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	WHAT IS A WHALE OF A HERITAGE ROUTE
It is a business, tourism and educational initiative to package and market as a niche destination and Route approximately
500 historical attractions arranged into trails, associated events and businesses with Southern Right Whale watching an
additional key feature in season.
Businesses and organisations that subscribe to the Route initiative are promoted preferentially, specifically in winter
when the web site peaks. The winter peak is thus this Route’s competitive advantage.
The whale watching/sightings log, whale sightings map and events are used as a lever to generate visibility, interest,
excitement and knowledge. The whale watching/sightings log feeds SA Tourism’s Whale Desk and thus keeps the
destination on the International Whale Watching/Spotting Radar. According to SA Tourism this recording and reporting
system is the most sophisticated of the various destinations that report to them.
The Route is one of a handful recognised by the City Of Cape Town.
Our Brand Ambassador is Mr Clem Sunter, the strategist and scenario planner of Mind Of A Fox fame and formerly of
the Anglo American Corporation.
The Route has been adopted by Muizenberg Junior School (see below for whale tail project).
We boast a band as a partner - the Izvunguvungu Brass Band School from Redhill/Ocean View, managed my Cdr Mike
Oldham. They are a social investment opportunity and play at our functions.
We also have a link to Hawaii and we're about to link with the town of Congleton south of Manchester UK where a school
twinned with Muizenberg Junior is building a life-size bear.
Click here to read about us in Cape Town Tourism’s Visitor Guide 2008
Click here for Cape Town Tourism's link to us
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
The historical section of the Route, arranged into trails, starts in Aerodrome Road, Strandfontein and ends at the
Cape Point lighthouse via Uxbridge Road in Muizenberg north.
The Muizenberg section of the Route offers a guided walking tour of historical Muizenberg ie the old Village. A second
walk incorporates Main Road with emphasis on The Historical Mile. A third option is the Old Hotel Trail. A slow trip from
Kalk Bay to Muizenberg on a traditional fishing boat offers a unique offshore platform to view attractions.
In Muizenberg you will have the opportunity to experience quaint and in some cases unique heritage dating from
the stone - age through to 1673 and the 1930s. The Muizenberg walks are about 3 hours each and start near Surfer's
Corner where according to legend, surfing started in South Africa in 1910.
Guided walks are also available in Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek Valley, Glencairn and Simon's Town.
Also available is the Old Cape Farmstead Trail, a Muslim Trail, a Stone Age & Quena Trail, the Old Hotel Trail, the Movers
And Shakers Trail and a Gables and Chimneys Trail. Factored into the latter are select fireplaces.
Historical Adventure Races are another option (for team building purposes as an example).
The whale watching/spotting section of the Route starts at offshore Strandfontein.
UNIQUE ATTRACTIONS AND LEGENDS
Some of the unique attractions that you will not see anywhere else include:
** An ochre grind - stone (Muizenberg).
** Two pre-fabricated whalermen's houses in Muizenberg (1898).
** Former whaling stations.
** Beach villas in Muizenberg (1930s).
** A perennial spring/horse drinking trough set in a boundary wall of an old property on Main Road, Muizenberg (1914).
A great setting for a family photo.
** Gurgling perennial springs either side of the latter.
** An original milestone (pre 1820) in St James (difficult to spot if you don't know what you are looking for!).
Another great setting for a family photo.
** A Victorian posting box in Kalk Bay (also difficult to spot if you don't know what you are looking for!).
** The smallest Mosque in South Africa in Kalk Bay (c 1898).
** A beautiful stained-glass window at the back of a shop in Kalk Bay (by appointment only).
** In Fish Hoek, a humungous rock that according to legend, collapsed on top of and killed seven men who now
lie buried beneath it. Appropriately called Sewemanseklip!!
** In Glencairn, the remains of a Flour Mill (1820).
** In Simon's Town, the spot where Just Nuisance took his afternoon nap!!
** A wide selection of gables and chimneys.
** Some beautiful fireplaces.
** Mrs Ball of Ball’s Chutney fame.
** Golfer and master putter, Bobby Locke.
ROUTE EVENTS
There are currently two annual events viz: the Annual Historical Adventure Race and the Whale Spotter’s
Breakfast. The latter event also serves as the Route’s year – end function.
SCHOOLS
In 2009 we reached out to the High Schools by inviting them to the Clem Sunter Show sponsored by G. J. Elliott
and Associates Chartered Accountants (now Hudson Accounting) and, the Beatles musical show at The Masque
Theatre “All You Need Is Love”. In 2010/2011 this will develop into a nine-pronged initiative with 21 schools:
** The Great Whale Tail Project (with Muizenberg Junior School). This is our key project for 2010.
** Simon’s Town To Muizenberg Amble – a monster of an overnight historical walk for families.
** A holiday programme for children aged 5 to 12.
** An educational programme for children aged 5 to 12.
** A programme to encourage children to become a Whale Buddy and to “get the cap, T – shirt and badge”.
** The design and publishing of a whale identification chart.
** The Annual Historical Hunt (with schools).
** A Thematic Stamp Challenge.
** Presentations on history and whales.
** Simultaneously, we will work with the AOCA Warriors initiative, the SOS Shark Centre and Metrorail Tourism.
Visit the link www.awhaleofaheritageroute.co.za/schools.htm for details.
MISSION OF THE ROUTE
Is to encourage, on a year round basis, appropriate market segments to celebrate the natural, cultural and historical
attractions that the Route has to offer.
VISION FOR THE ROUTE
To be a world class heritage Route and preferred whale watching destination.