Trappieskop - Kalk Bay

Route Overview — 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 with sweeping views over Kalk Bay Harbour.

Descent — The return route descends on the Fish Hoek side, passing a lookout point overlooking Fish Hoek Beach. While steep in places, the trail is manageable for most hikers.

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📍 Meeting Point — Either Godfrey Rd in Kalk Bay or Clovelly Rd in Clovelly.

📌 Meeting spot Kalk Bay — Google Maps

📌 Meeting spot Clovelly — Google Maps

⏱️ Hiking Time — 1hr 30min

📏 Distance — 2.6km

⛰️ Elevation — 174m

🟢 Grade — Easy

🐾🐾 — Dog Friendly

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Route Notes — The ascent features easy scrambling and is less defined than the descent. Follow the cairns to the cliff base, where several straightforward routes lead to the summit.

Hiking Map
Trappieskop AllTrails Map | Download GPX Route

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Origin of the Name — Trappieskop

In early times it was nearly impossible to travel along the coast from Muizenberg to Simon’s Town, as the mountains descended directly into the sea.

When dynamite became available, a narrow coastal track was blasted at the foot of the mountains. Near Fish Hoek Beach, a series of ledges resembling steps had to be negotiated.

Known originally as “die trap reis” (the step journey), the area later became known simply as Die Trappies, with the hill above named Trappieskop.
(Source: Van Blerk Genealogy)

Early painting of The Trappies — Kalk Bay Historical Association