Walking St. Hermes

Walking St. Hermes

Steve’s Restaurant on the left at the end of town (next door to The Outspan Inn), is a great place to drink a coffee, catch up on FB (free wi-fi), and prepare for the 2km stroll up to the cape Hermes lighthouse. Leave you car at Steve’s where it will be safe and in a shady and convenient spot for when you return to a well-deserved refreshment.

Amble towards the point past the ancient police station and soak in the views. Just don’t go swimming anywhere along here. Stop at the information board and soak up some cool information on the area.

Meander inland a bit and on the left into the jungle goes a road flanked by two ancient pillars, which may have held a gate at some point in history. Snake (mmm…) your way up the road and break the law a tad by skirting the gate into Portnet property (they don’t mind, it’s for the tourists and they love it).

Up you go and the place unfolds before you. The ancient Cape St. Hermes comes into full view and you can hear the sounds of Port St. Johns in it’s heydeys of hedonism and hippi-ism. Who else may have wondered this track back then?

The lighthouse is steeped in history, made of hewn rock and downright beautiful. It stands sentinel over a group of lethal rock hazards and to the north, the entrance to Port St. Johns. There is security, a tap, and a lighthouse a keeper, who is glad to roll out some historical facts and stories about Cape St. Hermes.