Play on the beach
Hermanus has many excellent beaches. Dogs are allowed on all of them if you use a leash and clean up after your pooch.
• Grotto is the biggest beach – a Blue Flag affair with neat ablution facilities and lifeguards on duty yearround. If you can’t handle the crowds in season, just walk. The sand goes all the way to De Kelders, 19 km away! At sunrise dogs play in the waves and at sunset kitesurfers fly over the lagoon – the mouth of the Klein River. In the main parking lot at Grotto you’ll find Dutchies Restaurant ( 028 314 1392; dutchies. co.za) where you can sip a sundowner and enjoy a light meal with your toes in the sand. In summer you can watch an open-air movie on the adjacent lawn. • Too big and busy? Between the town and Grotto Beach, there are several coves connected by the town’s famous Cliff Path. Take a stroll past Kwaaiwater, Langbaai, Kammabaai and Voëlklip, but think twice if you want to take a dip because the currents can be treacherous. • Or visit the neighbouring towns of Sandbaai and Onrus (both on the R43 towards Cape Town). The beach at Sandbaai isn’t great for swimming, but there are lots of rock pools at low tide for the kids to explore. Onrus has a decent break for surfers and a shallow lagoon that’s always a hit with the kids. If you can’t find parking at Onrus in summer, park in quieter Sandbaai and walk there along the coastal path. The two beaches are exactly a kilometre apart. Have lunch at The Milkwood Restaurant overlooking the Onrus lagoon ( 028 316 1516; themilkwood.co.za). • There are also two tidal pools in town: Fick’s Pool is on the New Harbour side of Marine Drive and the Marine Pool is below The Marine Hotel on the Old Harbour side. Both pools have ablution facilities that are cleaned regularly.
Explore on foot
Walking is the best way to explore Hermanus and surrounds, so bring your takkies!
• The Cliff Path (marked with signs) is a 7 km cement trail that hugs the sea from New Harbour to Grotto Beach. You can start at any point and there are benches along the way if you need to catch your breath. Start early and have breakfast at Dutchies near Grotto or at Burgundy Restaurant in town ( 028 312 2800; burgundyrestaurant.co.za). During peak season you’ll share the trail with runners and dogs; in the quieter months it’s best to walk with a friend. If you’re lucky, you’ll come across the coffee caravan at Kammabaai. It’s free to walk the trail. Wheelchairs and prams are allowed but no bicycles. • Hoy’s Koppie, in the centre of town near the primary