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The majestic Table Mountain, is one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
It is named Table Mountain for it's appearance, and when clouds settle over the top of the mountain, it looks as though a white table cloth has been spread over a table.
Table Mountain is also known as the "Old Grey Father" of Cape Town. People say that this is because the city and the mountain are inseparable.
Table Mountain is a vast block of sandstone that was formed 500 million years ago. It is 1086 metres high and rises on it's northern face as a sheer precipice more than 3 kilometres long.
The first recorded ascent of Table Mountain was in 1503 by an Antoniade Saldanha. Today, there are more than 350 routes for mountaineers, ranging from routes for beginners, to the more dangerous routes. Many people have been killed over the years while trying to attempt the more dangerous routes during bad weather conditions.
The aerial cableway was built in 1929 and transports visitors to the summit within six minutes. The views at the top of the mountain are magnificent and breathtaking: the breathtaking view of Cape Town and Table Bay during the day, or at night, is magnificent. To the south is the Cape of Good Hope and to the North are the Hottentots-Holland range of mountains.
Tourists to Table Mountain are well catered for. There is a tea room and post office for sending postcards to friends. The summit is marked by Maclear's Beacon.
There are plenty of baboons, dassies and goats (hence the reason why the Cape Town folk are often called "mountain goats"). Table Mountain is also know for it's botanical beauty.
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