A circular route around
Table Mountains dams
From the Camps Bay side the easiest route up Table Mountain is Kasteelspoort. To get there park your car at the top of Kloof Nek and begin walking along the Pipe Track. This, the oldest trail in Cape Town offers astounding views of Lions Head and Camps Bay. As you walk you will notice the ageing pipe that transported the water from the dams on top of Table Mountain to Cape Town.
Along the path you still see sections of the old pipe which used to transport water from the top of the mountain to the city
After about an hour along this path you come to the bottom of Kasteelspoort. This is well marked with a trailhead. The first part of the gorge is steep but after about 15 minutes starts heading towards your right. It is still steep but less so. After another 20 minutes you pass an eroded area where the water floods down during the winter. People often take the wrong route here and start to head straight up this erosion gulley. The main path goes straight across and continues up at an angle. Another 20 minutes brings you to a large flat rock. Here you can see the remains of the old winch that was used to haul the material for the dams up the mountain. From here the path heads more directly up the side of the gorge.
At the top of Kasteelspoort
At the top you come to a T junction. Turn right here and after 5 minutes you come to another junction. It is well worth taking the right turn. This takes you to a lookout point and to the position of the old winch. Look down the way you have come and you can see the flat rock you passed earlier with the other end of the winch.
The view point overlooking Kasteelspoort
Spend a few minutes enjoying the view and then head back the way you came. Back at the junction go straight ahead. Here the path is wide. This is because it is the site of an old railway line. Whilst the dams were being built in the late 1800’s the materials were winched up Kasteelspoort and then a steam train took them to the actual building site. ( the steam train was also winched up Kasteelspoort in pieces and then reassembled at the top) The track reaches a huge old pine tree and joins a cement road. Go straight on here with the Helly-Hutchinson dam on your right. After about half an hour you come to a small building at the foot of another huge dam wall. This is the waterworks museum which contains much of the old machinary and tools used to construct the dam. (including that old steam train)
One of the dams on top of Table Mountain
Spend some time exploring the museum. Then continue along the bottom of the dam wall. Follow the road right around the Helly-Hutchinson dam and when back at the far end cross the dam wall. The view looking down into Disa Gorge is amazing. This gorge, and the area of Orange Kloof which runs down the mountain here to Hout Bay is the only restricted area of the mountain. This is due to the pristine forest found in here.
Once you have crossed the dam you return to the huge old pine tree. From here you can retrace your steps and head back down Kasteelspoort.
