Chapman's Peak Drive is about nine kilometres of road cut into the cliffs between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, and it is among the most famous coastal roads in the world. It was built in the early twentieth century, with convict labour, blasting a shelf into the sheer face of the mountain, and it has been hanging above the Atlantic ever since. The road is carved into sandstone and granite, with the sea hundreds of metres below on one side and the rock wall rising on the other.
The ride is spectacular and quite short. The road drops and rises in tight bends, with ocean views opening at every corner, and a series of retaining walls, galleries and tunnels have been built to protect it from rockfall. Even so, the road is sometimes closed after rockfalls or in strong winds, so check the status before you set out. It is a toll road, and the toll booth takes cards and cash. The surface is good, but gusts can be strong, and the walls are close, so stay alert.
The photo stops are at the lay-bys along the route, where a view of Hout Bay on one side or the long curve of Noordhoek beach on the other opens up beneath you. Late afternoon is the best time, when the sun slants across the water and the cliffs glow orange. Be careful about parking, as there are warnings about theft from vehicles, and keep valuables out of sight.
Fuel is not on the road itself. Constantia, on the way back toward Cape Town, and the villages around Hout Bay have stations, and the city itself is not far. Hout Bay has a harbour with fish and chips, and boats leave to visit a small island where a colony of Cape fur seals lives.
Whether you ride it north or south, take it slowly. The drop is real, the view is huge, and the road is more a ledge than a highway. A few tourists in rental cars will be doing the same, so be patient.