Devil's Peak

Description

Devil’s Peak is one of Cape Town's many well known mountain ranges, situated directly to the East of the iconic Table Mountain. Devil’s Peak or Duiwelspiek (Afrikaans), previously known as Windberg, got its name from a traditional tale about a pipe-smoking Dutch man named Jan van Hunks. Along with Table Mountain, Lion's Head and Signal Hill, Devil's Peak forms a natural amphitheatre that hovers over the Cape Town City.

The lower slopes of the mountain have many roads, paths and hiking tracks leading through indigenous fynbos, making it a very popular location for runners and cyclists. On the Southern Suburbs side of the mountain, one can find Rhodes Memorial and the University of Cape Town.

After the British occupied the Cape Peninsula in 1795, Devil's Peak became a vital part of their defences. Three block houses were built on the high slopes: King's, Queen's and Duke of York's. King's, which later served as a convicts station, is now a historical monument. These can be visited today.