17 things to do in Barrydale on Route 62 in the Karoo

By Roxanne Reid
Barrydale lies in a fertile valley between South Africa's Langeberg mountains and the Karoo. Stay over for a couple of days to ease into the slower pace of life here and experience some of the many things to do in Barrydale on Route 62. 

​1. Eat at some Barrydale restaurants
There are well over a dozen Barrydale restaurants and coffee shops – a huge number for such a small village. My current favourite is Mez Karoo Kitchen, which features Mediterranean and local flavours. The place is bright and charming, especially the terrace area with its red chairs and the peaceful garden. Run by a welcoming mother-and-son team, it’s as much about the relaxed mood as it is about good food. We had the lamb kleftiko with veg, which was succulent and tasty, and a chicken phyllo pie with lemon-and-spinach rice and salad. Yum. For dessert we shared the rosewater ice cream with a delicious spicy-sweet Moroccan crunch. If you love tasty comfort food that’s well presented without being precious, this is your kind of place.
[Update November 2024: Although Mez Karoo closed in 2024, you can now find the same great food conjured by the same team at MUD Modern in Barrydale.]

Find a relaxed setting and good food at Mez Karoo Kitchen

​Another good place to eat is the restaurant at the Karoo Art Hotel (see point 2 below). The menu is largely inspired by the Karoo, and both our choices – lamb shank and vegetarian bobotie – were delicious, perfect for a cold night. For dessert, we shared a lavender crème brûlée, a touch of refinement from this three-star country hotel.

A completely different experience that’s a must for the vibe and décor is Diesel & Crème vintage diner. There are wooden tables, blackboard menus and old tin signs advertising anything from Pepsi and Castle to Lucky Strike, Nugget and Castrol motor oil. The best things here are milkshakes like Morning Glory (shot of espresso), Vintage Villain (with bits of chocolate brownie) and Lady in Red (with bits of red velvet cake). Note that the ‘small’ ones are large and the ‘large’ ones are jumbo! The diner also does breakfast, lunch, gorgeously decadent cakes and man-sized waffles I’ve heard people rave about. 

Visit Diesel & Creme to ogle the decor and devour a milkshake

We were already full after lunch one day when we decided to follow the signs pointing to the Blue Cow ‘on the Barrydale Waterfront’ simply because the sign was so intriguing. It turned out to have a view over a dam, as we suspected it might. We sat on the shaded deck, while others were at picnic tables on the grass under some trees. We noticed fish in the dam and the waitress gave us a piece of bread to feed them. They clustered and muscled each other out the way to grab at it – great entertainment for the kids. The decaf cappuccino was disappointing, but the lemon meringue pie was excellent. They also have toasted sarmies, salads and other light meals.

2. Explore the Karoo Art Hotel ​

The Karoo Art Hotel is full of bright colour and quirky character

From the outside Barrydale’s Karoo Art Hotel looks a little faded, but step inside and the quirkiness of bright walls from lime green to oxblood red, the idiosyncratic collection of paintings and objects d’art start to work their magic. A banana yellow art couch here, a bling gold cabinet there, accents of red and purple. Each room is individually decorated, elegant or funky, a bit off the wall. Go for tea or a meal and an excuse to explore the public spaces, or book a night in one of the memorable suites. For more about the hotel and why it’s worth a visit, see my post about Barrydale’s Karoo Art Hotel. [Update: the hotel was sold and reopened with a total revamp in March 2022. I haven't been back yet but from the photos it looks better than ever.]

3. Get arty and crafty 
If you enjoy browsing and buying arts and crafts, you’ll love mooching around Barrydale. Visit Barrydale Hand Weavers on the Ladismith side of town – a skills and job creation project – to marvel at the hand-woven rugs, tableware and fabrics and maybe even watch the looms in action. Next door is MUD Gallery where you’ll find a super space built of local materials, with a collection of paintings, sculpture and ceramics inside. Relax in the garden and enjoy something to eat. Hardy’s Memories has a selection of art and crafts from all over Africa.​​

Functional art from the Magpie Collective

Drop in at the Magpie Art Collective to see functional art like light fittings and lamp shades, often using recycled materials. If you buy one, you’ll be in good company; two of their chandeliers used to hang in the Obamas’ private quarters at the White House in the USA. What I love about this collective of four men is that their work also reaches out into social entrepreneurship and environmental action. When the late Shane Petzer was on hand, hecwas a source of many interesting stories and insights about Barrydale.

For more art in the nearby village of Suurbraak, see point 14.

4. Join the Barrydale Art Meander
Each year in mid-December the artists of Barrydale get together for the Barrydale Art Meander (BAM), where they open their art studios and spaces so you can wander from one to the other and immerse yourself in the town’s creativity. Don’t miss the creative Puppet Parade on one of the days of the Art Meander, which is great fun for both young and old. Keep an eye out for the dates and grab your Barrydale accommodation before it’s too late.

5. Wander the streets with your camera

Barrydale has lots of buildings and fences worth photographing

Drive, cycle or walk up and down the streets to look at the big church, old houses and new houses, pretty gardens and neglected gardens. Take note of the drystone walls around some properties, a fence decorated with a rattle of enamel plates and mugs, a wall of different-coloured glass bottles that catch the sunlight. At first light and late in the afternoon, when the shadows are long and the light soft, many Barrydale scenes beg to be photographed.

6. Hike to the waterfall
Enjoy Renosterveld fynbos on a hike up to a waterfall that overlooks the Barrydale Valley, looking out for birds along the way. Get up early so you’re not out in the midday heat, and don’t forget to take a hat, sunscreen and plenty of drinking water. The 10km return trip should take about four hours.

7. Go wine tasting 

Sit on the terrace for wine tasting at Joubert-Tradauw winery, or enjoy a meal

There are two places to get your wine tasting fix in Barrydale. One is Barrydale Cellars in the village; there’s also a cellar restaurant and a heritage garden on the grounds though when we visited it looked sadly neglected. The other is Joubert-Tradauw Winery, where you can enjoy wine tasting on the stoep or under umbrellas on the terrace. If you have a big hunger, order one of the Alfresco Deli’s platters, a mammoth collection of roast veg, paté, lamb, chicken wings and mini ribs, with cheese and fruit as dessert.

8. Enjoy a beer tasting 

Pop in at the Barrydale micro-brewery for a tasting, a pint or meal

Drop in at The Maker’s Brew on the main drag and taste some of the craft beers made on site in its micro-brewery. Order a tasting tray of blond ale, amber ale, a yeasty saison and porter before you decide on your tipple of the day. There’s coffee for non-drinkers and hungry visitors can order from a menu that includes pizzas, salads and pub grub.

9. See Barrydale in Bloom
Visit during the Barrydale in Bloom festival in October and enjoy the sight of gardens in their full glory. The open gardens each day are the main draw card but there are some other special events at this time too, like a craft fair and bring & braai, where you can get to know the locals.

10. Dream a country dream
Spend some time browsing the listings in the estate agent’s window and indulge in a dream of dropping out of the fast lane and coming to live in Barrydale yourself. Just be sure you can take the extremes of heat in summer and cold in winter before you commit to any grand life changes.

11. Stay over for a few nights 

You're spoilt for choice when it comes to Barrydale accommodation

The Karoo Art Hotel (see point 2 above) is a wonderful place to base yourself in Barrydale if a full services hotel with a quirky character is what you’re looking for. But for those who want to do their own thing there are lots of self-catering options too, either in the village itself or on one of the surrounding farms. Booking.com is a good source of ideas for your Barrydale accommodation.

Further afield

12. Visit Ronnie’s Sex Shop – not what you think
You may be disappointed to know that the Ronnie’s Sex Shop – a pub and pit-stop on Route 62, just under 30km from Barrydale on the road to Ladismith – has nothing to do with sex. It all started when owner Ronnie bought the tiny farm cottage to use as a farmstall and painted the words ‘Ronnie’s Shop’ on the wall. You can get an idea of the kind of friends he had when one day, for a lark, they added the extra word ‘sex’. Given the natural curiosity of travellers, the new, improved sign was soon raking in the visitors. So Ronnie went with the flow, opened a pub and the rest is history. Inside you can get a cool drink or something to eat, soak up the frontier grit of the place. Outside, a selfie of you in front of the famous sign is almost unavoidable.

13. Take a drive on Tradouw Pass to Suurbraak 

Tradouw Pass between Barrydale and Suurbraak

Tradouw Pass, completed in 1873, was built by Thomas Bain (who also built the Swartberg Pass near Prince Albert) and you can still see lots of the old stonework. Stop along the way to discover waterfalls and caves and get great views over the Tradouw River and the pass itself. Five kilometres south of the pass is the tiny village of Suurbraak, which is one of the oldest mission stations in the country. It’s also known as !Xairu to its Khoi-heritage residents. Old buildings around the village square have been restored, and you’ll see a long ribbon of small houses along the sides of the road, which runs parallel to the river. For more on what to look out for on your drive, see my post Suurbraak at the foot of the Tradouw Pass.

14. Visit Donovan Julius Contemporary Arts

Bright colours are something of a passion with artist Donovan Julius

When you drive through Suurbraak about 38km from Barrydale, you’ll be swiveling your head from side to side to take in the charming little cottages, the churches, perhaps a horse or a few cows on the side of the road. But whatever you do, don’t miss stopping at Donovan Julius Contemporary Arts. Look for the bright blue, green and orange sign, but if you miss it anyone in the village can point out to you the old cottage set back from the road. Duck inside and find a world of bold colour. Meet the charming artist Donovan Julius and his ebullient gallery assistant Duran Hendricks and you’ll be bowled over by how friendly and welcoming they are. Donovan is a self-taught artist whose mission through his art classes is to inspire local kids to ‘dare to dream’. You can see his experimentation with styles (even one or two small works by Duran), but I have to say that Donovan’s energetic portraits in bold colours are my favourites by far.

15. Take a dip at Warmwaterberg Spa
Visit the Warmwaterberg Spa for a dip in the mineral hot spring. You’ll find it about 20km north-east of Barrydale, on the road towards Ladismith. The hot water (43.5 degrees Celsius at the artesian spring) is high in iron and visitors claim they feel soothed and calm after bathing in the pools. For the more energetic, there are two hiking trails here too.

16. Go horse riding 

Go horse riding in the forest at Marloth Nature Reserve not far from Barrydale

Saddle up and go horse riding through forest and across streams in the foothills of the Langeberg at Marloth Nature Reserve, a 45min drive away. The outrides are suitable for both beginners and expert riders. You need to book ahead.

17. Visit Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve is a swathe of indigenous forest in the Langeberg a 36km drive from Barrydale. According to CapeNature, it’s the most important afromontane forest left in the south-western Cape. Things to do here include swimming, mountain biking, hiking and birding (there are 196 recorded species and a great way to see some of them is from the two bird hides). When you’re out on a day walk, you might spot bushbuck or baboons, but the prize sightings would be the forest emperor butterfly or a sub-species of the rare ghost frog, both of which you can find only in this forest.

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