Lady Grey

Lady Grey in the eastern Cape offers spectacular scenery

Lady Grey is tucked away in the Eastern cape in a valley below the awesome Witteberg mountain range. This town Lady Grey and its area is rich in sandstone, fossil beds and rock or san art.

Lady Grey was founded in 1856. The Lady Grey Dam was built in 1925 by a Mr. Stromsoe of Cape Town. The wall is 25m high and this area is often used for picnics, and you can swim in the rock pool below the dam. You can walk up a natural staircase to the top of the Lady Grey dam wall. Lady Grey was named after Cape Governor Sir Goerge Greys wife Lady Eliza Spencer.

Lady Grey Attractions

• The Jouberts Pass with a gradient of 1:6 is the third highest pass in South Africa. The scenic route over the pass treats the traveler to an ever changing view of river gorges and majestic mountains.
• Variety of birds, game and alpine plants, rock and stone formations can be seen here.
• Lady Grey is also known for its railway track, where the train has to maneuver backwards and forwards up the slopes in some areas.
• Registered tour guides can take the tourist for historic and botanical tours around town.
• The Cape Vulture Sanctuary is well worth a visit. You will look down on these vultures.
• Lady grey has some of the best fishing waters in the country with crystal clear water and breathtaking scenery. Fishing is catch and release only. You will catch yellow fish and trout in these waters.
• There are lots of lovely hikes in the area.

Lady Grey hosts a few artists and The Arts Academy produces young artists in drama, dance, music and singing. The Altec choir has live performances throughout the year.

Accommodation in Lady Grey varies from Back Packers to three star accommodations. Accommodation in the countryside varies from lodges, camping sites, game farms and self-catering establishments of high quality.

There are a number of restaurants and coffee shops in Lady Grey. A padstal on the R58 towards Barkley East provides the traveller with home made goodies from the area.

Lady Grey is situated on the R58 between Aliwal North and Barkley East just off the N6. The town lies in the valley of the Witteberg mountain range (Southern Drakensberg) and offers spectacular mountain scenery with altitudes up to 3000 m. Named after the wife of Sir George Grey, Governor of the Cape Colony at the time, this quaint village was founded in 1858. The trip over the Joubert Pass affords the traveler some spectacular scenery, often snow covered in the winter, with the well known trout stream ‘Karringmelk spruit’ running below in the deep gorge. The area is rich in fossilbeds and rock art. The town dam is located in a beautiful sandstone kloof, and is ideal for picnics, swimming, and trout fishing. Take the ‘Footsteps into the Past’ ramble on the Dinosaur project, listen to the choir at the Witteberg Academy for Arts, fishing, mountain biking, 4x4 routes, birding, farm holidays, hunting, B&B, and self catering facilities. Summers are cool to very hot, winters are sunny to snow. It is not unusual for the town to be covered in a blanket of snow, night temperatures drop and frost may occur.

GENERAL INFORMATION

How to get there

Bloemfontein 261 km, East London 398 km, Johannesburg 659 km, Port Elizabeth 562 km, Tiffindell Holiday Resort 100 km

Altitude: 1646 m above sea level

Average Rainfall: 762 mm per annum, during summer

Banks

FNB, Standard

Dams

Commonage, Lady Grey Dam

Mountains

Witterberge

Rivers

Karringmelkspruit

HISTORICAL VIEW

Dutch Reformed Church and Organ

Declared a National Monument. It was built in 1913 from local sandstone in the Gothic style. The beautifully restored organ in the church is only one of two such organs in the country and is still mechanically operated. The other organ is in the Groote Kerk in Cape Town.

Fossil Project

A unique dinosaur / fossil project initiated and undertaken by the Transwilger school children. The young children have identified some 35 fossil sites in the Lady Grey basin – some are 200 million years old. Attempts are being made to utilize this unique situation where children (not archaeologists) are committed to preserving this priceless heritage, while acting under the auspices of the Bloemfontein Museum. Winners of the Enviro ’98 competition, second prize winner of the International Green Award Film Competition, and recently filmed for the BBC World Tv Service.

Heroes Acre

Grave sites of Boer War soldiers. Several skirmishes took place at Motkop and Hershel near Lady Grey during the Anglo-Boer War (1899 – 1902).

Historical Buildings

Magistrates Court, Old Gaol, Post Office

Lady Grey Museum

Situated in a quaint little building the museum has much to offer the visitor. Just outside the museum is an Obelisk erected in memory of the Ross family (Anglo Boer War 1899 – 1902).

Old Waterwheel Handpumps and Water Furrows

Samples of early water usage and distribution

Powder Magazine

Used during the Anglo Boer War (1899 – 1902).

Quaint Victorian Homes

Railway Reverse Systems

Lady Grey District boasts four of the eight reserves used on the unique railway line built in 1904. It is one of only two such Railway Reserve Systems in the world. The reverses enabled the stream trains to negotiate the rugged terrain. The railway line is still operational.

San Rock Art

Bultfontein and Lammermoor farms boast San paintings. Visits possible by prior arrangement. Thaba Nkulu Game Ranch has San paintings, as well as dinosaur fossil sites.

Sauer Bridge

The old Sauer Bridge, situated over the Kraai River on the Lady Grey road, has seen many years of service to the towns of Lady Grey and Barkly East. It is one fo the stone bridges erected at the time of Minister Paul Sauer (1881). The Toll House was restored by Van Aardt Van Der Spuy and the Bridge Hotel was also situated nearby.

Stone Bridge

On the farm Karnmelkspruit turned 100 in March 1999 and was built by 18 men over the Karringmelkspruit.

Tunnel

The well known tunnel was built in 1909 to allow trains to cross the spectacular gorge via a steel bridge linking the tunnel to the opposite cliffs. Two bridges were sent from England and both failed to reach their destination – one was sent back for ammunition during World War One and the second sank with the ship that was transporting it. The tunnel is a stunning work of craftsmanship and can be seen from the bridge crossing the Karringmelkspruit.

NATURE

Joubert Pass

Built in 1914, a circular route of approximately 70 km. With a gradient of 15 it is the third highest pass in South Africa (2180 m above sea level). The scenic route over the pass affords the traveler an ever changing view of river gorges and the majestic Witteberg mountains. The pass winds through the Lammergeier Private Nature Reserve and the Karringmelkspruit Valley.

Karringmelkspruit Cape Vulture Sactuary

One of only two such breeding facilities set up for this species

Lammergeyer Private Nature Reserve

The reserve was awarded for Conservation Farming of SA Award for it’s ecologically friendly farming methods. Activities include quad biking, a 2 – 5 day hiking trail, mountain biking, swimming and tubing in season, 4x4 trails, wild flower collection, and, of course trout fishing. The farm ‘Upper Pelion’, part of the reserve, is a heritage site.

Thaba Nkulu Game Ranch

Has a variety of wildlife, several natural hot springs and bat caves for you to explore.

ATTRACTIONS

Annual Events

Agricultural Show – July

Academy of Arts Spring Festival – September

Lammergeyer Mountain Challenge – Half marathon every September

Mountain Biking Challenge – 80 km and 30 km mountain bike race in September

Arts & Crafts

Anny’s Café, Ronel Hatting’s Art & Crafts Training School, Shelley Addis’ Ceramics, Stained glass windows

Country Club

Hold special evenings including Bingo night and monthly Steak Evenings. Guests are most welcome.

Lady Grey Academy of Arts

The unique Lady Grey Academy is a school for arts and culture. Botes Gresse has transformed the unit into an amazing centre for Choir, Music, Dancing and Drama and performances can be arrange by prior arrangement.

Lady Grey Dam & Commonage

A spectacular setting for day trails, picnicking and fishing allowed by permission. It is nestled in a beautiful sandstone gorge. The rock pool below the dam wall is a popular swimming spot for picnickers.

Pantsulas & Gumboot Dancers

By prior arrangement

ACTIVITIES

4x4 Trails

Lammergeyer Nature Reserve, Burnet Game and Holiday Farm, Thaba Nkulu

Abseiling

Bird Watching

Barnet Game Farm, Lady Grey Dam, Lammergeier Nature Reserve, Lupela Lodge, Glen Doone, Karnmelkspruit, Thaba Nkulu Game Ranch

Fishing

Glen Doone, Lady Grey Dam / Witfontein Dam, Lammergeier Nature Reserve, Lupela Lodge, Karringmelkspruit – is renowned for it’s excellent wild trout fishing opportunities.

Greywing Shooting

Lammergeier Nature Reserve, Thaba Nkulu Game Ranch

Hiking

Lady Grey Dam, Lammergeier – 2 – 5 day marked trails, Lupela Lodge Day Walks

Horse Riding

Lammergeyer Nature Reserve – half and full day trails, overnight trails

Hunting

Burnet Game Farm, Thaba Nkulu Game Ranch

Mountain Biking / Cycling

Joubert Pass area, Lady Grey, Lammergeier Nature Reserve

Quad Biking

4x4 Quad and scrambler trails – Lammergeier Nature Reserve

River Tubing

Lammergeyer Private Nature Reserve, Lupela Lodge

Rock Climbing

Lady Grey, Thaba Nkulu

Snow Skiing

Accommodation in and around Lady Grey