Honda HR-V in Simonstown
Calling Simonstown the “hidden gem” of the Western Cape is clichéd but apt, writes Jim Freeman, who drove there in Honda’s subcompact HR-V.
Recently, for the second time in a few months, I arrived at a Tintswalo property in a SUV (sports utility vehicle) but the two experiences could not have been more different, had this been planned.
In December I drove into the 50 000 ha Lapalala Wilderness Reserve in Limpopo in Nissan’s 3.5-ton behemoth, the Patrol. In March I pulled into the all-suite Tintswalo at Boulders Villa in Simonstown in a vehicle boasting half the weight of the Nissan (and less than a third its price) but just as impressive in its own right.
The Honda HR-V is not strictly speaking an SUV; it is what is termed a
“cross-over” – from a sedan to a soccer mom’s runabout. Honda now offers four such vehicles, the CR-V that resides in the popular “compact” market segment, the HR-V that is even smaller and quite happy in the “sub-compact” category, the more multi-purpose orientated BR-V, and the even smaller WR-V.
You might think I am being ridiculous comparing a 5.6-litre V8 with Honda’s 1.8 Elegance CVT but, honestly, I know which I would rather be driving when facing a herd of elephants and which I would be happier negotiating Simonstown’s narrow streets.
The Honda HR-V might be the better part of a metre shorter but it is only 30 cm – the length of a classroom ruler, in case you have forgotten – narrower than the Patrol. It is not exactly dinky … it just feels that way.
Perhaps the extra width and fair height (1 772 mm) of the HR-V prevented me from feeling intimidated in traffic. To put the vehicle further into size perspective, the Honda HR-V is a mere 80 mm longer but 164 mm higher than a Mini Clubman! It costs a lot less, too, and that is not because of inferior build quality …
Enough about the car (for now); let me assume you have never been to Simonstown and know nothing about the place other than it is on the way from
Cape Town to the Cape Point Nature Reserve and is the home of the South African Navy.
THE ‘DEEP SOUTH’
It forms part of what Capetonians call the “deep south” – Muizenberg and beyond – but those in the know refer to it as the “secret south”. Few visitors travel beyond Kalk Bay and, even if they are going to Cape Point, they usually drive via Chapman’s Peak Drive and Noordhoek.
To call Simonstown the hidden gem of the Western Cape might be clichéd but it is appropriate. Simonstown is the perfect hub for a four or five-day getaway if you do not want to be bothered by crowds as you visit nature reserves, wine estates, beaches, and restaurants. Constantia and Noordhoek is just a quick hop over Ou Kaapse Weg, while getting to Kalk Bay should not take more than 15 minutes by road – quicker and more delightful if the trains are running!
The town (actually, it is a suburb of Cape Town but no one has seen fit to inform the residents) is named after Simon van der Stel and was established in 1680. The first dockyard facilities were built in 1743, from which time Simonstown became official Winter anchorage for the Dutch East India Company’s ships.
The dockyard was taken over by the Royal Navy in the 1790s and the facility was expanded until command of Simonstown Naval Base was ceded to the SA Navy in 1957. Much of the heritage of Simonstown owes itself to the period when it fell under the aegis of the British Admiralty.
While a young midshipman named Horatio Nelson visited Simonstown aboard HMS Dolphin in 1776, probably the other best-known mariner to have graced the place was Able Seaman Just Nuisance – as far as can be ascertained the only dog to have been officially enlisted in the Royal Navy. Just Nuisance died in 1944 and was buried with full military honours at the Signal School of the SA Navy that overlooks the town and False Bay.
There are two ways of getting to the Signal School and new naval recruits – and aspirant navy divers – get to know these pretty well during physical training sessions. There is a circular route that takes in both the notorious Signal Hill Steps (340 of them!) and Red Hill Road, a winding ascent that never seems to end. Whichever way you run the route, steps first or last, it is a bugger.
BETWEEN MOUNTAIN AND SEA
Simonstown occupies a narrow stretch of land between the sea and slopes of the Swartberg Mountains that form the Southern part of the Hoerikwaggo (“Mountain in the sea”), as the Table Mountain range was known to the Khoisan. Consequently, all but the main roads – and there are precious few of those – are extremely narrow and there is very little on-street parking.
It was these two features of Simonstown that showed the Honda HR-V in its best light because what Simonstown lacks in breadth, it makes up for in length and finding even a hint of a spot to park near Jubilee Square saves walking. Walking is something you will do a lot of in Simonstown, making it a perfect getaway for active families who like to get out and explore, whether it be the fascinating shops and museums lining Main Road or the surrounding countryside.
Cape Point Nature Reserve and Boulders Beach are the most obvious natural attractions but there are at least
two easy walks that offer spectacular end points: Admiral’s Waterfall and Kleinplaas Dam, the latter at the top of Red Hill Road. The waterfall is rather impressive. Most of the year it comprises a trickle dropping through the roof of an easily accessed little cave and pooling in a secluded tarn but, after heavy Winter rains, it is livelier.
You can walk to Admiral’s Waterfall from town but that is a bit more of an uphill trek from the Shell garage. Alternatively, park near the bottom of the Signal Hill Steps in Barnard Road and amble on. The Naval Museum is a fascinating place but you will also get a captivating insight into contemporary maritime history by visiting some of the pubs along Main Road.
The old “Two and Six” in the London Hotel underwent renovation and a name change because of “complications due to Covid-19” (i.e. a fight with his landlord) says the owner, but the walls of the pub are still redolent with the insignia of visiting ships and matelots. If you have a sweet tooth or fancy a great pie, stop in at The Sweetest Thing patisserie.
You will also be amazed at how clean the streets of Simonstown are … perhaps it is a military thing. A word of caution, though: do not expect much in the line of fine dining in Simonstown and its surrounds. Good, hearty grub is the order of the day and nowhere have I found this to be better than at Dixies in neighbouring Glencairn. It is cosy and convivial at night and during the day, and at the right time of year you can sit outside and watch southern right whales and dolphins swim close to the shore.