Last weekend, I decided to hike Table Mountain for the first time. There are several different hikes to the top, and I chose one of the most popular to follow called Platteklip ('flat rock') Gorge.
This 1.8mi hike consists mostly of 'stairs' to the top. Table Mountain is 3,563 ft above sea level, but during the hike you climb only about 2,200 ft. On the way up, I passed beautiful views, including waterfalls running down the sides of the mountain.
I started around 7:30 and finally reached the top around 9:00. That morning, it was around 45°F, so when I finally stopped hiking it got cold quickly! I stayed at the top long enough to get a picture and have a quick snack, before heading back down.
Some people choose to hike up the mountain and then take the cable car back down. During the month of August, the cable car goes under maintenance, so I didn't really have a choice but to go back down the way I came! The hike down was less intense, which made it quicker than on the way up.
I arrived at the bottom around 11, ending my hike in about 3.5 hours. I was so glad that I finally decided to do the hike. I enjoyed the fresh air of the morning and getting some good exercise with beautiful views. I will definitely have to try some of the other hikes up to the top soon!
