The romance of Cape roads
Sea Point’s promenade is now on your right – with its many walkers, dogs on leashes, children in prams and runners with headphones
If you’ve ever looked for an excuse to see the Cape on a motorcycle, we have just the route for you. Join us as we follow a tar road across some of the oldest and most beautiful passes in the country and encounter some remarkable characters – from a dog who officially served in the navy to toys dating back to World War II and a guy in the cosmetics industry with a penchant for vintage motorcycles.
We depart from Green Point in Cape Town and ride 200 km all along the coast. The route runs through Hout Bay, Kommetjie and Simon’s Town, and around False Bay to the other side of Kleinmond. There, we’ll turn inland and end our travels 450 km later at an impressive motorcycle collection.
Around the Cape
Green Point teems with tourists, so it’s time to set your odometer to zero and go exploring for the next day or three. The Green Point lighthouse is the oldest still in existence in the country and its light has been sweeping over the waters of the Atlantic Ocean for almost 200 years. From here it is only half a kilometre before we turn right on the M6, a road that assumes various forms as it winds around the Cape.
Sea Point’s promenade is now on your right – with its many walkers, dogs on leashes, children in prams and runners with headphones. On the grass next to it a metal sculpture of a giant pair of glasses. The sculpture is taller than a human, and when you stand behind the “lenses”, you see Robben Island in the distance and the specks of sailboats and cargo ships on the ocean. The image was created by artist Michael Elion to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela and his legacy.
The M6 with its median strip of fan palms is a typical collector road. Barely a kilometre past the giant pair of glasses, don’t get a fright if a paraglider suddenly flashes overhead in search of a landing spot. They jump off Vlaeberg and land here on the grass.
The road now becomes a one-way street with tall buildings between you and the sea. Follow the Hout Bay signs through the next turn or two to Bantry Bay. Now you’re passing one millionaire’s residence after another. For the first time, the 12 Apostles appear at the back of Table Mountain. These 12 peaks have names like Kloof, Valken, Kasteel and Slangolie.
You’ve just arrived
