History of Camp’s Bay

Province Western Cape
Coordinates; 33.9513° S, 18.3831° E
Area 1.68 km2
Municipality City Of Cape Town

When the Dutch established a refreshment station at the Cape, the area of Camps Bay was inhabited by Goringqhaique, Khoi, and the essentially nomadic San people. The area was forested and there were leopards, lions, and antelope.
When the Dutch settlers arrived, the Goringqhaique found their access to land restricted and by 1657 they had moved to the Camps Bay area.
The local population was greatly reduced by measles and smallpox introduced by the European settlers and by 1713 their settlement was limited to Oudekraal.
The area was then granted to John Lodewyk Wernich. He passed it on to his son Johan, who married Anna Koekemoer. When he died in 1778, she married Fredrick Ernst von Kamptz, The area was consequently known as Die Baai von Kamptz.
Camps Bay remained largely undeveloped for another 100 years and the area was used for hunting. The Roundhouse built in 1848 was the hunting lodge used by Lord Charles Somerset. In 1884 a road from Sea Point to Camps Bay was commissioned which took 3 years to complete. It was built by convict labour. It was called Victoria Road for the queen’s jubilee. Due to this accessibility, Camps Bay became a popular recreation and picnic spot. The Camps Bay tramway in 1901 brought more people and the area was then developed further.

Vintage pictures from Saartjie Klipkop First house in Camps Bay

It is an upmarket and popular area. Due to the geography of the bay which is protected from the South Easter and is therefore relatively windless. Camps bay beach has blue flag status.

Glen Beach which is not a swimming beach is popular with surfers. It is divided from Camps Bay Beach by a rocky outcrop that is covered in the sand during summer to create a single stretch of sand. Glen Beach is usually less crowded than Camps Bay Beach.

Postcodes in Camps Bay are 8005 (Streets) and 8040 (Boxes)

Things to see and do in Camps Bay

The Round House
Little Glen playground is a playground in the Little Glen Nature Area. There is a jungle gym & tree swings
Signal hill road
Kloof Nek Road, one of South Africa’s oldest roads, was built in 1848
Ingleside Road Park has amazing views! the play area has great views of the Atlantic Ocean and The Twelve Apostles.

WEATHER IN CAMPS BAY TODAY

All listings in Camps Bay

Useful Numbers in Camp’s Bay

Police: 021 437 8150
Traffic department: Gallows Hill: 021 444 3811
Fire: Sea point 021 434 2020
Water: Department of Water and Sanitation 021 546 3452/0860 103 089
Electricity: 0860 103 089
Ambulance: 10177
Post office; 021 438 9640
Library; 021 444 0487
Closest hospital/clinic; Somerset Hospital Green Point 021 402 6911
Pharmacy; 021 438 2088
SPCA: Cape of Good Hope ( Grassy Park) 021 700 4140
Schools: Camps Bay High: 021 438 1507
Camps Bay primary: 021 438 1503
Camps Bay Preparatory: 021 438 8075
Ratepayers Association: 083 628 9105/021 438 8287

Camps Bay