Spending the day at Pringle Bay
Spend a day on the beach at Pringle Bay. It’s located about 10km from Gordan’s Bay (where the beach tends to be blocked off during peak season) and 20km from Betty’s Bay. It is situated at the foot of Hangklip, on the opposite side of False Bay from Cape Point. The town and surrounds are part of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO Heritage Site.
At Pringle Bay, you’ll find a cute town with vacation homes with a very distinct homey feel. Everything is well maintained, from the houses, grass, roads, sand, beaches and water. The beach is pet-friendly, with owners and their pups enjoying the soft white sand. Conservation is important to the residents of Pringle Bay. On the main beach, they protect the oystercatcher birds and prohibit entry to dunes to restore plant growth. During whale season, whales and dolphins can be spotted from the beach. There a few viewpoints available on the road leading from Gordon’s Bay too, giving you an incredible scenery of the vastness of the ocean.
The designated swimming area allows bathers to enjoy their time in the sea under lifeguard supervision. It’s advised to swim within these flags due to South Africa’s strong currents, possible shark activity and the overall safety of bathers. For all those body surfers, take along your wet suite and enjoy the waves.
What made us stick out like sore thumbs? We travelled 90 minutes to get to this beach, and we were going to swim no matter how cold the sea was. With a run and tumble into the sea, we managed to submerge ourselves into the icy water in our normal swimwear. Bite through the first 2 minutes of coldness, and you’ll eventually last a couple of hours in the water. We felt braver than the locals, who were all wearing full-length wetsuits (although we looked slightly more hypothermic!).
If you are staying over in Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay or Rooi Els, the area offers numerous hikes ranging between 30 minutes and five hours. We recommend the Hangklip hiking trail in which you will cover 13 kilometres in about 5 hours. The climb can be steep at times, but the result is a 360 degrees view of the surrounding ocean and mountains. While hiking keep, your eyes open for rare Fynbos finds like the Blue Disa.
Only an hours drive from Cape Town, take a day out and explore the quiet beaches, mountains, views and surrounding areas of Pringle Bay in the Western Cape. This area is the perfect escape from the traffic and bustle of the city.
