Walk through a beautiful gorge on
Table Mountain
The Aquaduct on Table Mountain is the main water feed for the Helly Hutchinson and Woodhead dams. It is a beautiful walk that is accessed from the waterworks museum. Thus you need to get yourself up Table Mountain on really any route that takes you onto the back table.
The view from the Aquaduct path
From the waterworks museum cross the cement road towards the dam wall and look for the path that lead past the dam. It is a clear path but the first few metres are a bit overgrown and sometimes easy to miss. Once you are on the path it leads you past the Hely Hutchinson dam and follows a small stream for about 200m. It crosses this stream and begins an easy scramble up the side of the stream which now falls through a narrow but impressive gorge. The path then levels out and follows the stream as it tumbles through a number of small waterfalls and clear pools. Even in mid summer this stream always flows and is home to a large number of the red disa in February.
Although small, the gorge is incredibly beautiful
After about 15 minutes the path begins to lead away from the stream and crosses what is clearly a man made channel. You continue to follow this channel along a wall.
The wall forms the path along the water channel
This is the aquaduct. Built in the late 1800’s to channel water from St Michaels Peak into the waiting reservoirs. Walking it now it is amazing to think that the aquaduct and the stream are able to provide enough water to fill the 2 largest dams found on the mountain!. About half way along the wall a beautiful little waterfall falls into the channel. This is a good place to refill waterbottles and have a break. It is also a good place for the drip disa’s in December.
Continue along the wall until the path meets Smuts Track between Skeleton gorge and Echo Valley.
Escape the city on a guided hike on Table Mountain with Ridgway Ramblers.
