Appreciating the warmth of ‘north-facing’ views on Melville Koppies
The first people that lived on Melville Koppies hundreds of thousands of years ago knew all about north-facing.
When you move to Joburg from places where the minimum temperature hardly ever goes below double digits in winter, long-time residents will tell you: ‘buy a house that’s north-facing’.
Listen to them. If you don’t, you’ll end up miserable in winter and you’ll find that during the day, it’s warmer outside than in your house.
The first people that lived on Melville Koppies hundreds of thousands of years ago knew all about north-facing.
When you visit Melville Koppies you will be able to see where the hunter-gathers and the first farmers lived in the area.
The old settlements, built on the north-facing slopes nestled into the side of the ridge, were protected from the bitterly cold southerly breeze and guaranteed to get all the warming winter sun.
The hunter-gatherers left only their sharpened stone tools as evidence. This include scrapers that they used as knives, or bigger stone axes.
The stone walls built by the first farmers are still visible as well as one of the furnaces that used to smelt iron-bearing rocks to make steel knives, spears and hoes.
Visit Melville Koppies on a Sunday morning.
Come dressed to kill winter cold and after exploring, you’ll end up dressed like you’re basking in summer.
Book a guided tour (phone 079 532 0083) or be there by 08:30am and you’ll have your eyes opened to the evidence of where the first Joburg inhabitants lived.
Or you can self-guide yourself on the heritage trail which points out some of this evidence. If you just want to get fit, try out the 5km hike – do it twice if you’re fast.
Or take a map meander along the many different paths that criss-cross the Koppies.
Melville Koppies is open between 08:00 and 11:30 every Sunday.
The entry fees are R80 for adults and R40 for children. A season ticket per year per adult is R500 (not transferable).
The income is used for maintaining the Koppies, as R22 000 needs to be raised per month.
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 or call 079 532 0083 to find out more.
Check out www.mk.org.za or Facebook for more detailed information about the history and what you can experience.
