Clarence Drive is the coast road that South Africans point to when they want to impress visitors, and Kogel Bay is one of its quieter pleasures. The road squeezes between steep mountain slopes and the cold Atlantic, hugging the cliffs for miles, and then dips to a long, pale beach where the dunes roll up against the fynbos. The sea here is rough and the undertow dangerous, so it is a place for walking and watching rather than swimming.
The mountains behind are the Kogelberg, which form the heart of a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and the vegetation is the extraordinary Cape fynbos, a plant community found nowhere else on Earth. Proteas, ericas, and restios cover the slopes, and in spring and early summer they flower in great numbers. Baboons roam the area, and they are bold, so keep your food out of sight and your distance. From June to November, southern right whales come into the bay to calve, and you can often see them from the roadside, rolling slowly in the swell.
The riding is a delight. The road, the R44, runs from Gordon's Bay toward Rooi-Els and Betty's Bay, clinging to the mountainside with sweeping bends and views over False Bay and the sea. It was built by hand in the early twentieth century, cut into steep rock, and the engineers must have enjoyed the challenge. The surface is generally good, though rockfalls and sand can occur, and the road is narrow in places, with cyclists and tourists stopping suddenly. Wind is a major factor, and strong south-easterlies in summer can be hard work.
Fuel is easiest in Gordon's Bay at the western end, or in Grabouw and Somerset West, inland. There is little in the way of services at Kogel Bay itself, apart from a small car park and a few picnic spots. Bring water and sun protection, because the light is strong. The best season is spring, for flowers and whales, though autumn is also pleasant, with calmer air. Winter brings storms and rain, and the sea can be spectacular, but the road is more exposed. Late afternoon is the finest time, when the sun lights the cliffs from the west.