Suther Peak only popped onto my hiking radar this year and I cannot believe I’ve been sleeping on this incredible trail for so long. The trail is a 2 minute drive from the house I’ve been living in for the past 19 years and I look up at this mountain every single day. Safe to say I kicked myself for not noticing it sooner, but jumped for joy that I had such a pretty hike in my back garden (almost literally). The first time I did the Suther Peak hike it was super overcast and we were nearly blew off the mountain with the gale force winds. The second time I did it the weather couldn’t have been more perfect and I was completely blown away by the incredible views of Sandy Bay, Llandudno, Little Lion’s Head, Lion’s Head and Hout Bay.

 

Suther Peak Hike

Details:

Start Location: Sandy Bay Parking at the top of Eustagia Way, Kronezicht, Hout Bay.

Distance: 6.5km

Duration: +/- 3 – 3.5 hrs

Difficulty: Moderate. Path is easy once you have found it with some steep sections and a little bit of rock climbing. Hikers should have some level of fitness before attempting this hike as it is quite steep and will leave you out of breath if unfit.

Conservation fee: None

The Route:

Park at the Sandy Bay parking and go to the beach sign where there is a boom in the road. Walk up this road for about 100m until you see a sandy path to the left. Take this path. There is a fork in the path a few metres in, keep left. At the end of the sandy path you’ll come out onto the sand dunes. Turn left towards the dunes. You’ll have Hout Bay on your left and Sandy Bay down to your right. Straight ahead is a wide path known as Rocket Road. Look just towards the left of this and you should see a narrow sandy path. It may be a little tricky to spot but once you’ve found it you’re set for a quick walk up to the start of the trail. Otherwise you need to go along Rocket Road and cut left at the first opportunity which will take you a while longer.

After a 5-10 minute walk along the narrow sandy path lined with bushes you’ll arrive at the start of the trail. You’ll know you’re at the start of the trail when you see a wide open hard clay section with some wooden steps. You’ll go up here and just stick along this path all the way to the top. The path is fairly steep most of the way with a short section where you’ll need to do some rock scrambling and make sure of some chains. It’s nothing too tricky and as long as you’re a mobile person then you’ll be fine. After about an hour you’ll reach a lovely look out point with stunning views of Sandy Bay all along the coast to Lion’s Head. From here it’s another 30-45 mins to the top. You’ll curve around the mountain and come to another rocky section. Follow the path to the left past the milkwood tree and then turn right. Then you just keep straight til you see the trig beacon which you’ll need to climb a few rocks to get to. And there you have it, you’ve made it to the top of Suther Peak! Stop, sit and enjoy the view because you don’t get much better than this!

For going back down you’ll follow the same path.

I hope you find this blog post helpful in planning your Suther Peak hike! There aren’t many details for the hike anywhere online so hopefully this will shed a little more light on the trail.

For more exciting and adventurous hikes in and around Cape Town why not check out my recent posts on Tranquility Cracks,  Cecilia Waterfall, Devil’s Peak, Judas Peak, Kloof Corner or my post on the Top 10 Hikes in Cape Town. Or if you’re looking for something a little further a field why not check out the Panorama Hike in Jonkershoek or Crystal Pools Hike.

Planning on exploring more of Hout Bay? Why not book a night away in this quaint fishing village. For a beautiful spot close to the beach check out DK Villas. Kairos Lodge is a great spot for a family. And Dreamhouse Guest House offers a more luxury experience with gorgeous views of the bay.

Browse Booking.com for countless accommodation options:

Some other fun things to do in Hout Bay include: going for a drive along Chapman’s Peak Drive, going Seal Snorkeling with Animal Ocean, visiting the Bay Harbour Market or going for a swim at Llandudno beach.