We investigate the Heysen Trail

For some post-festive exercise we decided to do a bit of the Heysen Trail - and when I say 'a bit' I most definitely mean it. The Trail itself extends 1200kms from Cape Jervis at the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges and is a 60-day adventure walk. For us, we did four kms (eight kms return) of the Trail in the Newland Head Conservation Park, a bushland park not far from our home.  Disappointingly, it was not the best of walks: it began well with a well-defined track.

Then, the track proceeded uphill in a gradual slope that never ended; we were walking up a steep ridge line. The terrain got sandier and became a bit of a slog, then rockier. On either side was unremarkable coastal vegetation. We eventually arrived at the end of the ridge and looked out on the Southern Ocean. The track then followed the coast. We spotted a few wildflowers and had glimpses of spectacular coastline with rocky headlands and surging surf.

The narrow track now wound in and around bushes and rocks and we decided we had had enough. The fresh sea breeze was welcome as we retraced our steps.