An Underground River and Cave on top of Table Mountain

 An Underground River and Cave on top of Table Mountain

Have you ever wondered about Tunnels - man made or natural? They are right on top of Table Mountain. 

 

But there is another hidden gem. An Underground River that has nearly dried up with lots of historic rock art. If you are keen to explore it's an easy and gentle short hike. But it is best to go in a group and with a guide. 

 

It is a two-hour hike from the upper Cable Station. An easy walk that anyone can do. Please bring your torch. There is also a Tunnel for the real adventure guys to crawl through. You might get a little wet and dirty, but it's great fun to pop out on the other side with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Booking well in advance is essential. Remember: No hiking when there is cloud cover. This is suitable for a group size from 1 to 12 people. 

 

Some Top of The Mountain History…

 

The Woodhead Dam was completed in 1897. It was one of the first dams to be built in the country. It is still in service and provides water to Camps Bay and the high-lying areas of the City Bowl.

The water supply was augmented by the Hely-Hutchinson Dam which was completed seven years after Woodhead Dam opened. It was built upstream from Woodhead Dam and is also situated on Table Mountain’s Disa River. Both have masonry dam walls constructed of sandstone blocks which were carved 

out of the mountain by stonemasons. A small railway line and a cable car

connecting the top of Kasteelspoort to Camps Bay were constructed to assist with the dams’ construction. A small waterworks museum, which includes the original locomotive, is located next to the dams.

 

Water from these two dams is treated at the Kloofnek Water Treatment Plant. The water takes an interesting route to get there. First, it is released into the Disa River Gorge where it flows as a small river towards Hout Bay. Closer to Hout Bay, the water is fed through the 700 metre Woodhead Tunnel that runs 

through the Twelve Apostles mountains to the Camps Bay side. From there it is piped into cast iron pipes that run along the popular Pipe Track hiking trail to the Kloofnek Treatment Works.