Melville Koppies tour a must for curious children
You never know what kinds of questions learners will ask when they come and tour Melville Koppies to learn about those who lived on it thousands and thousands of years ago.
You get questions like “How did they carry water?”, “How did they know what berries were poisonous?”, to more fundamental ones like “Where did they do their ‘business’?” and “What did they use as toilet paper?”
Children also get a chance to get down on their knees and grind sorghum with a grinding stone, a chore which many of their female ancestors would have had to have done to put food and beer on the table.
Sorghum not only provided food full of protein, fibre, iron, antioxidants, magnesium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, silicon and B vitamins, but it was and still is the essential ingredient of umqombothi, traditional beer.
You too can learn something new on Melville Koppies. Book a guided tour on 079 532 0083 (or be there by 08:30) and learn about the history and the way in which different living things on the Koppies interact. Or self-guide yourselves on the 3km heritage trail.
If learning is not your interest, you can still test your fitness on the 5km self-guided hike or join a guided 8km hike starting at 08:00 sharp on the first Sunday of the month.
And if these are too demanding, just take a chilled self-guided walk for however long or short you want, along with the extensive network of paths.
Cost is R80 for adults, R40 for children and non-transferable season tickets are also available at R500 per adult.
Income used for maintenance of the Koppies. Security on the Koppies is provided; park in secure parking opposite the entrance at Marks Park in Judith Road, Emmarentia.
Contact wendavid@mweb.co.za, call 079 532 0083 or visit the website for more detailed information about the history and what you can see on Facebook.
