The Clare Valley

Clare is the beautiful town which gives its name to the Clare Valley region. Wineries surround the town making it one of the most picturesque locations in the Valley. Rolling hills are complemented by aging ruins and natural landmarks which all add to the history of Clare.

 

The Clare Valley is one of Australia’s most famous wine producing regions.  It is made up of twelve separate valleys which all link to form one of the prettiest wine producing areas in Australia.

 

An easy 90 minute drive from Adelaide will bring you to Auburn, a proclaimed heritage town and other stone villages that line Main North Road to Clare – Leasingham, Watervale, Penwortham, Sevenhill and a few kilometres to the east the historic town of Mintaro and Polish Hill River.

 

Scenically the Clare Valley offers magnificent gum-studded pastures, picturesque vineyards, rolling hills and steep sided valleys.

 

The Riesling Trail, a 27 km path that follows the old railway line between Auburn and Clare, links the villages of the wine region and offers cyclists and walkers a kaleidoscope of varied and picturesque countryside.

 

The Clare Valley is the gateway to the beautiful Flinders Ranges.

 

Walkers can pick up the Heysen Trail from here, which runs for 1,200 km from Cape Jervis on the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges.

 

A great alternative for mountain bikers is the 900 km Mawson Trail, also accessible from the Clare Valley. For more information, go to the South Australian Trails website.

 

To fully experience all that the Clare Valley has to offer, we recommend following the 300 km, self-drive Heartland Heritage Trail. The route takes in seven of the Valley’s historic towns, several wineries, restaurants, art galleries, and more than 30 pubs!

 

For something really special, there’s Martindale Hall near Mintaro, a Georgian mansion featured in the classic Australian film, “Picnic at Hanging Rock”. The property is open to inquisitive day visitors, but guests staying in the on-site accommodation get to use the heritage site after hours, dining at the huge mahogany table, playing billiards and breakfasting in the huge kitchen.

 

The nearby Mintaro Maze is a hit with families, and if you have time on your hands and want to get right into the landscape, there are a number of walk trails, and the Clare Golf Club in amongst the vineyards

 

Why not take a drive to Clare, stay a night or two and visit some wineries and then head off to the Flinders Rangers in a Discover Camper Trailer.