- Kei Mouth, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Walks & Trails
Signal Hill and Lover's Lane
Directly across the road from the library, in the main road, is a path that leads up through the coastal forest on Signal Hill and past three lookout points with excellent views of the village, ocean and river mouth. It then leads steeply downhill to the river, where you can enjoy a brisk walk along the beach. From there, head back through the forest along Lover’s Lane, past Kei Sands and turn right, back to the main road where you started.
The walk is only 1.5km long (excl. your beach detour) but you need to be quite fit as the hill is fairly steep on the way up and steeper on the way down.
The Cape Morgan Lighthouse / Morgan Bay
Follow the road that winds South West along the seafront from Whispering Waves, into the Cape Morgan Nature Reserve and all the way to the Cape Morgan Lighthouse. From here, a path leads into the forest and descends to a tidal pool where an old pump house used to pump sea water up into the dunes, to the workings of the now defunct Titanium mine.
If you’re still feeling fit, then head further West along the coastline and along the mile-long beach to Morgan Bay. Stop for refreshments at one of the eateries in town and then head back the way you came.
NB: An alternative route back from the tidal pool takes you along rocky fishermen’s trails, back to the point where the road from Whispering Waves enters the coastal forest.
Across the Great Kei
A short trip across the Great Kei river on the Pont, transports you to some of the most deserted beaches South Africa has to offer. A 2.5km walk along the coastline takes you to the picturesque mouth of the Gxara river where you can cool off in the estuary and have a picnic. Another 4.5kms distant is the small seaside hamlet of Qolora where you can stop for lunch at either the Seagulls or Trennerys Hotels. There is another picturesque estuary there and a nearly 2km long beach for you to enjoy.