Trappieskop - Kalk Bay

Starting from Clovelly or Kalk Bay, the Trappieskop hike follows a loop up the mountain on a stony trail. The ascent culminates in an excellent viewpoint, providing great views of Kalk Bay Harbour while the descent on the Fish Hoek side passes a lookout point that overlooks Fish Hoek Beach. The trail can be steep in sections but is easily manageable for most hikers. 

Meeting Point: Either Godfrey Rd in Kalk Bay or Clovelly Rd in Clovelly. 

Meeting spot Kalk Bay: Google Maps Location 

Meeting spot Clovelly: Google Maps Location 

Hiking Time: 1hr 30min

Distance: 2.6km

Elevation: 174m

Grade: Easy

🐶 Dog friendly

Route Notes: The ascent features easy scrambling and is less defined than the descent. Follow the cairns to the cliff base, where you’ll find a couple of straightforward routes to the top.

Hiking Map: Trappieskop AllTrails Map or download GPX Route

Origin of the name - Trappieskop

In early times it was virtually impossible to travel along the coast from Muizenberg to Simon’s Town because in places the mountains reached all the way down to the sea. A passable track along the coast at the foot of the mountains was eventually developed when dynamite arrived in the country. 

Approaching Fish Hoek beach there was a series of ledges, which were likened to steps that traffic had to negotiate before the track continued along Fish Hoek beach. 

Before these steep, zig-zag ledges were adjusted enough to be used by animal drawn vehicles they were suitable only for pedestrians though it would appear that daring cart drivers could manage them. 

Fishermen first called the shortcut “die trap reis” – the step journey, but as years passed the area became known simply as die trappies and the hill at whose foot it lay, Die Trappies Kop - The Steps Hill. (Source: Van Blerk Genealogy)

Early Painting of The Trappies - Kalk Bay Historical Association