The dam is a great place to swim, especially in summer. International visitors worry about the brown water but it's not contamination. It's tea. Really. Tannins from the fynbos leached into the soil and washed into streams colour most mountain streams. My folks called it Coca-Cola water. I wouldn't drink it though.

This little dam doesn't provide drinking water to the city - it's too small. Cape Town's biggest dam on the mountains you can see on the other side of the cape flats, is called Theewaterskloof - old Dutch for "tea water gorge". Most of our drinking water comes from there. The water is the same colour. Once it's goes through the purification system it looses the tea colour.

Loads of easy walks. Hike to see the nesting pair of Vereaux Eagles or picnic in the Elephants Eye cave. Hike here are little more accessible for smaller kids and a great place for the whole family to hike together - even the kids over 65.

Best place to start rock climbing. There are professional guides who can take you or join a club. Not something to start on your own. Most routes are single pitch sport routes with well bolted and maintained protection. Pitches are roughly 20 meters. Online route guides are pretty good but they tend to leave out the easier routes. Better to get a guide book like Tony Lourens' Western Cape Rock.

All round a fantastic spot. R40 for SA adults is cheap but you can get a Wild Card and it's even cheaper.