Slopes of Devil's Peak
There are two ways to get from the City Bowl to the False Bay coast. The first is the old Main Road (the M4), which is riddled with robots. The other is a highway called the M3. From Cape Town, the M3 is lifted up the slopes of Devil’s Peak, parallel to the old Main Road.
It speeds along, leading past the University of Cape Town, until it abruptly hits a robot and turns into a busy main road, which curves through the Southern Suburbs of Newlands, Claremont and Bishops Court.
Cavendish Square shopping mall, Kirstenbosch Gardens and the Newlands Forest are all close-by but, if you are intent on reaching False Bay, a bit of patience may be required before you clear the last robot and the road becomes a highway once again.
Once the M3 has regained its composure, you will pass the turn-off for Constantia. Take this off-ramp if you want to drive through the old vineyards, over Constantia Nek and into Hout Bay. Otherwise, continue on the M3 as the highway levels out and heads straight, past the unassuming suburbs of Tokai, Bergvliet (Mountain Stream) and Ladies Mile, before terminating at a T-junction above Muizenberg.
At this point, you can follow signs for the Ou Kaapse Weg, which leads up a steep pass, through the Silvermine Nature Reserve, to Noordhoek. Or you can do a left/right onto the old Main Road (the M4), coming down from the city towards Muizenberg.
Top of False Bay
When you get to Muizenberg, you can go to the beach by turning left off Main Road onto Baden-Powell Drive. You can then continue on Baden-Powell, past the beach, and journey along the intriguing coastal road that runs along the top of False Bay, all the way to Gordon’s Bay in the East. If you want to explore the other villages scattered along the False Bay side of the Peninsula, continue on Main Road past St. James and Kalk Bay, towards Fish Hoek.
From Muizenberg, Main Road squeezes its way through a narrow passage between the sea and a line of low mountains. This is a tight fit, as houses push up against the road from all sides and the railway line runs parallel to the road, all the way to Simonstown. It should therefore come as no surprise that this constricted coastal road gets more congested than a fat man eating dumplings.
So be warned: during weekends and at holiday time, Main Road can snarl up for hours as the day-trippers try to manoeuvre their way from one little town to the next. Rather park in Muizenberg, and catch the train!
A Good Alternative Route
If you insist on driving, a good alternative route is via Boyes Drive which joins Muizenberg to Kalk Bay. This scenic road runs high across the mountain side, offering the most superlative views out over the golden expanse of False Bay. Boyes Drive also offers historical sightseers a good look at the grave of Sir Abe Bailey, the famous Randlord, and at Sandvlei, the fertile wetlands where the Battle of Muizenberg took place.
After driving through the vibrant village of Kalk Bay, the next town you will reach is Fish Hoek. From here, you can either take the access road up to Sun Valley and Noordhoek. Or you can continue along Main Road to Simonstown. From Simonstown, you can: Turn around and drive back to Cape Town.
Take Red Hill Drive (which offers great views over Simonstown harbour) to Scarborough and Kommetjie. This will take you back to Cape Town along the Atlantic Seaboard, on the other side of the Peninsula. Keep driving South on the M4, until you reach the gates of Cape Point Nature Reserve.
By David Fleminger
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