St Blaize Hiking Trail

​Doing the full length of the St Blaze Trail has been on our bucket list for quite some time and we recently finally did it from point A to point B, from Dana Bay to Mossel Bay. You can do this trail from either side and you also don’t need to walk it from A to B if it’s either too long or due to the logistics. But, having said that, it was quite nice to finally do the entire trail.

We were a group of 5 and drove through from Knysna in two vehicles and left one at The Point in Mossel Bay below the St Blaize lighthouse and then carpooled to Dana Bay to start the trail from there so this article will also flow in that direction. The trail follows the coast all the way and you can basically always hear, see and smell the ocean. The route is not very undulating as far as climbing or descending as it stays very much on the same level most of the way but the terrain can be more tiring than one would anticipate as there are sections that are sandy and other sections covered in loose rocks and pebbles and for over 13km I would rate this trail at least moderate to hard depending on your fitness level. Comfortable shoes are definitely recommended for the route.

At about 2km from the start you will reach the Oyster Bay Beach and the gate into Pinnacle Point, you are required to sign in at this gate but this was quick and easy and there was no cost when we did the trail (May 2025). This section of the trail still follows the coast on your right but you now also have the Pinnacle Point estate and golf course on your left and you often get to see a game of golf unfold as you walk along the trail.

Just over 4km from the start you will pass or cross over a wooden boardwalk that leads down to the sea from the Pinnacle point Clubhouse. This is a good opportunity to head down to the beach if you would like to do so, this is a beautiful bay and we stood here for a while watching dolphins play in the waves. As you step onto this boardwalk, to your left you will see an underground tunnel that leads to the clubhouse, it is well worth stepping inside this tunnel and be mesmerised by the amazing mosaic depicting Mossel Bay’s history and interesting sights of the area, The Iconic Mosaic Tunnel Project. It is truly spectacular.

This same area is also home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just before reaching the tunnel you will see a long set of wooden steps and stairs leading down towards the sea and the locations of caves where ancient people lived a long long time ago. This is closed to the public except when joining an official tour to visit the caves. If this is something you are interested in, visit www.humanorigin.co.za for more information and book a guided tour.

Around the half way mark you will reach another gate where you will sign out again and exit the Pinnacle Point estate. The trail continues along the coast and for a while the houses and developments are a bit further away and the fauna and flora abound. There is a variety of plant and bird life to be seen and even some animals, we saw some buck footprints in the path and there were quite a few rock hyraxes along some sections as well. You also have a good chance to spot some dolphins and, depending the time of year, you could possibly also see some whales so take some time to gaze out to sea when stopping for water or a snack.

Talking about water, do take enough, especially in summer. The average hiker will probably walk for about 5 to 6 hours and there is almost no shade along the route so also take a hat and sunscreen whether it’s winter or summer. We passed a small stream around the 9km mark but not sure if this is drinkable or whether it even always flows.

There are many sections along the trail where the footpath winds along above steep sections or even cliffs that fall down towards the coast and the ocean. Be extra careful along these sections and if hiking with children keep this in mind and be careful. Around 10km the coastline forms a beautiful bay and the clift in this area has been a popular rock climbing area with some of the routes dating back to the 80’s. If you’re lucky you’ll see some climbers testing themselves on these rock faces.

From this point on you need to keep an eye out for the first glimpse of the Cape St Blaize Lighthouse as you follow the contours of the rough coastline. We spotted the lighthouse for the first time around the 12km mark. Just after spotting the lighthouse you will also see the Mossel Bay Zipline cable crossing overhead. At just over a thousand meters this is the longest zipline over the ocean in the world!

Shortly before reaching the lighthouse there are some wood steps leading up from the path to the left, these go up to a suburb and not to the lighthouse and the point so stay on the footpath. The path starts descending, passing between boulders, past the lighthouse fence and steeper down to the cave below the lighthouse and then into the parking lot at the end of the trail. At the point where you are walking next to the lighthouse’s fence you can keep left and follow a path around the lighthouse to a gate where you can enter the lighthouse complex. There is a restaurant at the lighthouse where you can enjoy a well deserved coffee, drink or meal with a view over The Point and the Mossel Bay bay. If you chose to take this short detour, just retrace your steps back around the complex and then down the path and past the cave to the parking area.

We carpooled back to Dana Bay with the car we parked here in the morning. This round trip is almost 13km and usually takes about 20 minutes, depending on the traffic through town. It is of course also an option to park at either end of the trail, decide how long you would like to walk for, walk out for half that time and then turn back to where you started from. Well worth the visit if you are looking for a hike in the Mossel Bay area.

Distances:  13.5km one direction
Difficulty: Moderate
Managed by: Mossel Bay Municipality
Dogs: Allowed on a leash
Route markers: Bird silhouette painted in white or green on the rocks.
Permits & Cost: ​None. Hikers only required to sign in and out when entering the Pinnacle Point estate section.
Gate Times: NA
Contact numbers: Mossel Bay Tourism – +2744 691 2202
Mossel Bay Municipality +2744 606 5143
Directions: 
Dana Bay trail head; On the Western side of Mossel Bay, from the Louis Fourie Rd (R102) take the Dana Bay turnoff onto Flora Road. As you enter Dana Bay pass the Astron Energy on the left and turn left into Malva Road at this circle. Follow Malva Road for 1.5km and you will see the St Blaize trail sign and some parking next to the road on your left. There is a larger parking area another 500m down the road from where you can also go down to the beach.
Mossel Bay trail head; The parking area below the lighthouse is off Point Road, do not navigate to the lighthouse itself in Montague Street as there is very little parking. Rather navigate to The Point Hotel, Minnesota Spur or Mossel Bay Zipline all of which are located in Point Road and there are lots of parking options in this area.
Coordinates:
Dana Bay trail head S34° 12’11.1” E22° 03’21.9” (-34.20302, 22.05614)
Mossel Bay trail head S34°11’09.4″ E22°09’26.0″ (-34.18593, 22.15720)
Other: Take enough water, especially in summer, as there is no drinking water along the route.

Download .GPX file of the route. (50KB)