Hidden across the top of Table Mountain are five historic dams, built more than a century ago to supply Cape Town with water. Remarkably, many Capetonians have never heard of them, despite the fact that they once supplied the entire city. Hiking to the dams is a peaceful, rewarding experience, offering a very different side of Table Mountain from the busier summit routes.
What the Hike to the Dams Is Like
Reaching Woodhead and Hely-Hutchinson via Kasteelspoort takes you up one of Table Mountain’s most scenic western routes, through fynbos and past sweeping views of Camps Bay and the Atlantic coastline, before the terrain levels out near the dams themselves.
Approaching via Skeleton Gorge offers a completely different experience, starting right inside Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden before winding up through shaded, indigenous forest and alongside a rocky mountain stream, a cooler, greener contrast to the more exposed western routes, and a lovely way to combine two of Cape Town’s most loved natural attractions in a single hike.
The hike to Victoria, Alexandra, and De Villiers via Constantia Nek is gentler still, following a wide jeep track through forest before opening onto the Back Table, a quiet, relatively flat stretch of the mountain dotted with fynbos and the three southern dams. Compared to the more strenuous summit routes, this is one of the easier full day hikes on Table Mountain, making it a good option for hikers who want a long, scenic day out without the steepest climbs. It is also possible to take the cable car to the summit and hike across the plateau to reach any of the dams, a good option for those short on time or energy for a full ascent.
Whichever route you choose, reaching the dams rewards hikers with a side of Table Mountain most visitors never see, still, open water, surrounded by fynbos, with barely another hiker in sight. These routes see far fewer hikers than the mountain’s more popular trails, so always hike in a group, carry adequate supplies, and be aware that phone signal around the dams is often weak or unavailable. Note too that the water in the dams is untreated, and swimming is not permitted.
The History of the Table Mountain Dams
Until the late 1800s, Cape Town relied on a single mountain stream, the Disa River, for its entire water supply. As the city’s population grew, this single source could no longer keep up with demand, and a more reliable solution was needed.
Scottish hydraulic engineer Thomas Stewart was brought in to design a new water system for the city. Between 1888 and 1891, a tunnel was built through the 12 Apostles to channel water from the Disa catchment, originally intended to feed a pipeline running down to the city along what is now the Pipe Track. It quickly became clear that a pipeline alone would not be enough, and the decision was made to dam the Disa River instead, eventually resulting in five separate dams built across the mountain’s plateau over the following two decades.
Woodhead Dam
Woodhead Dam was the first of the five, built between 1893 and 1897, and remains the largest, holding around 954 million liters of water. It was also the first large masonry dam built in South Africa, and in 2008 was recognized as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
Building a dam on top of a mountain was no small undertaking. Materials were initially carried up by hand, before a small steam driven cableway and narrow gauge railway were built to transport workers and sandstone from the mountain above Camps Bay to the construction site. Hiking up Skeleton Gorge leads directly to Woodhead Reservoir today.
Hely-Hutchinson Dam
Even before Woodhead Dam was finished, city planners recognized it would not fully solve Cape Town’s water problem, and work soon began on a second dam nearby. Hely-Hutchinson Dam was completed in 1904, and today holds around 925 million liters, making it the second largest of the five. It is named after Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson, the Cape Governor at the time. Kasteelspoort is the most popular hiking route up to this dam, with the reservoir just a short walk from the summit.
Nearby, along the aqueduct path leading from the dam, keep an eye out in summer for Disa uniflora, better known as the Pride of Table Mountain, a striking red orchid that flowers along the mountain’s streams, particularly in February.
Victoria, Alexandra, and De Villiers Dams
While Woodhead and Hely-Hutchinson were being built on the northern side of the mountain, the southern suburbs of Cape Town were busy building their own water supply on the Back Table. Victoria and Alexandra Dams were completed by 1903, followed by De Villiers Dam in 1907, all tapping into a separate tributary of the Disa River. A hike via Constantia Nek is the most direct way to reach these three dams, following a beautiful, relatively gentle route with several good picnic spots along the way.
Today, the five dams together supply only a small fraction of Cape Town’s water, with the majority now coming from much larger dams such as Theewaterskloof and Steenbras.
The Overseer’s Cottage
Built over 120 years ago to house those overseeing construction of the Woodhead Dam, the Overseer’s Cottage still stands today, now available as self catering hiking accommodation. Located on the Back Table close to the Victoria and De Villiers dams, it sleeps up to 16 guests across two units, with gas heating, hot showers, and a fireplace, though no electricity or WiFi. The only way to reach it is on foot, making it a genuinely unique way to spend a night on Table Mountain, falling asleep and waking up surrounded by the same dams built over a century ago.
The Waterworks Museum
Tucked between the Woodhead and Hely-Hutchinson reservoirs is the Waterworks Museum, also known as the Woodhead Dam Museum. Founded in 1972 by a retired waterworks engineer, the museum houses original tools, photographs, and equipment from the dam’s construction, including a beautifully preserved narrow gauge steam locomotive once used to haul materials up the mountain. The museum operates on an intermittent basis, typically between 09h00 and 14h00 on weekdays, and is well worth a visit for anyone hiking to the Woodhead or Hely-Hutchinson dams.
Want to explore the Table Mountain dams for yourself? Browse our guided hikes or get in touch, and our experienced guides will show you this lesser known side of the mountain.
