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There
are various routes to choose from to hike up Table Mountain. You can also combine
your walk with either a cable car ride up and walk down, or vice a versa. Either
way the view from the top of Table Mountain is worth the hike. The most scenic
and varied route is Skeleton Gorge, which starts from Kirstenbosch Gardens.
However,
this hike normally takes five to six hours, but the 360 degree panoramic view
of Robben Island, Devil's Peak and the northern suburbs of Cape Town makes it
well worth it. On the northern side of Table Mountain, between the Woodhead and
Hely Hutchinson Reservoirs is the Waterworks Museum. Terence Timoney, a retired
waterworks engineer, founded this museum in 1972. This museum houses various memorabilia
from the construction of the dams on Table Mountain, these include a beautifully
restored narrow gauge steam engine.
There is
also a display of original equipment, hand tools, photographs and instruments
as well as the original well preserved steam locomotive, which was used to haul
equipment from the old cableway at Kasteelpoort. Interestingly, the Hely Hutchinson
dam, which is one of five dams on Table Mountain, has a white sandy beach!
As with
any hike, please check the weather
before starting and make sure you have some warm clothes with you, as it can be
quite cold on top of Table Mountain.
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