De-stress on Melville Koppies

Go explore Melville Koppies Nature Reserve and Heritage Site on a Sunday morning and renew yourself.

Open from 8am to 11.30am, you can now guide yourself along the many trails and there is no need to book. You’ll be given a trail map at the entrance that is very easy to navigate together with an information sheet. Just orientate yourself north and choose which trail you’d like to do. The contour lines indicate the degree of difficulty. If they are far apart, the slope is gentle. Close together and you’ll do some heavy breathing. Plan your walk to suit your needs. Choose the forest and river walk if it’s a hot day. If you want the views, you’ll have to do the heavy breathing.

All the trail intersections are clearly marked with numbers and the information sheet highlights things to look out for. See if you can spot the stone walls of the first farmers who lived on the koppies. One view site which has a clear view north where wild animals once roamed, is the site of an ancient hunter-gatherer camp. We know this because many Stone Age tools were found here. And if you get there soon, you’ll still see the grass lily (Crinum graminicola) in bloom.

Head there on 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 November and enjoy the scenery as you de-stress.