Hike in Still Bay
Bask in the sun with a white-breasted cormorant on the Geelkrans Trail in Still Bay.
Forty-one years. That’s how long I’d been holidaying in Still Bay before I hiked this trail. It goes through fynbos and along the beach, with amazing views of the ocean. In fact, it’s so scenic that I plan to hike it every time I visit this coastal town from now on.
The first 3,5 km section is along a sandy dirt road lined with coastal fynbos, with no sea views. The road climbs slowly until you see a lone double-storey beach house – I wish I was the lucky owner!
Before you reach the house, look for a sign to a path on the right 1 . Finally, a sea view. The path will lead you to the edge of the cliff 2 – a great spot to catch your breath. The sky and sea melt into one on the horizon. To the right is Still Bay, where most people are now drinking coffee in their pyjamas.
From here, the track 3 goes downhill to the beach, and you’ll walk along the beach for another 3,5 km back to your car. If you want to escape the holiday crowds a little longer, you can walk the other way towards Gouritsmond for a while – it’s up to you. On the beach, you’ll soon see what inspired the name of the trail. Steep, yellow cliffs tower overhead – some cliffs along this stretch of coast are up to 70 m high. The wind has eroded the cliffs over centuries; they look set to crumble in places.
Palaeontologists love this stretch of coastline. Many fossilised animal tracks have been found in the rock, from elephants and rhinos to the extinct giant Cape horse and long-horned buffalo, as well as smaller animals like the golden mole. The tracks suggest that animals were once abundant in the area.
These days, you’ll have more success looking for birds. Little egrets hunt for fish in the shallows, and white-breasted cormorants nest on the cliffs. Some will watch you with their beady eyes; others will nonchalantly perch somewhere and dry their wings 4 . Pack a towel, sunscreen and snacks, and take your time on the beach section. During the festive season, the beaches of Still Bay are as busy as a mall on a Saturday morning, but this section is much quieter.
You’ll eventually come to a rock formation known as the Preekstoel 5 , although it doesn’t look much like a pulpit to me… You’ll start seeing more people and fishermen approaching from Lappiesbaai, the main beach at Still Bay East. There’s no sign to indicate the end of the trail – you’ll have to follow your instinct to figure out which dune you left your car behind. Until next time!