Elgin: a place you’ll never want to leave

Cape Canopy Tour in the Hottentots mountain rage near Elgin.

Cape Canopy Tour in the Hottentots mountain rage near Elgin.

Published Nov 23, 2014

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Cape Town - One of the best things about going to Elgin is that a few minutes after you turn off the N2 on to the valley road, you lose cellphone reception.

Sure, there are spots here and there where you can pick it up, or places that have precious wifi, but for the most part once you’re on that dirt road, the rest of the world disappears. And you know what? You won’t even miss it. Elgin, and its valley, is exquisitely beautiful; I stopped many times just to look at the view and breathe.

The people are friendly and welcoming – what were supposed to be quick visits turned into three-hour (or longer) affairs.

On your way there and back, you’ll pass Peregrine Farm Stall, which has been there for 50 years. Or rather, you should stop at Peregrine Farm Stall, especially if you are staying in self-catering accommodation. There you can stock up on vittles, let the children loose in the playground, have a sit-down meal at the newly re-opened restaurant. The Elgin Valley Tourism Office is right there if you need help, and conveniently, an estate agent. Because chances are you’ll be wanting to investigate property prices after falling in love with the area.

Peregrine is on the corner of the N2 and R321, Grabouw. Telephone 021 848 9011 or visit www.peregrinefarmstall.co.za for more details.

This weekend and next are big ones, with the 14th annual Elgin Open Gardens, the Elgin Valley Food & Gift Fair, and next Saturday sees the first of the summer concerts at Hope@PaulCluver, the natural open-air amphitheatre surrounded by eucalyptus trees. These concerts have featured many top local and international artists for more than a decade, and last year Cluver partnered with NPO Thembalitsha, with the profits of each year’s concert season going to the organisation. Its mission is to “provide hope by developing disadvantaged people of the Western Cape to a point of self-reliance through the provision of health-care, education and training”. Appletiser has pledged its support in the form of a sponsorship, and the Arts and Culture department and Business Arts South Africa (BASA) have awarded the initiative grants.

The season opens next Saturday with Heinz Winkler, Matthew Mole and Tailor, and artists like The Parlotones, Elvis Blue, Watershed and McCully Workshop in the future line-up. Besides the regular concerts, there will be stand-up comedy, movies, and three festivals. The first of these is on the afternoon of November 29, with Jesse Clegg, aKing, Michael Lowman, Mr Cat & The Jackal, The Nomadic Orchestra, Emma van Heyningen, along with fun family activities, a showcase of Elgin Valley wines and cocktails by Tipsy Gypsy. Fun Finder readers can win tickets to this festival – see below for details.

Booking is through Computicket (www.computicket.com) with ticket prices ranging from R100 to R300. For more information and the full line-up for the 2014-15 season, visit www.hope.org.za or www.cluver.com, or call 021 844 0605.

The Elgin Valley Food & Gift Fair takes place on Oneiric Farm (76 Highlands Road) today and tomorrow from 10am till 4pm, and again next Saturday and Sunday. The entry fee is R20 a car. There will be local produce on sale, from breads and pies, to olive oils and wines, as well as stalls selling gifts and accessories, and children’s entertainment.

For more information go to www.elginvalleyfair.com, e-mail [email protected], or call Tamara at 082 255 7545 or Catherine at 082 449 4554.

Elgin is famous for its apples and wines, but also for its magnificent gardens. Every year some of these are open to the public. From 10am till 5pm all this weekend and next, there will be 20 open gardens in the Elgin, Vyeboom and Bot River districts, ranging from large established country gardens (some more than 50 years old), to young, recently planted gardens in villages and on smallholdings.

I haven’t had the pleasure of attending an open garden event, but my frequent partner in fun, Sexy Deborah, has. This is what she had to say about it: “I took the Theewaterskloof road for the Elgin open gardens two years back and can still instantly recall the thrill of crossing the dam to come out on dirt roads flanked by towering walls of climbing dog roses.

“You can explore secret gardens that are normally closed to the public, and choose rare cuttings from quirky gardeners, with an elderflower spritzer in hand. There are memory gardens to daydream in, cherry blossom arbors, herb “knot” gardens, and fern-fringed river banks to sit on and trail your fingers in the peaty water. I inhaled the perfume of heritage roses until I was quite dizzy, took hopelessly inadequate photos of the light filtering through a Zen-sculpted grove of bamboo, and rolled on chamomile lawns.

“I chose my route for the names of the estates, except for Iona, which I chose for the sauvignon and the Sir Herbert Baker farmhouse. I’m glad it was our last stop, because the family made room for us at a table running the length of the shady verandah overlooking the vineyards, and I could quite happily have stayed the season. They served a selection of produce from the kitchen garden, and I remember deep dishes of artichokes swollen in lemon-thyme olive oil, and scorched aubergine heaped with garlic-infused yoghurt, pine nuts and jewel-like pomegranate arils.

“Pack a book of poetry, or a journal and write your own.”

If that doesn’t make you want to be there, nothing will. For more information go to www.elginopengardens.co.za, email [email protected], or call Barbara Knox-Shaw at 021 844 0154/078 021 2101.

l Elgin Valley Tourism: www.elginvalley.co.za, telephone 021 848 9838.

Weekend Argus

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