Silvermine Reservoir.

© The Naked Eye/Shutterstock


The Silvermine Reservoir, a beautiful spot for a picnic or a leisurely walk on the wheelchair-accessible boardwalk, is the focal point of this section of Table Mountain National Park. The placid reservoir waters are tannin-stained and, despite the signs forbidding swimming, you’ll often find locals taking a dip here. Some excellent half-day hiking trails lead into the mountains from this area, named after the fruitless attempts by the Dutch to prospect for silver here in the late 17th century.

On the southeastern edge of the reserve is the ancient burial site Peers Cave; a trail leads here from a marked parking spot on the Ou Kaapse Weg. Declared a National Monument in 1941, the cave provides a dramatic viewpoint out across Noordhoek towards the sea and is well worth visiting.


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