Barrydale
Encyclopedia
Barrydale is a village located on the border of the Overberg
and Klein Karoo regions of the Western Cape Province in South Africa
. Named after James Barry, it is situated at the northern end of the Tradouw's pass which winds its way through the mountains to Swellendam
.
could be celebrated) and a school, but not much else. The Dutch Reformed Community of Barrydale came into being in 1878 when land was purchased to build the church.
As the farmers in the area were encouraged to plant vineyard
s and orchard
s, it was natural that a winery
and distillery would eventually be built. In 1940 the Barrydale Koöperatiewe Wynkelder was formed and a distillery established giving rise to the wine industry in the area. Joseph Barry Brandy, produced locally, was voted best brandy
in the world in 2003.
Over the years the village grew and eventually a municipality was established in 1921. Today there is an estimated population of 3500 permanent residents. The population increases dramatically in the tourist
season, with visitors drawn by arts and crafts displays including textiles, jewellery and African souvenirs.
The warm temperate climate is perfect for the growth of various fruit trees with numerous orchards on the fertile soils of the Tradouw Valley. Apples, pears and oranges
are harvested in the winter and crops of apricot
s, figs
, cling peach
es and grape
s in the summer.
tribe. Barrydale is culturally diverse for a small village with English- and Afrikaans
-speaking inhabitants as well as a substantial European expatriate community including French
, German, Spanish
and Italian
residents.
The annual Barrydale Spring Festival in October is an important event on the town's calendar. The Joseph Barry Tradouw Pass Half Marathon attracts a large number of runners who compete over a 21 km course through the pass.
Barrydale and the surrounding area is rich in species diversity with abundant wildlife such as baboon
s, genet
s, mongoose
s, Klipspringer
(small khaki-coloured antelope
often seen perched on rocks), and Rock Hyraxes, known locally as Dassies (the closest relatives of elephant
s). More elusive animals, such as porcupine
s, aardvark
s, jackal
s, otter
s and the reclusive leopard
s, are occasionally seen in the mountains. Reptile
s are common, especially snake
s, with a few poisonous species such as Puff Adder
, Boomslang
(tree snake) and Cape Cobra
.
The area is also home to numerous bird species such as the Cape Eagle-owl
, Hadeda Ibis, Grey Heron
, Sunbird
(these often have iridescent plumage), Fiscal Shrike which impales its prey on acacia
thorns or barbed wire, and Black Eagle
s often seen soaring high overhead on the thermals.
The area has many rare plant species, notably the Fynbos
flora on the slopes of the Langeberg
mountain range in the south, and succulent-dominated Karroid flora to the north. There are many private and State reserves in the area such as the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve.
Overberg
Overberg is a district in South Africa to the east of Cape Town beyond the Hottentots-Holland mountains. It lies along the Cape Province's south coast between the Cape Peninsula and the region known as the Garden Route in the east...
and Klein Karoo regions of the Western Cape Province in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Named after James Barry, it is situated at the northern end of the Tradouw's pass which winds its way through the mountains to Swellendam
Swellendam
Swellendam is the third oldest town in the Republic of South Africa, a town with 28,072 inhabitants situated in the Western Cape province. The town has over 50 National monuments most of them buildings of Cape Dutch architecture....
.
History
Barrydale's history dates back to the early 18th century when farmers moved into the area looking for fertile arable land with water. The community built their church on a spot where the R62 and R324 roads meet. In the days before the church was built there were a number of nagmaal houses (houses where Holy CommunionEucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
could be celebrated) and a school, but not much else. The Dutch Reformed Community of Barrydale came into being in 1878 when land was purchased to build the church.
As the farmers in the area were encouraged to plant vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s and orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s, it was natural that a winery
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
and distillery would eventually be built. In 1940 the Barrydale Koöperatiewe Wynkelder was formed and a distillery established giving rise to the wine industry in the area. Joseph Barry Brandy, produced locally, was voted best brandy
Brandy
Brandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink...
in the world in 2003.
Over the years the village grew and eventually a municipality was established in 1921. Today there is an estimated population of 3500 permanent residents. The population increases dramatically in the tourist
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
season, with visitors drawn by arts and crafts displays including textiles, jewellery and African souvenirs.
Climate
Barrydale has a temperate climate of warm, dry summers with averages of 25°C occasionally up to 35°C, and mild, wet winters when the temperature occasionally dips to around -1°C accompanied by light frosts.The warm temperate climate is perfect for the growth of various fruit trees with numerous orchards on the fertile soils of the Tradouw Valley. Apples, pears and oranges
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
are harvested in the winter and crops of apricot
Apricot
The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :...
s, figs
FIGS
FIGS is an acronym for French, Italian, German, Spanish. These are usually the first four languages chosen to localize products into when a company enters the European market....
, cling peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
es and grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s in the summer.
Culture
The town still shows the legacy of the apartheid era when it was divided in two to separate whites from non-whites, a large proportion of which are direct descendants of the indigenous KhoisanKhoisan
Khoisan is a unifying name for two ethnic groups of Southern Africa, who share physical and putative linguistic characteristics distinct from the Bantu majority of the region. Culturally, the Khoisan are divided into the foraging San and the pastoral Khoi...
tribe. Barrydale is culturally diverse for a small village with English- and Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
-speaking inhabitants as well as a substantial European expatriate community including French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, German, Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
and Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
residents.
The annual Barrydale Spring Festival in October is an important event on the town's calendar. The Joseph Barry Tradouw Pass Half Marathon attracts a large number of runners who compete over a 21 km course through the pass.
Flora and fauna
Baboon
Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. There are five species, which are some of the largest non-hominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger...
s, genet
Genet (animal)
Genets are Old World mammals from the order Carnivora, family Viverridae, related to civets and linsangs. All species are contained within the genus Genetta, although the Aquatic Genet is sometimes housed in its own genus Osbornictis....
s, mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
s, Klipspringer
Klipspringer
The Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small species of African antelope.-Name:The word klipspringer literally means "rock jumper" in Afrikaans/Dutch...
(small khaki-coloured antelope
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
often seen perched on rocks), and Rock Hyraxes, known locally as Dassies (the closest relatives of elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s). More elusive animals, such as porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
s, aardvark
Aardvark
The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa...
s, jackal
Jackal
Although the word jackal has been historically used to refer to many small- to medium-sized species of the wolf genus of mammals, Canis, today it most properly and commonly refers to three species: the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of...
s, otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s and the reclusive leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s, are occasionally seen in the mountains. Reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s are common, especially snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, with a few poisonous species such as Puff Adder
Puff adder
Puff adder is the common name of several snake species:* Bitis arietans, a venomous snake species found in Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula* Bitis, any other member of this genus...
, Boomslang
Boomslang
The boomslang is a large venomous colubrid snake.-Taxonomy & etymology:It is currently the only species in its genus, although several species and subspecies have been described in the past...
(tree snake) and Cape Cobra
Cape Cobra
The Cape Cobra or yellow cobra is a moderately sized, highly venomous cobra inhabiting a wide variety of biomes across Southern Africa...
.
The area is also home to numerous bird species such as the Cape Eagle-owl
Cape Eagle-owl
The Cape Eagle-Owl is a species of owl in the Strigidae family.It is found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe....
, Hadeda Ibis, Grey Heron
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...
, Sunbird
Sunbird
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are a family, Nectariniidae, of very small passerine birds. There are 132 species in 15 genera. The family is distributed throughout Africa, southern Asia and just reaches northern Australia. Most sunbirds feed largely on nectar, but also take insects and spiders,...
(these often have iridescent plumage), Fiscal Shrike which impales its prey on acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
thorns or barbed wire, and Black Eagle
Black Eagle
The Black Eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus Ictinaetus. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical Asia and hunt mammals and birds, particularly at their nests...
s often seen soaring high overhead on the thermals.
The area has many rare plant species, notably the Fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
flora on the slopes of the Langeberg
Langeberg
The Langeberg Mountain Range is a mountain range situated in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The range runs in a generally east-west direction and is approximately 170 km long. The Langeberg's most westerly point is located 35 km west of the town of Swellendam; the range ends some 30 km...
mountain range in the south, and succulent-dominated Karroid flora to the north. There are many private and State reserves in the area such as the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve.