Discover McLaren Vale on foot or by bike
Clearly we are passionate about food & wine (after all, we are living in a wine region) but also about walking and more recently again using our bikes - hence it was no question for us to combine all of this and map a range of self-guided walking or bike trails - for our guest to discover the best the region has to offer, starting right at Karawatha Cottages, your McLaren Vale accommodation.
It all started with a relative short loop walk, connecting Karawatha Cottages with a number of our 'Flat Mates' (wineries and restaurants in the McLaren Flat/Blewitt Springs "sub-region").
Given our rural location amongst the vines, it was easy to simply follow a route along back-country roads and road reserves to 'connect the dots' and staying (mostly) off the main roads. A few markers along the way, a printed mud map and our 'Karawatha Cottages - Flat Mates Wine Walking Trail' was born.
It shouldn't have been but it was a bit of a surprise, how quickly our walk became a favourite with our guests - but what's not to like: walking between wine tastings is the best way to truly get up and close to vineyards and the wine country in general, takes the 'who is driving' question out of the equation and also creates the perfect excuse for maybe indulging a bit more and adding the dessert to the lunch after all.
We have since evolved our original wine walk and you can even pre-book it as a 'Food & Wine Walk Experience', which includes bespoke tastings at two wineries and a wonderful long lunch at The Currant Shed ... and we pick you up after lunch as part of the package, if you rather skip the last kilometre of the walk.
But, our original Flat Mates Wine Walking Trail as well as all our other trails that we have since mapped out are all available to embark on as a self-guided trail to explore the McLaren Vale wine region, with mud maps (including online and digital versions) available for you in your cottage.
Bring your own bike, collect a hire e-bike at the Beresford Tasting Pavilion (250m from your cottage) or get an e-bike delivered to your cottage from our friends at SA eBikes (standard eBikes) or Deluxe eBikes (vintage look Vallkree fat tyre bikes) - we do have secure and undercover bike storage available for you.
Here is a list of all our trails for your inspiration on how to spend a couple of days in the McLaren Vale region, sampling the best in wine, food, beer and more whilst still staying active.
Karawatha Cottages - Flat Mates Wine & Food Trail
4.5 - 7 km | 7 cellar doors, 1 brewery | 3 restaurants | walking only
Extended Karawatha Cottages - Flat Mates Food & Wine Trail
12.5 - 17 km | 14 cellar doors, 2 breweries | 3+ restaurants | walk or cycle
McLaren Vale via Shiraz Trail & 'Flat to the Vale' Trail
19 km | 10+ cellar doors, 2 breweries | 4+ restaurants | cycle
24 km | 15+ cellar doors, 2 breweries | 5+ restaurants | cycle
Northern McLaren Vale Bike Trail Loop
23 km | 15+ cellar doors, 1 brewery, 4 distilleries | 5+ restaurants | cycle
6 km | 2 cellar doors | walking only
14 -17 km | 2-6 cellar doors, 1 distillery | walking only
Interested in finding out more about our McLaren Vale walking or cycling trails? Simply click on the above links or continue to scroll down for detailed trail descriptions and images.
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Our original "Karawatha Cottages - Flat Mates Wine & Food Walking Trail"
Without doubt, the most popular of all our trails: this walk leads you along backroads and part of the Willunga Basin Walking Trail past several cellar doors (our immediate neighbours at Geddes Wines, Beresford Wines and Woodstock - plus DogRidge, Shottesbrooke and Graham Stevens) and can incorporate a lunch at the hatted Currant Shed restaurant (bookings required), the Woodstock Gin Long Canteen (summer weekends only) or the Vale Brewing Restaurant.
Length: 4.50 - 7 km, depending on the number of cellar doors you include
Cellar Doors: up to 7 for wine tasting, plus a brewery & the opportunity for gin tasting
Food: The Currant Shed, Woodstock Wines and Vale Brewing Restaurant- plus platters, snacks at DogRidge and Beresford Wines
Trail Type: Mainly dirt roads plus a short section of the Willunga basin walking trail (not suitable for bikes)
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The extended Karawatha Cottages - Flat Mates Wine & Food Walk / Bike Trail
An extension of our original walking trail above but bypassing the Willunga Basin Trail section and therefore also suitable for bikes; this route takes you right towards where the Mt. Lofty Ranges raise from the Willunga basin (so a bit of elevation to cover), offering beautiful views with glimpses of the St Vincent Gulf in the distance.
Additional cellar doors that will tempt you to stop and break the journey for a while are: Pruners Hut (weekends only, offering food and showcasing local art), Hugo Wines (also offering platters), Gemtree Wines as well as Kangarilla Road & Silent Noise Wine and the Conte Estate Vine Shed (pizza & platters). Or continue on to a true micro brewery (Goodieson - with a Bavarian beer garden and BYO food) or a truly unique fruit orchard & cellar door experience: McCarthy's Orchard (offering also cider, platters and pizza). On your way back through McLaren Flat you will pass the local General Store (great coffees and cake) & the 'Five o'clock Somewhere' wine bar (for tapas and broad option of local wines).
Length: 12.50 or 17 km, depending on the route you choose and number of cellar doors you include
Cellar Doors: up to 14 for wine tasting and 2 breweries
Food: 6 wineries offering platters/pizza, the General Store & Wine Bar plus the restaurants of the Walking Trail
Trail Type: Mix of dirt roads and small regular roads; there is short "sandy" and "rocky" section, suitable to walking and biking, although you should be a confident bike rider - or you simply push the bike for a bit
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Karawatha Cottages to McLaren Vale via Shiraz Trail & Flat to the Vale Trail
Given the distance covered in this loop trail and the fact that about two thirds of it are on roads, we are now definitely in bike territory.
The trail leads you from your cottage south towards Willunga, following small and quiet roads before heading west after a possible stop at Bec Hardy Wines, to connect with the Shiraz Trail. Following the Shiraz Trail towards McLaren Vale, there are many options for a few tastings at the wineries on McMurtrie Rd or for a long lunch at The Salopian Inn. In McLaren Vale, the Shiraz Trail connects with the Flat to the Vale Trail, leading you back towards McLaren Flat and Karawatha Cottages.
Plenty of options along this loop for wine tastings as well as for either proper long lunches or just a stop for a platter or pizza - all of them highlighted on your mud map in your cottage.
Length: 19 km
Cellar Doors: 10+ cellar doors, including 2 breweries and 1 cellar door with wine and ciders
Food: The Currant Shed, The Salopian Inn, The Kitchen at Bec Hardy, The Vine Shed and a few more offering platters
Trail Type: Mostly on quiet back-roads, a few with gravel only - plus the Shiraz & Flat to the Vale cycle trails
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Karawatha Cottages to Shiraz Trail Loop
At first you will follow the above trail, but continue further south towards Willunga; after initially riding on small and quiet roads, before continuing for a small section along the Willunga basin walking trail (perfectly suitable for a bike). Just after the half way point, you will turn north again and follow the famous Shiraz Trail until you merge onto McMurtrie Road. Not our favourite road to be on a bike - but there are just too many well known cellar doors along that short stretch to miss the opportunity (you will pass Primo Estate, Thicker than Water Wines, Mitolo Wines, Hugh Hamilton Wines, the joint cellar door of Lino Ramble, Sherrah and Bondar Wines, Samson Tall and Wirra Wirra Wines on that 2km section). After that short stretch on busy McMurtrie Road, you will close the loop and follow the same route back to your cottage.
There are too many wineries along the way to list them all here, but you will find them all highlighted on your mud map in your cottage.
Length: 23.7 km
Cellar Doors: 15 cellar doors, including 2 breweries and 1 cellar door with wine and ciders
Food: The Currant Shed, The Salopian Inn, The Kitchen at Bec Hardy, The Vine Shed, Mitolo Little Wolf Osteria, Harry's Deli and a few more offering platters
Trail Type: Mostly on quiet back-roads, a few with gravel only - plus the Shiraz cycle trail
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Karawatha Cottages - Northern McLaren Vale Bike Trail Loop
We believe this loop trail gives you the quintessential McLaren Vale experience by taking up north through Blewitt Springs and our rolling vineyards towards the Onkaparinga National Park with some beautiful vantage points to take in the most amazing views across (more) vineyards, the National Park and the waters of the St. Vincent Gulf in the distance. And once you have reached the highest point of the trail, the choice is all yours: starting with an amazing (and educational) whisky tasting at the McLaren Vale Distillery, followed by more than 15 cellar doors along the way. From our well known producers like d'Arenberg, Maxwell Wines and Pannell Enoteca to smaller and quirky wineries like Samuel's Gorge, Zerella Wines or Alpha Box & Dice.
Plus there are plenty of opportunities for a bit to eat - with a range of fine dining restaurants like d'Arry's Verandah, Maxwell and Coriole to more casual eateries like Swell Brewing, Beach Road Wines or Cucina di Strada at Chalk Hill Wines.
And after you have hopefully discovered a few new wineries and regained your strength thanks to a good lunch, simply follow the Shiraz Trail for a bit, before taking the Flat to the Vale bike trail back to your cottage.
Length: ~ 23 km
Cellar Doors: more than 15 wineries, plus one brewery and 4 distilleries
Food: Coriole, Beach Road Wines, Swell Brewing, Maxwell Wines, Cucina di Strada and Pizzateca
Trail Type: Mostly on bitumen roads, short sections on dirt roads - plus the bike trails
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Manning Reserve Loop Walk
For a change, the focus of this walk is not wine & food, but the Manning Flora and Nature Reserve and the undulating vineyards on the sandy Beltunga Close track towards the Manning Reserve. The reserve features Pink Gums (with Bracken Ferns as understory in the sandy loam sections and Grass-Trees on the lateritic ridge). Banksias and Golden Wattles are also in abundance. Watch out for a variety of birds from Adelaide Rosellas and Red Wattlebirds, to the smaller Spotted Pardalote, Striated Thornbill, Red-browed Finches and Silvereyes.
The walk follows a short section on Blewitt Springs Rd towards a dirt track, that offers some of the best vineyard views and leads you straight to the nature reserve. A loop walk within the reserve takes you through dense bushland before heading back the same way.
Length: 6 km
Cellar Doors: "just" our 2 immediate neighbours (Geddes Wines and Beresford Wine Estate), plus the seasonal cellar door of Alluca (summer months)
Food: Beresford Wines offering panini and platters
Trail Type: Short section on bitumen road, otherwise sand tracks (not suitable for bikes)
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Hardy's Scrub Loop Walk
A strenuous and long walk but very rewarding given the range of territory covered, with some truly stunning views. Plus, for most of the walk, you won't meet another soul - all whilst being in the middle of the McLaren Vale wine region.
The first section of this walk follows the Manning Reserve loop trail, but rather than heading into the reserve you will continue further north to access the Onkaparinga National Park; follow the Wine Dam Track, that will lead you through the Hardy's Scrub section of the park. Native vegetation of the Southern Hills is in abundance here: Greybox, Pink Gums and Southern Cypress Pines dominate, with wattles and (in spring) a myriad of wild flowers. Head west inside the National Park before turning south again, along the ridge of Amery Rd with views across the entire basin, over rolling vineyards all the way to the St. Vincent Gulf.
The track follows mostly back roads and walking trails, with one short section involving a bit of a scramble. Along the way you will pass the McLaren Vale Distillery tasting room (whisky & fortified wines) just before the half-way point and can book a tasting at Ministry of Clouds (open by appointment only); plus, if you add a 2.8 km return side trip, you can visit the Chapel Hill, Samuel Gorge and (soon to be opened) Dandelion Vineyards cellar doors.
Length: 13.9 km (excluding the side trip)
Cellar Doors: our 2 immediate neighbours (Geddes Wines and Beresford Wine Estate), plus the McLaren Vale Distillery, Ministry of Clouds Wines (by appointment), Chapel Hill, Samuel Gorge & Dandelion Vineyards
Food: Beresford Wines offering panini and platters
Trail Type: Short section on bitumen road, otherwise sand / walking tracks (not suitable for bikes)
