Shaw's Mountain Pass is named after Shaw's Mountain over which it traverses on the R320 route between Caledon in the north and Hermanus in the south. The 6 km long pass descends 185m from a maximum altitude of 282m ASL providing sweeping views of the farming valleys to the south. It contains 15 bends, corners and curves of which only one exceeds 90 degrees.
The pass offers attractive scenery over one of the most beautiful valleys of the Overberg, where proteas, fynbos and wildflowers abound. The pass was completely realigned and rebuilt during 2017 and is perfectly safe for all vehicle types. Note that a lower than normal speed limit of 80 kph applies.
The rest of this article is for members.
Join for R575 per year and unlock 936+ pass pages, including:
- Full mountain pass history and photos
- Drive-through video filmed by Trygve Roberts (so you can virtually drive the route and know what to expect)
- Fact file (GPS start/summit/end, gradients, elevation, surface, distance, time, date filmed, nearest town)
- Google Maps directions link + downloadable KMZ route file (Google Earth and most GPS software)
You will also receive our bi-weekly newsletter, packed with the latest interesting passes and tour news.
Note: Conditions can change over time. These guides are designed for planning and familiarisation, so there are fewer surprises on the day.
Subscribe Now (1 year) Subscribe Now (Lifetime)
Already a member? Log in to view the full article.
See 5 open pass pages as examples:
