Page 124 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

122  C APE T OWN

The Cape Peninsula (686 ft) Cape of Good Hope
209 m
For four centuries, the Cape Peninsula’s most promi nent J
feature, Table Mountain, has been a welcome landmark
for travellers. This rugged mountain chain that stretches
from Table Bay to Cape Point soars out of the sea to a height J CAPEPOINT
of 1,087 m (3,566 ft) above sea level, dwarfing the high-rise Smitswinkel PLATEAU
buildings of Cape Town and its surrounding suburbs. The Bay
impressive front wall of Table Mountain and its surrounding 678 m (2,224 ft)
Swartkop
buttresses and ravines are a spectacular natural wonder. MILLERS POINT WITSTAND
The rock formations and twisted strata indicate turbulent Simon’s Town Scarborough
geo logical processes that span a 1,000-million-year period. RED HILL

GLENCAIRN
Fish Hoek
MAIN
J 507 m Chapman’s Peak
(1,663 ft)
593 m (1,945 ft)
Muizenberg

TOKAI
Tokai Forest
Cape Point juts into the southern Atlantic Ocean and forms the tip of the Cycle Track
peninsula’s mountain chain. A scenic drive leads to the Cape of Good Hope Constantia
Winelands
(see p155), which offers hiking and mountain biking trails. The less energetic
can ride the funicular to a lighthouse with superb views. CONSTANTIA Constantia Nek
MAIN MAIN
RHODES

Table Mountain
1,087 m (3,566 ft)
Devil’s Peak
1,000 m (3,280 ft)
The Constantia Winelands (see pp160–61) nestle on the southeast
slopes of the peninsula’s mountain range, within easy reach of the
city. The fertile slopes, combined with a mild Mediterranean climate, J
create perfect conditions for choice grape cultivars.
DE WAAL
Table Mountain’s Tablecloth
An old local legend tells of a CAPE TOWN
Dutchman, Jan van Hunks, who
engaged in a smoking contest VOORTREKKER ROAD
with a stranger on the slopes of
Devil’s Peak. After several days, the
disgruntled stranger had to admit
defeat and revealed him self as the
The tablecloth Devil. Vanishing in a puff of smoke,
he carried van Hunks off with him, leaving wreaths of smoke curling
around Devil’s Peak (which is where the cloud begins pour ing over the
mountain, forming the famous “tablecloth”).

For keys to symbols see back flap

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