Sleepy Little Town
The sleepy little town of Scarborough is situated at the mouth of the Schusters River. Fishermen love the village, but it really comes to life during the summer months.
The beach constantly changes from being sandy to showing craggy rocks after a storm. The rocks provide a wealth of interesting seafood and shells. Most of the houses in town have been situated at seemingly impossible locations claimed with determination and creativity from the steep hillside.
The houses situated in close proximity to the sea are often threatened during the Cape's winter storms. Originally known as a ‘holiday village’, Scarborough is now within easy reach of the city, and has numerous weekend cottages, while many retired people live there in peace and serenity.
Holiday accommodation is at a premium. People are friendly, the pace is slow and relaxed, and visitors are made to feel welcome. The road leaves Scarborough to wind onwards towards a very interesting roadside market where long-necked giraffe, massive hippos and stately elephant crafted from wood and stone are on display. If you want something special to take back home, this stop is both necessary and interesting.
Coastal Activities
The rustic charm of Scarborough is further enhanced by the fact that it offers some of the best fishing and surfing on the peninsular. Bodyboarding, kite surfing, kayaking, windsurfing and crayfishing are all highly rated, and Scarborough’s beach is privy to some of the most awesome sunsets and wonderful windswept walks.
Stunning rock pools on the shoreline are great to explore and the waves welcome the surfers to challenge them. A stroll along this secluded and long white sandy beach is very pleasant. It is advisable to be cautious while swimming due to the occasional rip current just off the beach. The beach is never really overcrowded as it is extremely spacious, so there’s lots of room for the whole family to enjoy a beach day. You can soak up the sun without feeling invaded by others playing ball on the beach or those flying kites on a more windy day.
Hiking Trails
The Redhill Footpath Hiking Trail is a scenic trail in Scarborough, known for its quiet serenity and scenic beauty. The trail begins in the Scarborough Conservation Village and then extends past Kleinplaas Dam and Slangkop to end at Blue Water Estate in Imhoff. Permits are required for this hike, and can be obtained in Scarborough itself. The trail requires a moderate degree of fitness, and takes about five hours to complete.
Adjacent to Scarborough is the Cape Point Nature Reserve, which offers various hiking trails and routes. The Olifantsbos Shipwreck Trail (or the Thomas T Tucker hike) starts in the reserve, where you’ll be able to explore endemic and protected plants and spot various forms of wildlife, such as the Cape mountain zebra, ostrich, bontebok and red hartebeest.
The trail is named after American liberty ship Thomas T Tucker, which struck the Albatross Rock here on her first voyage of the war (1942). Her remains lie stranded on the rocks, fairly far from the sea and close enough to explore with children; a hulk of rusting ship. To extend the hike still further, add the Sirkelsvlei circuit. Sirklesvlei is a vlei fed by underwater springs.
If you have only a day or two in Cape Town on your South African holiday, this self-drive route around the Cape to Cape Point covers the gre...