Junction Peak

What secrets does Junction Peak hold? Here at the foot of Table Mountain, gazing up at this peak that separates Disa Gorge from the Backwater Gorge, we embark on a journey through time. Junction Peak, a sentinel overlooking Orange Kloof, stands as a silent witness to the transformation of Table Mountain. Before the dams and the fences, before the “Restricted Area”, Junction Peak watched as ramblers and picnickers enjoyed the Backwater Stream, a main artery flowing from the mountain’s heights down to the lower plateau. Imagine the scene: Edwardian ladies in long skirts, gentlemen in knickerbockers, their laughter echoing through the gorge as they gathered disas and other wildflowers. They sought shade beneath ancient trees and built fires for their billy tea, sharing stories and mountain gossip. Junction Peak saw it all. Then came change. The construction of the Woodhead and Hely-Hutchinson reservoirs forever altered the landscape. The Backwater Stream, once a haven for campers, was submerged, its banks and trees lost beneath the rising waters. The Town Council, concerned about pollution, erected a fence, enclosing the once-popular Backwater Gorge within the “Restricted Area”. Junction Peak found itself on the edge of this forbidden zone, a silent observer of the mountain’s evolving history. Though no longer accessible to casual ramblers, Junction Peak’s importance remains. It stands as a reminder of a bygone era, when Table Mountain’s summit was a wilder, more accessible place. The peak, though altered by time and progress, still holds the memories of those early adventurers. It stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of the mountain and those who explored its hidden corners. Let this view of Junction Peak ignite your imagination and transport you to a time when the mountain echoed with a different kind of music.