Fish Hoek Area Guide

Fish Hoek is a delightful seaside town on the False Bay coast set in a valley surrounded by mountains and two oceans, with crystal clear turquoise seas, shimmering white sands and gently sloping beaches.

There is a magnificent promenade called Jager’s Walk, meandering between sea-moulded rocks along the coastline. In the distance across the bay lie the Hottentots-Holland Mountains. This strip of rocky coastline – a marine reserve – is endlessly fascinating to children, divers and fishermen. Fish Hoek beach is a favourite with wind-surfers, swimmers, and paddlers and the Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving Club keeps a watchful eye on all water sport enthusiasts. Fish Hoek is a prime whale–watching site to view the Southern Right Whales when they are in the bay to calve between July and November.

There are cottages for hire and a caravan park on the beach, lots of self – catering and B&B accommodation, plenty of restaurants, coffee shops and three shopping malls nearby.

A short climb up the dunes in the middle of the valley will take you to an early Stone Age rock shelter called “Peers Cave” where in 1927 the fossilized skeleton of “Fish Hoek Man” was found. It is estimated that the skeleton is about 15 000 years old and the Fish Hoek Valley Museum has lots more information on the history of this seaside village. On the opposite side of the valley, Elsies Peak has sensational views of the entire False Bay coast.

The Silvermine River Wetlands Route is fabulous for bird watching and is home to the endangered Leopard Toad, which is endemic to the area and breeds for only 10 days a year in August.

Fish Hoek is a thriving community, offering many sports facilities such as athletics, bowls, cricket, hockey, soccer, squash, tennis, lifesaving, paddle-skiing and surfing, sailing and scenic walks. There are a number of schools in the town offering education from pre-primary to matric level and a library at the Civic Centre.

The 18-hole Clovelly Country Club golf course has picturesque rolling fairways and complements its rich coastal environment with natural sand dunes, water features, and a wide variety of indigenous fauna and flora and spectacular mountain and sea views.

Highlights and attractions

Clovelly Golf Course

With spectacular mountain views, False Bay and the ocean as a focal point, it’s no wonder that Clovelly was one of Bobby Locke's favourite courses. A tight par 72 with a testing mix of interesting holes and elevated greens accompanied by beautiful views of Silvermine River and lakes. Natural water features and a wide variety of indigenous fauna and flora, notably the variety of trees lining the fairways.

Fish Hoek Beach

Fish Hoek beach is about 1.5m long and protected from strong currents. The beach is a favourite with wind-surfers, swimmers, and paddlers and the Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving Club keeps a watchful eye on all water sport enthusiasts.

Lower Silvermine Wetlands

The Silvermine River is the least disturbed river in Cape Town and offers a unique opportunity to walk in nature from source to sea. The lower Silvermine used to meander across the undeveloped sandy flats of the lower valley. Situated between Clovelly and Fish Hoek, the lower Silvermine Wetlands are a rehabilitated floodplain featuring Hangklip Sand Fynbos, sand dues and aquatic and wetland areas. The floodplain was initially planned to be canalised due to the flooding of nearby houses during the wineter season, but a group of nature conservationists managed to ensure its rehabilitation instead. The nearly pristine Silvermine River is unique, as its natural state is almost intact, running from its source in the Silvermine Mountains to the sea in False Bay.

(Source - www.fynboslife.com)