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| General Information on Hout Bay |
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The name Hout Bay is not really the anglicized version of the
Afrikaans Houtbaai (Wood Bay) but rather a shortening
of the original Dutch "Houtbayken". The
name is derived from what Jan van Riebeeck recorded in his
journal after his visit in 1653:
"The forests
are the finest in the World and contain timber as long,
thick and straight as one would wish".
The mountainous terrain and road building hazards accounted
for the delay in the extension of the wagon road from Kirstenbosch,
which reached Hout Bay in 1693, some 40 years after van
Riebeeck's first visit.
 The
patches of forest in Hout Bay were preserved a little longer
by their inaccessibility, but the woodcutters were soon
at work in the moist valley bottom below. From the nearby
anchorage, the wood was shipped around the Mountain to Table
Bay. The forests, never extensive, lasted barely a generation.
Though trees now cover large areas of the mountain slopes
once again, they are mostly of exotic species.
As Table Bay was unsafe during gale force North Westerly
winds, the anchorage in Hout Bay supplied alternative safe
shelter for ships.
 Today,
Hout Bay is the headquarters of the crayfishing fleet which
provides a rich export trade. Large catches of snoek during
June and July cause much activity in the bay.
 On
the Eastern side of the bay, mounted on a rock, is the fascinating
bronze leopard of Ivan Mitford-Barberton, who's studio used
to be in the village. |
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The
enchanting fishing village of Hout Bay, once a grazing area
for the Dutch East India Company's cattle, is now a patchwork
of smallholdings and farms.
 The harbour is the focal point of the village and has
become a major attraction with the development of the Yacht
Club and Mariner's Wharf. Hout Bay is the headquarters of
the Peninsula's crayfishing fleet. The Snoek Festival in June brings visitors to the harbour where snoek are
caught offshore in large numbers and sold on the quayside.
Boat trips are available.
The Hout Bay Museum in Andrews Road
gives visitors an insight into the natural and cultural
history of the area from prehistoric times to the growth
of the fishing industry.
 The
Cape Dutch homestead of Kronendal, on the Main road,
was built in 1800. The land was granted to Matthys Bergstedt
in 1715 and later that century, the farm became the property
of Guilliam van Helsdingen, who was responsible for building
the house. Kronendal is the only surviving example of an
H-plan house in the Peninsula. There is a painted false
loft window in the gable facing Constantia.
 One
of the most interesting attractions in Hout Bay is the World
of Birds in Valley Road. It is one of the country's
largest bird parks and is privately funded. Bird and wildlife
lovers will be enchanted by the beautifully landscaped aviaries
styled to simulate natural habitats. Visitors walk through
these aviaries while the birds and small animals often come
to greet them.
Hout Bay Beach is an ideal place for a sundowner,
and if the South-Easterly wind is blowing, one may take
shelter at one of the many fine restaurants and coffee shops
in the area.
 The
10 km long Chapman's Peak Drive (partly closed for renovation)
is an extremely picturesque road that follows the division
of strata between the Peninsula's granite base and its sandstone
superstructure. This is a narrow road along a cliff face which
plunges 600 metres to the sea. 
There
are wonderful picnic spots and look-out points and the view
across to the Sentinel, guarding the entrance to Hout Bay,
is powerful. Walking tours along Chapman's Peak may
be arranged via the Tobi Information office in Main
Road. |
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