Exploring Table Mountain on foot
From the city of Cape Town, Table Mountain sometimes seems to be unassailable lump of rock. Visitors are often astounded at how extensive the mountain is behind the towering cliffs above the city. Those who do take the time to walk on Table Mountain can also enjoy some of the strange rock formations found there. Even stranger is having a picnic on a beach…. right on top of the mountain
The beach is found at the top of Skeleton Gorge. If you have climbed up Skeleton gorge take the right hand path around breakfast rock and keep going straight ahead. After about 5 minutes walking you will find you are walking in ankle deep sand. A little bit further and you will see a beautiful white beach leading into the water of the Hely Hutchinson dam. Here is a perfect place for a tea or a lunch stop.
The sand dune behind Skeleton Gorge
The beach with Hely Hutchinson dam behind
The rocks of Table Mountain are all of sandstone. So this pile of sand is obviously a collection of eroded material.
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Another amazing sight you can see on your hike on Table Mountain is a variety of weird and wonderful rock formations. One of these is one I call “dog head rock” It is found on Smuts track between Skeleton Gorge and Maclears Beacon, and can be seen from some distance away. This is another good place for a break, where those more adventurous souls may want to try out their climbing skills.
Dog head rock, viewed from Smuts Track.
Adventurous hikers can scramble to the top of the rock
