Cycle or hike flat roads where game and tortoises have right of way.
It’s not every day you pedal past a nuclear reactor and feel serenely at peace with the world. Yet here at Koeberg Nature Reserve just north of Melkbosstrand, the improbable becomes rather delightful among 3 000 hectares of coastal fynbos. You’re surrounded not by pylons and transformers, but eland, springbok, grysbok, zebra and the occasional angulate tortoise crossing your path with a nonchalant air that says, you’re the visitor here, mate.
The gravel roads are immaculate. The power utility may have its struggles elsewhere, but its trail maintenance is tops. Cyclists, both novice and smugly seasoned, glide over double-track roads as smooth as a politician’s promise. There’s barely 50 metres of climbing on the 24-kilometre loop, which means your quads can relax and your eyes can feast on fynbos, dunes and the improbable sight of springbok grazing within sight of the sea.
The reserve’s flatness is a blessing for those who prefer to admire nature without wheezing. Families or friends can ride together in a happy peloton, and e-bikes are welcome too. The boundary loop and bird hide route are crowd favourites, winding past tranquil dams where pelicans glide like airborne galleons and flamingos add improbable pink punctuations to the landscape.
Somewhere beneath all this serenity lies a vast underground aquifer that keeps Atlantis hydrated. Just think: 6 000 million litres of water a year are being drawn from beneath your tyres!
Fancy a tramp?
For hikers, Koeberg offers two well-marked trails. The Dikkop Trail at 13 km (including 2 km along the beach) is long enough to feel virtuous. Meanwhile, the shorter 6-km Grysbok Trail is a gentle ramble through dune veld and Strandveld vegetation.
It’s remarkable how alive the place feels. More than 150 bird species have been recorded here. On the mammalian side, apart from the buck, there’s the possibility of spotting caracal, African wildcat, grey mongoose and even genet, though these tend to appear only when you’ve left your camera in the car.
What truly elevates Koeberg Reserve are the views. Table Mountain rises across the bay like a familiar old friend while Robben Island glimmers offshore. All around, the reserve hums with life.
There are no entrance fees, no queues and no need to pretend you’re training for the Epic or Two Oceans. Just bring your ID, sign in at the visitor centre and set off between sunrise and sunset. It’s all thankfully uncomplicated.
For more information: 021 5504667 (office hours)
