Plenty of Outdoor Activities
To add to its unparalleled scenic beauty Hermanus has the status of being the best land-based whale watching destination in the world. Southern right whales visit Walker Bay from June through to December.
Hermanus is also home to the world’s only Whale Crier who blows his kelp horn when whales are spotted along the central sea route. The area is also blessed with rugged mountain ranges, the pristine Klein River Lagoon estuary, fantastic beaches and plenty of other outdoor adventure activities.
How to get there: Follow the N2 from Cape Town past Somerset West and over Sir Lowrys Pass. Just after descending the Houw Hoek pass take the R43/Hermanus/Kleinmond turnoff. Drive through Hermanus and past the Golf Club on your left on the R43. Once past the gold club, look out for Fir Avenue on your left. Turn left onto Fir Avenue to the trail head at the entrance of the Fernkloof Nature Reserve.
Berg and Beach Trail Run
Walker Bay stretches from the Klein River estuary to De Kelders at Gansbaai. This section is about 1 000ha in size and has a coastline of 17 km featuring a long beach, known as Die Plaat, with white sands and rocky limestone outcrops to the east. Immediately north-west of the reserve lies the scenic Klein River Lagoon which, at times, flows into the sea.
The northern parts of the reserve consist of stabilised dune fields. Fernkloof Nature Reserve covers 1800 ha in the Kleinrivier Mountains above Hermanus and ranges in altitude from sea level to 842 m. It protects coastal and fynbos and a small patch of evergreen forest. Parts of the coastal area include the Cliff Path Nature Area, the Mossel River Valley and the area from De Mond to Kettle Point, including the mouth of the Vogelgat River and part of the Klein River Lagoon links mountain and beach for the first time in this reserve.
The Fernkloof Nature Reserve boasts with a network of more than 60 km of trails. These trails provide the opportunity for people of all fitness levels to go out and enjoy some exercise and fresh air. The various trails offer magnificent and unequalled views of Walker Bay, the Hemel en Aarde Valley, and Maanskynbaai.
Hermanus Fernkloof MTB Route
Mountain biking in Hermanus recently underwent a facelift, with the PPA (Pedal Power Association) having committed to funding trail development in and around the town. Numerous trails in the Hemel and Aarde Valley, as well as a 17 km trail in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, are now open for exploration.
This 17 km circular trail is signposted for clockwise travel and may be joined at any point within the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. The surface is mainly jeep track, but substantial single-track have been added in recent years. Expect sand, rock and the occasional tarmac link as you skirt the urban sprawl of Hermanus, but for most of the time, you’ll be in a fynbos paradise.
The coastal climate is relatively temperate, and all four seasons have something to offer. Whale watching features big on the local leisure menu, so visit during late winter or spring.
Hemel and Aarde MTB Trails
‘Heaven and Earth’ sounds like a pretty good place to start with an MTB stop-over, right? If you are travelling from (or to) the Mother City, you’re looking at an easy journey on either side, and a superb ride to boot. Get on your bike and come and explore this beautiful valley with its awesome views, stunning wineries and brand new tracks.
Starting from the Hemel and Aarde Village, the route follows the tar road into the valley, look out for the route markers on the left dropping into single track along the river winding into the valley. This is flat with a slight drag up till the Camphill turnoff. Here you turn left and follow the gravel road. Register and pay at either Euodia Cycles or The Wine Village. There is ample parking.
The trails are open all year round and always a pleasure to ride. The best time to spot some whales is from July to November. You can visit any of the many restaurants and coffee shops in the Hemel en Aarde village. During the whale season (July to November) be sure to do some whale-watching.
For the more adventurous there is sea kayaking, quad biking, paintball, tree-top slides and shark cage diving.
The Whale Watching Route of the Cape offers spectacular coastal scenery, but the stars of this self-drive route from Cape Town are the south...