Linksfield Ridge hike offers spectacular vista of history

The Jewish National Fund (JNF) South Africa hosted a tour of Linksfield Ridge on Sunday, 14 March, a series of koppies with spectacular views to the north and south of Johannesburg.

The tour was guided by Joni Kowensky, a registered guide with the Parks Board who is very knowledgeable about the history, geography, and flora and fauna of the ridge, starting with its real name, the Harvey Park Small Bird and Buck Sanctuary.

The ridge has spectacular panoramic views of the Magaliesberg and Pretoria to the north and vistas to the south of Johannesburg. Hikers learnt about various native plants such as “Bushmen’s Dagga” (Lion Tail) and our country’s national flower, the Protea, of which they viewed more than 50 along the trail. They viewed ruins (stone circles and structures) and rock art, which have various timelines extending back to 400 odd years ago.

The walk in the reserve ended at the entrance to Kallenbach Drive, which is more than 100 years old and was constructed by a close friend of Mahatma Gandhi, Herman Kallenbach, who was a Jewish architect and a passionate Zionist. Kallenbach left a large portion of his considerable estate for the development of Israel. Gandhi recorded walking and meditating on the ridge. Participants also had the opportunity to share their knowledge with the group about the surroundings, and got to see the enormous contribution South African Jews made to the development of Johannesburg.

One of the positive aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it has given us the impetus to take part in new and exciting discovery. Hikes like this emphasise the amazing sites on our doorstep. They are part of the KKL-JNF’s promotion of the environment here and in Israel, where the organisation has created leisure and picnic areas, hiking and cycling trails, and promotes summer camps.

For more details, or to join hikes or other events, call 011 645 2579 or email b.schneider@jnfsa.co.za.