Urban Adventures: The Wilds, Houghton Johannesburg

Urban Adventures- A walk on the wild side.

I had read on Facebook that a local artist had taken upon it himself to restore the famous Wilds, a park on the outskirts of Houghton. I have lived in Johannesburg for nearly 30 years and this park has always been on my to do list, however this place over the years was not only wild, but bloody well dangerous to visit. Being a paramedic working within the city I had only ventured into the park, in the dark when a murder had occurred and things did go bump in the middle of the night.

The Wilds, the sign we pass everyday but never venture! today that changed! Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

Yipe this place does has a checkered history especially during the 1990's and my experience there as a paramedic had somewhat jaded my fantasy of the Wilds. So today I would take my sister with me, (she would be the bait while I ran for help if we got attacked) to finally complete a fantasy of exploring the Wilds on this beautiful clear Sunday. Why was I so brave? Well the said artist dude had arranged for a guided tour as well as invited the whole of Jozi to come and take a look. Judging by the response there would be a couple hundred people. Security guards would also be patrolling on foot and lots of activity would be guaranteed. I was incredibly excited as we walked towards The Wilds.

The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

I had just come off my last night shift around Diepsloot and Ivory Park areas and as it was a month end, I was somewhat a little frazzled and needed a great deal of coffee to keep me awake, but I was motivated to jump at the opportunity to explore one of my bucket list items in Jozi, besides it was also free and being the day before payday, this was just what the doctor or rather bank-manger had ordered. So let me go back to the beginning.

The park is really surprisingly large and is 16ha / 40 acres in size and set up against a typical beautiful Gauteng rocky ridge or koppies, as we Joznites like to call it. We parked our car at the lower parking at St Johns College boys school on the corners of Houghton Drive and St Patrick road. The parks smaller parking area next to Roedean Private Girls school was full. We were greeted by two very friendly and informative young men who informed us that they only work here on Sundays and help out with directions and parking. Their enthusiasm was contagious and I could not wait to start exploring.

The Gail Scott Wilson Tree in The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #GailScottWilson #nikon

The first thing you see in the parking lot is this tree with a beautiful arty fabric sign "hug me", that my photographer and artist friend Gail Scott Wilson made. Of course I had to oblige being a bit of a tree lover myself and so here is me hugging the tree. What a great idea and a special way to start the walk. Thank you Gail! Gail is well recognized with her gorgeous pink hair and she has been passionate about rejuvenating Rhodes Park and is very active in bringing the inner city and its art alive once more for all to enjoy.

Inside The Wilds parking area is a rather sad looking guard hut with a very friendly security guard. If anyone reading this is able to assist in donating a new guard hut please let James know (you will find his link in this blog). We had to fill in the parking register as well as the volunteer book. I would really love to take groups around the park on Sundays, whether it be for a walk, to discover and name of the hundreds of indigenous plants and cycads, to identify birds or to experiment with photography. In this way I can get people exploring in safer numbers and hopefully get the participants to make a donation towards the park and its volunteers, better yet to get physically involved in polishing this rough diamond.

I was very excited that Roedean Girls School had brought a tour of 75 girls to the Wilds, and I see that St John's Boys college had been active in the past. It would be wonderful if both the schools could become actively involved and hold functions in The Wilds. It would also be fantastic if schools from other parts of Johannesburg make a day of this and bring the kids along for a lesson under the trees.

I also read somewhere that the Heritage Foundation had visited. This group also has a face book page and is currently very active trying to identify and preserve heritage buildings and sites. Today the Rand Club did a guided tour of the park with James. I hear that City Parks have also arranged for a tour but could not find any further details, but a tour with specialists in their fields of fauna and flora, geology and history would be fantastic and something that would inject interest and numbers into the park.

This beautiful and colourful tree decor was done by foodbabysoul (check her out on Instagram). After hugging Gail's tree and making your way to the guard hut you cannot miss this, take a few moments to read the messages and appreciate the work and time involved to make this.

So who is this artist dude that has sparked renewed interest in Jozi's best kept secrete? James Delaney states on his facebook page that; " I'm a contemporary painter and print-maker based in Johannesburg, South Africa, working out of NYC too." take a look at his facebook page and please support him: herewith the link:

https://www.facebook.com/jamesdelaneyartist/?hc_ref=ART1OGJlolhlrbXA9ROyjNjZhpVL1jCXaRVUwp5vMicWoPbC8Si3cA_p7e85rI_XfFw&pnref=story

The park was alive with activity, laughter and excited voices of people, excited barks of the many dogs on leads and families arriving to enjoy a day in what we were about to discover was an incredibly beautiful park, a treasure within our city that had been long forgotten, a treasure and we were all on a journey to discover and realize just what we had all been missing out on for so many years! People had started bring some treats for the volunteers and left them at the guard house.

A large group of people had started to congregate around James to start their tour on the best kept secret in Johannesburg, The Wilds! I was not sure what time I would finish my shift so I did not book the tour and my sister and I would do our own touring solo. We had brought along snacks so were planning to take a break at one of the picnic spots later. James is a very dynamic and passionate individual who has great vision for The Wilds. During my research of the place I also found out how other people a while back, who had also tried to revitalize the area, but this was during a very difficult political time and people were also just too afraid. Today the political climate has changed, yes crime is high but things are changing and the future looks better and we as the people need to become more involved in places like this, places that preserve our heritage, places that we can one day take our grandchildren too, to sit under the trees and tell them of the wild stories, the urban legends, the people who helped create and safe guard this place, the keepers and guardians of The Wilds.

Derek Smith installed this wonderful and colourful little library. You will find it at the entrance near the decor trees and guard hut, its kinda hard to miss! What an amazing idea and gift. We spotted some kids who were so excited to see the books inside and paged through them with squeals of delight.

The more volunteers that assist James and his team, the quicker the Wilds will once again be the place to be over weekends, to unwind with family and friends. James is wanting to get the waterfalls and ponds working again. There are magnificent, but very neglected green houses which are just begging for new life and he is hoping to get the Wits university students involved. What a magnificent opportunity it would be for Wits to utilize this space for research and horticulture purposes. There are also plans to work on the East Wilds which is a lot wilder. There are so many plans to bring life and renewed hope to this once forgotten piece of heaven.

What made James Delaney become interested in the Wilds? Well his back window of his home overlooks the 40 acre forested park. He could witnessed over time that it was no longer maintained, it was unsafe, the pathways were overgrown with dead branches and bushes which had all but taken over. No one visited. Why? because quiet frankly we were all too pooped scared to. Luckily for us James got a dog, a golden Labrador called Pablo, so he would not be afraid to venture in and started to slowly take back the Wilds, with the assistance of Thulani. Together they started to clear out all the dead wood, prune trees which allowed the much needed light to flood the flower beds below with much needed lights and sunshine bringing with it new life and new blooms.

The team removed 25 truck loads of dead vegetation while clearing the pathways and in doing so would obviously make it less scary and lessen the security risk (I have been watching too many Criminal Minds episodes and my imagination just exploded with endless possibilities). James and Thulani have been transforming the Wilds for 3 years now and along the way picked up some other volunteers and helpers, who helped to chop and clear out the area.

The park is actually divided into two parts by Houghton Drive, with a footbridge most of us have driven under hundreds of times. Eventually the two halves where connected by a footbridge in 1965, designed by Wally Schutte and Brian Watt. The walks are fairly hilly with the Killarney side offering a lush moist forest with huge cycads and waterfalls while the Upper Houghton side a bit more highveld vegetation with a smaller wooded section, a few water features that need some TLC and some really beautiful grasses. In the mid-20th century the Wilds was an emerald-green playground for Jo-burg's well-heeled townsfolk and the park became the closest thing the city had to Central Park.

As I already mentioned James is an artist, he has made beautiful sculptures within the park. This adds a bit of fun and colour to the park. Look out for these stunning art works, duiker, klipspringer and a pangolin. He mentions that he is working on monkeys and a life size giraffe. I cannot wait for these to be put up and come and look for them! I really hope he puts a zebra in there, my favorite.

There used to be a restaurant inside the Wilds and I would imagine this was the building, below, but sadly it closed down and was apparently turned into the managers office and also houses the ablution blocks at the back. It would be wonderful to be able to turn it into a tea garden for lazy Sunday afternoon tea and scones! Would be wonderful to open the space to a bi-monthly art and craft market as well as a fresh and home produce market.

I discovered that back in 1925 the township owners of Houghton Estate, who at the time was Barney Barnato's JCI Company -the Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company Ltd., donated the original sections of The Wilds to the Johannesburg Town Council on the condition that it would be kept as an open space for the public for recreational purposes. The land was in fact too steep to be used for residential property development.

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#TheWilds #Nikon

The Wilds is dog friendly park, in fact they are encouraging people to return with their pooches but please remember to keep your dogs on a lead, it is the City's by-laws. Being charged by a strange dog is scary especially for little ones, so lets be considerate of others, after all we all pay tax to be able to utilize our parks and have the right take pleasure in a good experience. Also please bring a poop bag along to clean up after your faithful friend as the volunteers are working hard to keep the place clean for all to enjoy and your dog's poop is your responsibility. Lets keep our park clean.

It is important to note than since 1936 only indigenous flora has been planted within The Wilds over the years a few not so indigenous flora may have crept in via birds and insects from neighboring private gardens. I read that at the end of the Empire Exhibition, which was held in January of 1937, the plants from a rockery created to celebrate the city's silver jubilee and the coronation of King George VI had to be propagated somewhere else and a decision was made to landscape this land as a park, using these very plants. Pretty epic I would say that many of these plants date back to 1937! It was then opened to the public in 1938, with the lawns, ponds and waterfalls and the rock pathways we see still see today.

The Wilds, the original gate and entrance. Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

On the 20 February 1981 it was declared a National Monument under the old NMC legislation.

There are large open grassed areas under trees, where families and couples can enjoy long lazy picnics. All the paths are lined with stones, in an African version of cobblestones. These are a little rough on the bottom of your feet, so wear comfie shoes and may be a bit slippery when wet so if you are not sure footed a walking pole or stick would be helpful. The paths are varied in that some are flat while others take you up rock staircases and down again. A couple will take your breath away if you are unfit. I wonder how long it will take before someone arranges a trail run or Park run here. It would be fantastic if one could be organised and the proceeds go to further development and restoration of the park.

Apparently somewhere in the park a memorial plaque dedicated to General JC Smuts was erected. It has since disappeared. Something that I did not know, Smuts was an acknowledged botanist. There is a plant display-house, which has been declared a national monument. This looks like the more than likely spot as its sealed off and there is a rock step display feature of sorts, behind the green cage. We also found labeled plant pots that were empty or still had dead plants in them. Look at the bottom of the blog for a photo of the plaque I found on google images.

We found many benches to rest up on or just to sit with a book, meditate or to watch and identify the birds, some of which are rather unusual. The perimeter of the park is fenced but even so as with all Johannesburg parks, you will always be safer in larger numbers or like today there would be many people walking around.

These rock pathways have stood the test of time. The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

I felt like Alice in Wonderland, Tinkerbell all rolled into one. There are so many meandering pathways that you are not sure which one to run up first. Around every corner something new and enchanting catches your eye. I was so surprised at how quiet this place was. I did not hear any gunshots or sirens only the sound of birds and the excited voices of people making new discoveries in one of the most beautiful parks I have ever visited. There is great hope and the future looks very bright for our very own Central Park. Take a look at the end of the block an early black and white photo of the Wilds I found on google showing the pathways before all the vegetation covered it up.

The Wilds, a placed to meditate! Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

The bench - The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

The parks many benches were finally given a lick of much needed pain by a group of volunteers. They had not been painted in 20 years and now they had become a feature within the park, standing out in their bright colours, offering a visual burst of colour against the lush green vegetation. Several volunteers spent the day cleaning up and painting the benches during the new City's Mayor's monthly clean up drive, which gets the residents of Johannesburg to clean up the city and as such take ownership of their spaces.

Paths meander around and across the hillsides and forest among huge indigenous tress, plants and flowers. There are countless water features, rock pools and waterfalls. Currently most of the pools have none or very little murky water and the waterfalls have long since stopped. I know there are some plans in the pipeline to fix these water features and get the waterfalls flowing again. I cannot wait as the sound of running water is always soothing and would bring in a whole micro ecosystem, with frogs, dragon flies and birds to the area.

Today the park is managed by City parks and Zoo, a non-profit company which is mandated by City of Johannesburg, but the skeleton staff, undermanned could not cope with its upkeep and over time the park fell into an overgrown jungle, hidden from the citizens and visitors of Jozi till recently.

All over the park you will find these rock containers that have been fixed up with new cement. They look like bins so we have no excuse to keep the park clear of our own litter! Also why not take along a plastic bag to pick up rubbish along the way to help with the continuous clean up and keep our treasure clean.

The pathways traverse most of the reserve. It is really great that this is not far for so many people to drive to the Wilds and if you love to walk in nature this could become your regular walking spot to escape the city without spending a lot of time travelling or expense. The Wilds is an old park and there are a number of lovely lawns and big trees to picnic under. The many ponds and waterfalls as mentioned which need much love and attention to restore them to their former glory.

One of Jame's big art projects was to create 67 magnificent owl sculptures which we found in the magnificent Yellow-wood forest, our national tree by the way! It was incredible how it brought total strangers together, as we owl hunted and the excited cries of "I found another one, look!" echoed in the forest as people excitedly ran to see what others had discovered. Why 67 owls? He made them to celebrate Nelson Mandela Day. For the non South African reading this, Nelson Mandela day is celebrated on the 18th July, his birthday where South African's gather across the country in unity to spend 67 minutes of their time doing good. The number 67 represents the 67 years of service Nelson Mandela gave to South Africa. James was hoping the owls would also encourage people to come and visit the park and by the shouts of joy it had certainly done just that.

This was quite an undertaking and James had to study owl books, photographs and films. He first drew the 67 owls using charcoal. Each owl is unique and offers a different character as well as a different feel of movement. Once he had completed his charcoal drawings he worked closely with a graphic designer to create the electronic images of his drawings that he needed in order to create what we see in the yellow-wood trees. Finally the Aluminium Trading Company produced the beautiful sculptures pro bono for him and now we can all enjoy rushing around the yellow-woods looking for 67 owls!!

My sister and I had such fun, finding the owls and taking photos. They are painted in white, orange and red. Apparently someone said there is a black one, which we did not find so I guess we will have to go back and go owl hunting! Some of the owls are on their own and a few are in pairs or even I saw three little owls huddled together. They are really very cute.

I had never seen the unmistakable Jozi skyline from these angles and I did not know that The Wilds had actually been a conservation area since 2006. Once you take a walk through the stone paved pathways and reach the top of the koppies, you are treated to really magnificent views out over the city and the recognizable Jozi skyline brought to life while you are suddenly reminded that you are indeed in the middle of the city!

The flowers are many and the temptation to spend hours walking through the park taking hundreds of photos are there, and I most certainly obliged. I would love to be here when all the butterflies are out in full force, so that will be another little adventure!

Busy Bee -The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

Joburg Gen - Charlotte Maxeke Hospital where I spent 19 years mostly in the Trauma unit during my prac phases and on the beat in the inner city. The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

The magnificent blue skies with their white clouds offered a spectacular back drop to the brilliant greens of the vegetation below.

Waiting our turn! Agapanthus The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

Agapanthus - The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

Agapanthus The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

We found several different types of pelargonium geranium

Beautiful ground-cover succulents -Pink Vykie The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

I was very eager to check the greenhouse out. I was so blown away with not only one old building, but a whole cluster of old greenhouses, which had been built in the 1960s. The gorgeous huge sweeping glass-panes that were somewhat weathered and yellowing, adding to that old days gone by feel. The beautiful and surprisingly very modern " avant-garde" styled four-pointed roofs.

I felt as though I had spun into the film set of Jumanji, or at any moments one of the dinosaurs from Jurassic park would leap out at me, after sizing me up lurking behind the huge foliage that was trapped for years, behind those doors and windows.

I half expected to see crazy old men with wild white hair and white coats running around inside, shouting, "eureka !". This place is really epic, a photographic visual feast and so worth a visit and I really hope the universities will see this as an incredible opportunity to utilize this facility as a research and educational centre. It will be fantastic once it is once again opened to the public and educational tours are offered.

Even though maintenance is obviously very lacking within the greenhouses, the plants have thrived and for them life has carried on waiting patiently behind closed doors to once again showoff to adoring fans once humans are allowed back in.

This photo I took of the plants creeping out as if too escape, reminded me of my school book, Day of the Triffids, a 1951 post-apocalyptic novel by the English science fiction author John Wyndham. It is about a plague of blindness that befalls the entire world, allowing the rise of an aggressive species of plant. This greenhouses complex could well have come out from a page of this book!!

I was thrilled to discovery so many huge cycads, one even had a bright orange seed. These cycads are very old and are an absolute treasure. They need to be protected and James is hoping a company will come forward and have them tagged and micro-chipped to trace them should they be stolen.

Paplo -The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

Paplo at The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

Conversations in The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

Wild iris at The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

Pink Vykies -The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

Ponte from The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

The Lilac Bench in The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon

“I only count the sunny hours,” says the face of the dial. And below that, around the circular edge: “Blessed too is he who learns to know the gods of the Wilds. www.sundials.co.za.” T.J. de Klerk installed this sundial in 2005.

The two wacky sisters in The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers #wackysisters

Jozi skyline The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

St Johns College from The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

Lions Ear or commonly known as the Wild Dagga plants - sun-birds love these. The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

Jane one of the volunteers who takes Pablo for his walks! What an amazing lady she is!The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

from this point you can see the other half of the Wilds across Houghton drive below the rows of houses on the koppie - hill.

The orginal gates at The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

The connecting bridge over Houghton Drive - The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

The connecting bridge over Houghton Drive -The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

This way! The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

The Houghton side was more of a wooded area, with stone paved pathways and a meandering pathway. We had clear views of Sandton, Rosebank, Randburg, The Dome and Killarney.

The Killarney side of The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

Sandton in the far background from The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

Killarney from The Wilds, Johannesburg Parks. Urban Adventures by Adventurekim.com #adventurekimcom #KimWilliamsPhotography #urbanadventures #thewilds #jozi #myjozi #urbanwalks #urbanhikes #greenhouses #67owls #mandela #waterfalls #centralpark #cojems #urbanrenewal #joziprojects #jozicleanup #joziowls #owls #picnics #lazywalks #takebackourcity #dogwalking #sundial #ponds #stonewalkways #nikon #wildflowers

Above are the clean loos and yes they had loo paper!

Below I have added in photos I found of the Wilds which I thought may be of interest.

What the Wilds looked like before it became a forest. You are able to see the meandering paths traversing the area. Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians,

Plaque to Smuts, The Wilds, Johannesburg (1955) | by The Douglas Campbell

Image result for where is the plaque in the wilds johannesburg

James's gorgeous owls or laid out before the found their permanent "roosting" spot in the yellow-wood forest in the Wilds. Got the image off google: Northcliff Melville Times520 × 390Search by image. The 67 owls James Delaney designed and made to hang in The Wilds for Nelson Mandela Day. Photo: Submitted

Please adhere to the following urban Trail code in all our city parks, nature reserves and open spaces

The Urban Trail Code

Respect all property, wildlife, and trees
Please don’t litter
Please be cautious at road crossings
Prevent grass fires
Adhere to park signage
Be prepared – carry water, wear comfortable shoes and
watch the weather
Please don’t trespass on private property
Hikers make use of the trails at their own risk

Safety Guidelines

Stay alert at all times
Arrange trail groups of five or more people or join community group walks, especially in isolated areas
Avoid carrying valuables when walking, ie jewellery
Park cars in safe locations and keep bags out of sight
Report any illegal dumping, vagrancy, vandalism or theft