Jewels along the West Coast
The trail starts next to the Olifants River in the small West Coast town of Koekenaap and ends 235 km farther in Hondeklip Bay. When driving up from Cape Town, you’ll arrive in this town shortly before noon, and there’ll only be enough time to complete a quarter of the route on your first day.
Koekenaap has a general dealer where you can buy basic supplies; if you need fresh bread and vegetables, there are larger shops in Vredendal, 30 km back the way you came. (By the way, if a guy with ginger hair, a two-tone shirt and a pair of jean shorts in Vredendal tries to convince you that the correct pronunciation is “Koek en aaaap” – yes, the “aap” must be drawn out – don’t believe him! The lady at the general dealer will give you the evil eye if you pronounce her town’s name in this way.)
Less than a kilometre north of Koekenaap, you’ll come across a signpost for the MSR Tormin mine. Here you turn left and follow an
