SA (Adelaide) Day walk recommendation

[Ms_Mudd]

Doing another jaunt to SA (borders allowing of course!) and have been trawling Walking SA website for daywalks.

My son is recovering from having pins and plates put in his ankle, he is back at work (ADF) but on light duties. He is walking without his 'moon' boot and is doing extensive rehab, hoping to commence running again in the next few weeks.
I was looking for a special day walk, probably 6km or less to work in well with his recovery, within and hour or so of Adelaide to do with him while I am visiting. I really miss walking with him, so want to pick something we will both really enjoy to give us a taste of being back out in the bush together.

I think it is hard to get a real sense of how good a walk may be from a website, but so far, Giants Cave walk has piqued my interest. Hit me with any other ideas!

I am also looking to do a much longer daywalk/run or cycle solo, on a day when he is at work and my grandkids are in daycare, think I will probably stick to something well populated, as getting out too far will be tricky as I will have no vehicle. Thoughts on something longer was the Torrens River Trail (I saw bike hire avail), Little Para River Trail . Thoughts anyone?

I will be back in SA in April and am heading to the Flinders Ranges then too, another forum member has helped me out with intel for that trip

[kicyclist]

Marion coastal walking track. You can train it to seacliff station then walk down to the pub next to the beach. Walk south to pick up the track at Kingston Park.
There is a 500m deviation for track work currently underway for a total of 6.1k (Kingston Park to Hallett Cove Beach) You can then catch the train back to the city from Hallett Cove Beach station (via Seacliff). The Hallett Cove end has 3 steep gullies, a conservation park with evidence of long past glaciation. To walk just from Seacliff to the beach then south for only 1.5k then return you will encounter less steep terrain. Something for any stage of rehab.

[eggs]

Agree with kicyclist - Hallet Cove is a nice spot.

Not sure what is entailed with the "Giants Cave Walk" as the cave is a short distance from the car park at Morialta.
But the more I walk the gorge the more fantastic it seems to have such a great park so close to Adelaide.
Your 6km or less suggests going past all the falls to the 3rd falls and back in a loop - possibly via Deep View lookout on the way out or back.
There is some climbing involved.

As for bike riding - I am often on the Torrens River Linear Park going up one way and back on the other side [where you can]
I think the city council still provides free bikes at various locations if you wanted to go from the City to the Coast and back.
[Strike that - it appears fear of a disease which is not here has taken away that option. You should check if hires are available in advance.]
Heading from the city to the hills is more scenic, but a tougher ride.

[Ms_Mudd]

I drove across a few weeks ago as soon as borders opened to rural NSW, so had my car which was very convenient, this time I am flying so shall Uber and public transport when my son is at work, but my walk with him can utilise his car, so Hallet Cove is very do-able. Thanks so much for the suggestions and feedback.

Surely some antibac wipes would sort out the bike hire situation? Goodness me! Will check it out before committing to the idea, but I shall bring my bike helmet regardless as in the least, can ride my sons bike around his neighbourhood. I am thinking the linear trail would be a good one for the day the grand kiddos are in day care, sounds like it is very popular.

This was the walk I had been thinking about which takes in the caves. Perhaps not that great with my son if very steep and uneven footing.
https://www.walkingsa.org.au/walk/find- ... hike-loop/

[eggs]

Ok - that Cave Walk profile at Morialta heads up from the cave and benches over the First Falls before going past Deep View.
Some climbing involved, but the track is well made and maybe only a few sections with some uneven rocks, and a bit shorter than the loop out via 3rd Falls I mentioned.

There are a lot of walks in the Adelaide Hills.
Apart from Morialta, we frequent Black Hill and Ansteys Hill as well as regular climbing of Mt Lofty [which is enormously popular as an exercise track - stats are 8 km return with 480m of climbing up a very hardened track now]
The Heysen Trail is a bit limited in the summer months as anything through private land is closed during the fire season.

[GregR]

Can't go wrong with Morialta for walks in my opinion. All the walks in the Adelaide Hills area are interesting as day walks go. I guess it depends on where you'll be based in Adelaide and how far you want to travel- being from Melbourne myself nowhere in Adelaide is far.

As a Gorge lover I would also suggest Onkaparinga or for for a shorter easier option Sturt Gorge.

Further afield Deep Creek isn't all that far from Adelaide and considering where you normally live it might be a welcome change to see Ocean views.

I find Adelaide has an excellent network of bike trails to get around if you simply want to go for a spin for a few hours- even when the trails take you onto a road it's invariably a very quiet side road 40K zone and then back on a trail. Certainly the short section next to the Torrens is very scenic (assuming you like being in the city that is!)

Try to sneak away for a night up to Mt Remarkable for a quick taste of the Southern Flinders before your trip.

[Ms_Mudd]

Try to sneak away for a night up to Mt Remarkable for a quick taste of the Southern Flinders before your trip.

We are heading back to SA in the first week of April (again borders allowing) and are going to spend a few nights near Wilpena Pound, doing some day walks. I am pretty keen for that! So different to here in the Barrington Tops.

Morialta, phone reception or no? I can pack my inreach mini, but as only a short day walk, was going to go minimalist other than water and snake bandages. I am doing a multiday walk immediately after returning home, so have my pack all loaded up so didn't really want to be removing items that I may forget to put back.

Doing the tourist thing and checking out Hahndorf on the weekend, I forgot it was Valentines Day so went ahead and made a booking so that all the lovebirds didn't nab all the breakfast bookings

I am feeling happy that I am taking the scenic route to Adelaide and flying via Brisbane, given that my other transit option of Melbourne has kicked off again with Covid. I spoke with SA health yesterday and they advised that I actually could have flown direct out of Sydney and not been subject to restrictions -other than showing my Cross Border pass- as long as I spent less than 2 hours Sydneyside...I feel happier flying out of Newcastle though, it is closer and I can then honestly say to SAPOL that I have not been anywhere near Sydney.

[eggs]

Morialta Phone reception is OK - but there might be some blackspots in parts of the deep gorge.
You will not lack for people going past though.

[Ms_Mudd]

Thanks Eggs!

[Ms_Mudd]

Just finished our little day walk, did a bit of a choose your own adventure in Morialta, we were able to tailor the walk to what my sons ankle was up to . Saw a koala , pretty scenery and all very accessible for a short adventure.
Was AMAZING to be out walking with my son again, its been close to 2 years.
Thanks for help on this thread, much appreciated.