Chapman's Peak Drive runs between Hout Bay and Noordhoek and was started in 1915 and completed seven years later in 1922. It's a spectacular 10km(6.25miles) drive that was considered, at the time, to be a major feat of engineering. The drive is not always open as it closes due to hazardous weather conditions (heavy rains or winds) or rock fall situations. This was our fourth attempt at driving this route. The first two times the road was closed due to high winds. The third time we went, it was a beautiful sunny day with no wind and the road was open. It's a toll road and you pay 36 Rand ($3.60) each way. We took some wonderful shots but when we got home I realized that I had left my camera's memory card in the laptop and so had no images from the day!!! Yes, I felt like a complete idiot. However, a couple of days later we had another chance to check out the drive and although it was a windy day, it was not bad enough to close the road. So, off we went to replicate what we had done a couple of days earlier. It was still a lot of fun as the road is very narrow with lots of twists and turns as it hugs the near-vertical face of Chapman's Mountain.
At the end of Chapman's Peak drive you turn a corner and see the wonderful white, sandy Noordhoek Beach stretch out in front of you. A breathtaking way to end the drive. We stopped to take in the views and then got back in the car to head back the way we came very happy that I had my memory card in the camera this time!!!
The start of Chapman's Peak Drive begins along the lovely Hout Bay beach
A spectacular view of Hout Bay Inlet and the surrounding mountains from one of the pullouts
Enjoying the magnificent views at the Chapman's Peak summit lookout
The cut of the 2-lane road as it winds it's way around Chapman Mountain
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