We recently had the opportunity to join the Kensington Heritage Group on a 10km walk around Kensington in Johannesburg.

Our walk started at the Victoria Yards in Lorentzville where we were able to park our vehicles quite safely. We stopped on Norfolk road in Kensington from where we had quite a lovely view over the area and we could see the city skyline in the distance.

The Life New Kensington Hospital, previously known as the Kensington Sanatorium was built in 1897. The hospital is said to be haunted by  Mother Adéle, a French nun, who is thought to be a past inhabitant of the hospital.

We popped in at the Jeppe High School for Boys, we could hear students busy with band practice as well as somebody playing “A Scotting Soldier” on bagpipes. It seemed strangely fitting for this environment. The beautiful stone buildings were designed by Ralston, a student of Sir Herbert Baker.

The Roberts Avenue Mansions will be familiar to those of you who remember the South African soapie, Egoli. One of the units in this building was actually used as a film set during the filming of the popular series.

Once we had caught our breath after the small hike over Langermann koppie we headed back to our starting point. On the way there we passed the Gandhi family home which is now a heritage site.

Links:

Jeppe High School for Boys: www.jeppeboys.co.za

List of heritage sites in Johannesburg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_heritage_sites_in_Gauteng