In Hermanus, one of the town's municipal employees blows a horn made from kelp to announce the whales. The whale crier is a local tradition, and it makes sense, because between roughly June and November southern right whales come into Walker Bay to calve and play, and from the cliff path that runs along the shoreline you can watch them from a few metres above the surf. Mothers and calves roll in the shallows, males breach and slap the water with their tails, and you hear their breath carried across the bay. It is among the best land-based whale watching in the world.
The cliff path follows the coast for about twelve kilometres, passing the Old Harbour, a small museum with fishing boats, and rocky coves with natural pools. The town began as a fishing village in the nineteenth century and takes its name from Hermanus Pieters, a schoolteacher who herded his flock here, and today it has about twenty-five thousand people, a handsome main street of galleries, cafés and seafood restaurants, and a wine valley in the hills behind. Fynbos flowers cover the slopes, with proteas and ericas in bloom through winter.
The riding on the way is among the best of the Western Cape. Clarence Drive, the R44 coast road between Gordon's Bay and Rooi-Els, hugs the cliff above False Bay, with bends, dramatic sea views and rocky coves, and there is hardly a bad stretch. The Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve runs along the inland side, with mountains tumbling down to the water. Winds are strong, especially in summer when the south-easter can make the bike lean, and in winter fronts bring rain and mist, so look at the forecast. The best hours are early morning, when light is soft and the road is quiet.
Fuel is plentiful in Hermanus, and a number of garages sit on the main roads. If you push on, Caledon and Grabouw are the next towns, though they are smaller and further apart. Many restaurants serve fresh fish, calamari and crayfish, and a glass of Hemel-en-Aarde wine from the valley behind town is an excellent way to end the day. Book accommodation in advance during the whale season and school holidays, when the town fills up and prices rise.