Slangkop Lighthouse

Slangkop stands about thirty-three metres, which makes it the tallest cast-iron lighthouse in South Africa - a white tapering tower of bolted iron plates rather than masonry. It was ordered in 1913 and the sections were cast in England, but the First World War intervened and it was not lit until 1919. The light guards a coast with a bad wreck record, and the Kakapo, aground on Noordhoek beach nearby, is a reminder of what happens when captains misjudge this shore in fog. A boardwalk runs along the rocky coast from Kommetjie village past kelp beds and tidal pools to the tower, which is a pleasant twenty-minute walk on its own. The lighthouse can be climbed when staff are on duty, and from the gallery the Peninsula runs south towards Cape Point. Sunset here is a local ritual and the wind is usually part of it.

What you actually see

• The cast-iron tower - the tallest of its type in the country, bolted from English castings.
• The delayed lighting - ordered in 1913, first lit in 1919 after the war.
• The shore boardwalk - a walk from Kommetjie past kelp beds and tidal pools.
• The gallery view - the Peninsula running south toward Cape Point.

When to go

All year. One hour including the walk. Sunset is the local habit.

Honest expectations

Climbing depends on staff being present and hours are limited. The walk is exposed and windy. Break-ins have been reported at Kommetjie parking areas. There is little shelter on the shore path.

Nearby

Noordhoek beach and the Kakapo wreck are north; Cape Point is south.