Aug
2014
The drive from Swellendam through the Tradouw Pass is scenic with vineyards and fruit plantations as far as the eye can see. Many perceive Barrydale to be part of the Karoo which it is not, either by location or biosphere. The region is unique in many ways and this is found mostly in the vegetation. For a start the rainfall is higher than in the Karoo and the temperatures are not on the extreme side of the scale.
Due to the more favourable weather conditions the Bushman and Khoisan people took up residence at the foothills of the Tradouw Vallei.
Barrydale was founded around a church in the 18th century and the town was named after James Barry, who brought his distillery skills with him from Europe to this wine country.
The cultural mixture in Barrydale ranges from Afrikaans, English, German, Spanish and Italian. The attraction for Europeans could possibly be the near Mediterranean weather conditions and the village type of lifestyle.
The region is rich in wildlife and indigenous fauna which is an attraction that draws tourist from across the world in all seasons.
The cultural heritage sights in and around the town are as varied as its residents with churches ranging from Neo-Gothic, Victorian, Colonial to traditional designs to name but a few.
Many of the farming traditions in the region have been carried from past generations like the wine distillers, fruit farming and brandy making. Barrydale and the Barrydale Distillers have received world acclaim with a prize winning Brandy at the 2007 Brandy Convention.
The town is located in the Overberg region of the Western Cape and is surrounded by game farms and orchards of fruit which produce fruit the whole year like the winter and summer fruits which is also a stable economic source of sustainability.
Barrydale is for a mysterious reason less travelled but once tourists have visited this picturesque town they always return.
Take a tour of the properties in the Western Cape on offer via the MyRoof website.
