Pringle Bay (Afrikaans: Pringlebaai) is a small, affluent coastal village in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, in South Africa. It is situated at the foot of Hangklip, on the opposite side of False Bay from Cape Point. The town and surrounds are part of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO Heritage Site. The bay is named after Rear-Admiral Thomas Pringle, of the Royal Navy, who commanded the naval station at the Cape in the late 1790s.
Situated between Betty's Bay and Gordon's Bay, many of the houses in the small community are only used as holiday houses by their owners. It is accessed by the R44, which connects it to the N2.
Pringle Bay is well known for the Hangklip (hanging rock) that leans out to sea and marks the eastern end of False Bay. The Hangklip Mountain at 484m above sea level is packed with numerous natural caves, and was once a refuge for bandits and slaves escaping their Dutch masters, hence the mountain cave being named “Drostersgat” - Deserters Cave.
The beach is exposed to the wind, and frequently empty. The village is regarded as one of the safest in the country, naturally being family friendly and is home to a number of restaurants and curio shops which serve locals, holiday-makers and passers-by.
The Kogelberg Biosphere
is recognized as perhaps world's greatest biodiversity hot-spot.Size for size, this 100 000 hectare UNESCO registered Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve is home to the most complex biodiversity on our planet! This reserve has approximately1 800 plant species. The next richest is the South American rainforest with just 420 species per 10,000 sq kilometres.
Many spectacular members of the protea family occur in the reserve. These include the endangered marsh rose, Orothamnus zeyheri, once on the brink of extinction and now known to occur on a few inaccessible peaks. Kogelberg has three patches of relic indigenous forest, Louwbos, Platbos and Oudebos. These patches are similar to the Knysna forests and includes yellowwood, stinkwood and boekenhout trees.
The Kogelberg does not have many large animals. There are a few leopards; the Cape clawless otter may be seen in or near water; smaller antelope include klipspringer and grysbok; and baboons, dassies and hares are fairly common. Peregrine falcons, black eagles and fish eagles hunt and nest in and around the reserve. An endemic freshwater crab and the endangered micro-frog are found in the area. A herd of wild horses roam the flats of the Bot River estuary at Rooisand.
There are a number of great hikes in this area ranging from short 3hr trips up to a two day excursion. The Palmiet River walk, starting 100m or so on the Betty's Bay side of the bridge, is a good introduction. The walk is an easy three hour walk up the river. Permits are required. During the day they can be purchased at the offices at the start of the trail. A 5-6hr mountain bike route starts at the same point.
Captured using the DJI mini 2
Situated between Betty's Bay and Gordon's Bay, many of the houses in the small community are only used as holiday houses by their owners. It is accessed by the R44, which connects it to the N2.
Pringle Bay is well known for the Hangklip (hanging rock) that leans out to sea and marks the eastern end of False Bay. The Hangklip Mountain at 484m above sea level is packed with numerous natural caves, and was once a refuge for bandits and slaves escaping their Dutch masters, hence the mountain cave being named “Drostersgat” - Deserters Cave.
The beach is exposed to the wind, and frequently empty. The village is regarded as one of the safest in the country, naturally being family friendly and is home to a number of restaurants and curio shops which serve locals, holiday-makers and passers-by.
The Kogelberg Biosphere
is recognized as perhaps world's greatest biodiversity hot-spot.Size for size, this 100 000 hectare UNESCO registered Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve is home to the most complex biodiversity on our planet! This reserve has approximately1 800 plant species. The next richest is the South American rainforest with just 420 species per 10,000 sq kilometres.
Many spectacular members of the protea family occur in the reserve. These include the endangered marsh rose, Orothamnus zeyheri, once on the brink of extinction and now known to occur on a few inaccessible peaks. Kogelberg has three patches of relic indigenous forest, Louwbos, Platbos and Oudebos. These patches are similar to the Knysna forests and includes yellowwood, stinkwood and boekenhout trees.
The Kogelberg does not have many large animals. There are a few leopards; the Cape clawless otter may be seen in or near water; smaller antelope include klipspringer and grysbok; and baboons, dassies and hares are fairly common. Peregrine falcons, black eagles and fish eagles hunt and nest in and around the reserve. An endemic freshwater crab and the endangered micro-frog are found in the area. A herd of wild horses roam the flats of the Bot River estuary at Rooisand.
There are a number of great hikes in this area ranging from short 3hr trips up to a two day excursion. The Palmiet River walk, starting 100m or so on the Betty's Bay side of the bridge, is a good introduction. The walk is an easy three hour walk up the river. Permits are required. During the day they can be purchased at the offices at the start of the trail. A 5-6hr mountain bike route starts at the same point.
Captured using the DJI mini 2
