Best known for its landmark lighthouse, which stands watch on the rocky shores of the eastern entrance to False Bay, Hangklip is conveniently located down the road from Villa Marine Guest House.
The lighthouse, which has been keeping sailors and fishermen safe since its erection in 1950, is the twin of the Milnerton Lighthouse. It stands 22 metres tall with a beacon that shoots a revolving electric light across the Atlantic Ocean every 10 seconds. This can be seen for 25 nautical miles.
Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the shore near the lighthouse. Here rocky outcrops give way to soft powdering beaches dotted with brightly coloured shells and prolific with marine bird sightings. There are a number of sandy paths to explore, which crisscross their way across the indigenous coastal fynbos vegetation. You’ll often spot snorkelers in the shallow waters of the bays diving for crayfish and the elusive perlemoen.
Towering above the lighthouse is Hangklip Peak, which can be reached on foot by traversing the 4.8km Hangklip Circuit Trail. This easy to moderate hike meanders from Pringle Bay town along sandy paths, through flowering meadows of fynbos, up mountain slopes, through milkwood forests and past a network of caves before reaching Hangklip peak. Here hikers are rewarded with exceptional views across Fales Bay all the way to Simon’s Town.
The trail starts in Stream Road, in Pringle Bay, where a small parking lot with an entry gate into the reserve can be located. The circuit route takes approximately 1hr30 minutes in total.
