Cape Town - Chapman's Peak Drive

 

Chapman's Peak Drive in Cape Town is an absolute "must see". The locals refer to this drive as "Chappies" The drive was named after John Chapman who was a Captain's mate on the English vessel, the Consent. It's an engineering feat of epic proportions.

The road from Hout Bay to Noordhoek was ordered by Sir Frederik de Waal, an Administrator of the Cape at the time in the early 1900's. The road took 7 years to complete and was opened in 1922. It remains an incredible feat of engineering. Despite the numerous issues over the years with rock falls and mud slides, the road was widened and further drastic safety measure were put in place after 4 fatalities. The road was closed in 2000 for rock fall measures to be implemented.

"The rock fall protection measures implemented at Chapman’s Peak Drive were selected on the basis of what is considered to be best international practice and consists of a half tunnel, catch fences, slope stabilisation and canopy structures. In 2004, Chapman’s Peak Drive received an excellence award for rock fall protection"

For the full story see:

https://www.chapmanspeakdrive.co.za/the-drive/engineering.html

Awards

• Winner of the SAACE National Award for Engineering Excellence (2004)
• Winner of the SAFCEC National President’s Award (2004)
• Winner of the Bentley Systems prestigious international award (civil Design) for 3D and 2D rockfall hazard analysis and design using the Microstation suite of geospatial software packages (2004)
• Runner-up in SAICE’s National Award for Excellence in Civil Engineering (2004)

Today, this drive is done in various ways.....see above! Cyclists love "Chappies"; runners either love or hate "Chappies" yet they come back for more all the time. Take a Tour bus if you don't feel like driving yourself but if you are an adventurous spirit then maybe hiring a "Cobra" will do it for you. 

Check out their website:

www.cobraexperience.co.za

The road is 9km long and offers 114 curves - it is truly a "must see" iconic drive. Personally, I would recommend that this road is done in both directions so perhaps start in Hout Bay, take a slow drive to Noordhoek, stopping at the view points along the way before reaching Noordhoek, a sleepy, rural part of Cape Town. You can stop in at Noordhoek Farm Village for lunch before driving back towards Hout Bay where you could enjoy sundowners at one of the many restaurants in the area. For those who love picnics, there are numerous tables with amazing views. There is also a Day Pass if you want to return again for a picnic. Currently, this is free of charge.

Chapmans' Peak Drive is a huge favourite with cyclists - both local and international so do take care if driving as there are numerous groups plus individuals cycling, especially over week-ends. The uphill slog does slow them down somewhat and there are usually large groups taking a breather near the top but those going downhill get up to high speeds and whizz by, enjoying this exhilarating ride. It's not for the feint-hearted though or a novice cyclist.

For more information, plus tariffs or road closures, check out the official website 

www.chapmanspeakdrive.co.za

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    For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa

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South Africa - Road Tripping - Seven Passes - Garden Route

Boredom Buster - Seven Passes, Garden Route

Before we had the N2, there were the "Seven Passes"

Written By: Carri-Anne | 28 Apr 2020

Wilderness Beach, Garden Route

Wilderness and Knysna, in the heart of the Garden Route are popular holiday destinations, there’s plenty to do and see. Enjoyed for the array of outdoor activities it’s frequented by mountain bikers, runners and hikers. One of the hidden treasures of the area is the Seven, a 75 km stretch of road that technically has eight passes.

Knysna Lagoon - railway bridge

Seven Passes Road

The seven passes are, as the name suggests, seven passes all connected, running from Knysna to George or George to Knysna, whichever way you prefer to traverse it. This majority dirt road is a creation of the pass builder extraordinaire, Thomas Charles John Bain, and was finished in 1883. Bain had help from his brother-in-law Adam de Smidt, and rumour has it the two didn’t get along every day or most days. Back when Bain first built this road, it was the equivalent of the N2. Since the building of the N2 and the extension of the surrounding farms and B roads, the traffic you’ll find on the road are mountain bikers, trucks from the mills and the odd tourist or two.
The general profile of each pass is a descent into a valley where it either crosses a river or runs alongside one before climbing the ascent out. The variations are the gradients of descent and ascent, the amount of tight and twisty corners and the height. The beauty of these passes are that they’re not done at speed, it’s an easy relaxing drive, a dirt road with the forest canopy overhead that clears at the bottom as you cross each bridge.

Getting there

Beginning the journey from Knysna at Phantom Pass, the first pass that would be built out of the seven. Turning off the N2 before the Knysna lagoon the road runs inland towards the first pass, Phantom Pass. This 75 km stretch of the road reached the Kaaimans River in 1869, and in 1871 was built to reach Woodville near George.

Phantom Pass

The Belvidere turnoff from the N2 turns into the Phantom Pass, which was ready for business in 1862, with a rebuild in 1882. Named after the ghost moths that call the forest home.

Homtini Pass

Completed in 1882, opened in 1883, and was the last pass to be completed of the seven. The Homtini name has suggested roots in Khoi, and means either ‘mountain honey’ or ‘difficult passage’. We’re likely to believe that it means difficult passage with 45 corners, of which three exceed 120 degrees and one sharp hairpin. It was the building of this pass that led to the source of discontent between Bain and de Smidt. It’s believed that they disagreed with the path of the Seven Passes road, which led to an argument in the build of Homtini Pass. The argument between the two escalated to the point that they never spoke again.

Karatara Pass

The finding of gold in the area lead the pass to be further built and heading towards the Homtini area.
Bearing the same name as the forestry village the pass can have a few trucks on it. A gravel track that’s dusty in summer and turns into a muddy clay in winter. If doing this in winter, it would be recommended to go in a vehicle with all-wheel drive as the corrugations can cause a loss of traction.

Touw River Pass 

This pass remains the same as it was when built by Bain and de Smidt, except the timber bridge was washed away and replaced by a steel bridge in the early 1900s. It’s thought that de Smidt was more involved in building this pass than Bain, who was involved in the Homtini Pass at the same time. Much like the other passes it drops down into the riverbed and is often a victim of flooding in heavy rains.

Silwer River Pass

This short pass of 2.5 km is a national monument, leading into Wilderness Heights. Built by de Smidt the pass has 30 bends, which is quite something considering how short it is. Many consider this pass to be part of the Kaaimansgat Pass.

Kaaimansgat Pass

While Bain worked on the Knysna end of the passes, de Smidt built on the George end of the road. The original bridges were made of timber though succumbed to the elements quickly. In 1902 the concrete bridges were built, and are still standing today, and are national monuments.

Swartrivier Pass

A road that crosses the Swartrivier, the original pass was first used in 1853. Now it’s a modern tar road that runs past the Garden Route dam wall and down into the main road of George.

Make an adventure out of it

Stay in George, Wilderness, or Knysna for ease of access to the passes. While the passes can be done in just over an hour it’s recommended you make a day of the route. Pack food, picnic blankets, and sunblock. Stop along the way at local craft shops on the route. Stop at each bridge, take photos, and enjoy the flora and fauna at each pass.

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                For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa

                                      www.bradclin.com

Cape Town - Norval Foundation

A delicious Sunday breakfast and then a wander around the Art Collection and Sculpture Garden, makes for a great outing in Cape Town. Exceptional art forms and sculptures make this an interesting place to visit for all ages.

Norval Foundation Cape Town South Africa

" Norval Foundation is a new art museum in Tokai, Cape Town, that is dedicated to showcasing art exhibitions with global appeal, in an environment that also fosters an appreciation for nature. Adjacent to Table Mountain National Park, Norval Foundation features world-class, purpose-built galleries, a sculpture garden, outdoor amphitheatre, research library, a restaurant and bar, a shop and a children’s playground.The Norval family are the founders and initial funders of Norval Foundation"

Norval Foundation Cape Town

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Norval Foundation Cape Town

 

Norval Foundation Cape Town

Norval Foundation Cape Town

Norval Foundation Cape Town

Norval Foundation Cape Town

Norval Foundation Cape Town

Norval Foundation

Norval Foundation Cape Town

Norval Foundation Cape Town

Norval Foundation Cape Town

Norval Foundation Cape Town

Norval Foundation Cape Town

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For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa

www.bradclin.com