Signal Hill: Accessible viewpoint with a rich maritime history
Chronologically, that was my last trip during my 3-week stay, unfortunately. With tears in my eyes, I drove up Signal Hill, a 350-meter mountain in the center of Cape Town. Before I flew to South Africa, I had planned my trip, but I had missed Signal Hill. Luckily, the driver said it was a place worth seeing. He was right.
In terms of terminology, Signal Hill was historically used to provide weather warnings, as well as anchoring ships to ensure they were properly prepared for the stormy weather in the bay. Today, it is the site of the daily noon cannon firing, slightly lower than the Signal Hill lookout, at Lion Battery, a paragliding launching point, a popular tourist attraction, and a place from which to watch the city skyline bathed in sunset.
It is almost fully accessible – ramps and “balconies” that allow you to see the city skyline from the hill, a fairly even surface. Remember, it's a mountaintop, so sometimes even good infrastructure doesn't guarantee accessibility, because factors like the terrain of a place are beyond the control of those responsible for it. An example is the large photo frames for tourists on the mountaintop. They are difficult to access unless someone helps you across the rocky ground. To fully enjoy the trips, we, the disabled, should learn parkour, dear disabled readers.