets and poetry lovers gather in a cozy atmosphere to enjoy the Poetry in McGregor Festival. There’s a theme for the year, published and unpublished poets are invited to read their poetry, and there are some workshops, music and art as well. Winners of the Adult or Junior categories may have their poems published in a small booklet after the festival.

19. McGregor Open Gardens
McGregor residents showcase their beautiful gardens during an Open Gardens weekend in September or October each year. Entrance is free and the participating gardens are open daily from 10:00 till 16:00. You can get a list of the gardens and a map from McGregor Tourism, email info@tourismmcgregor.co.za, tel 023-6251954. If you want to stay over during this weekend, remember to book your McGregor accommodation early to avoid disappointment.

20. Stay over for a few nights 

Part of the garden at Tigh na Breagha (pronounced Teena Bray-ah)

​With so much to do, you’ll want to stay for at least two or three nights. We stayed at McGregor self catering accommodation, Tigh na Breagha, a name that means ‘house of beauty’ in Gaelic (the owners are a South African and a Scot). Although it was just on a normal McGregor street, it felt like it was in the country; although there was wifi, it felt like we could disconnect and unwind.

One of the two bedrooms with a view of the garden from sash windows

​The cottage has a large and well-equipped kitchen with gas stove and oven, microwave, dish washer and washing machine. There are two bedrooms, each with a bathroom. The bedrooms also have air conditioners to allow you to sleep during those hot Langeberg summer nights. 

​The large living room has a six-seater dining table with bright-cushioned chairs, and a wood burning ceramic stove in the sitting area for cold winters. I loved the quirkiness of a coffee table shaped and painted to look like a huge stack of books, a colourful wall hanging that brought cheer even after daylight had dimmed.

The living room

But by far my favourite place to chill out was the wide stoep, accessible from the living area or the kitchen. Here I shared space with comfy wicker furniture, a four-seater wooden table and chairs, and a braai unit on wheels.

I enjoyed my coffee and rusks on the stoep on those spring mornings, engulfed by the smell of jasmine, the sound of an African hoopoe, a cock crowing, and bees buzzing in the Indian hawthorn flowers. Evening found me back in the same place with a glass of wine in hand, fairy lights switched on for a magical atmosphere as the sun set behind me and painted the Langeberg mountains in the distance with a rosy light.

The best place in the house - the wide stoep

Strolling around the garden was also a joy. Structural plantings divide the space into different ‘rooms’ and encourage exploring to find visiting barbets, robins and sunbirds. There are roses, Cape May, lemon trees, pelargonium, lavender, aloes and other succulents in happy profusion, pebble paths that lead you here and there. It’s a garden with just the right amount of care without giving it that constricting manicured look. I loved it.

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