The winter school holidays are here, and boy oh boy did I need a little getaway!
I am becoming more of a home body than ever before, but sometimes it is nice to have a little change of routine and scenery to invigorate the soul. In this rather uncertain world we live in, I jumped at the chance to book a little mini break once stay at home restrictions were lifted, for who knows when we might find ourselves hunkered down again.
Here in South Australia we are blessed with an abundance of choices for short stay vacays and my shortlist came down to McLaren Vale, the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Clare Valley and the eventually winner - The Adelaide Hills.
Rewind to late December 2019. Just before Christmas, parts of South Australia were decimated by ferocious bushfires whipping across the state in catastrophic weather conditions, destroying homes, businesses, livestock, vineyards and most tragically, lives were lost in what was to be an horrendous summer. I made a pledge there and then that when these communities were ready to welcome visitors, I would do my best to visit, stay, explore and spend my money in support of my fellow Croweaters. All set to lock some travel in back in March, the ‘rona hit. A double whammy for these businesses and communities already struggling to stay afloat. I was even more determined to keep my money in my state and delve deeper into South Australian tourism. The winter school holidays seemed like the perfect time to begin exploring. To begin our four day mini break in the Hills, we had a lovely leisurely lunch at Miss Perez’s in Stirling, followed by a play at the terrific Steamroller Park playground, a Stirling institution for local and visiting children alike.
The GPS in my chocolate stomach (which is separate to my normal stomach and can hold much more), managed to locate and steer me toward Red Cacao Chocolatier despite it being tucked down a little laneway off Mt Barker Road. I shimmied my way through the bustling sugary paradise and grabbed myself a few tasty little morsels to tide me over til dinner. One delectable little treat didn’t last even five minutes in the small paper bag - being thrown down my gullet like a pelican gobbling down a whole whiting.
From Stirling we traversed the back of Mount Lofty to Piccadilly and found our delightful accommodation for the next few days. Once checked in, we relaxed in front of a blazing fire and settled into our perfectly cosy cottage for the evening.
I’ll blog post our wonderful accommodation at the The Other House in Piccadilly separately - for it deserves it’s own entry.
❊ ❊ ❊ ❊ ❊ The following day we drove through the tranquil country roads to Melba’s Chocolate Factory In Woodside. Set in a heritage listed ex cheese factory, Melba’s is a terrific spot to bring the kids (with some pocket money), especially given they can take a peek into any one of the six confectionery producing rooms. Try not being mesmerised as you glance through the window of the Chocolate Room or the Toffee Room where slabs of peanut brittle lay waiting to be packed into little cellophane bags. Not quite Willy Wonka scale, but quaint, interesting and producing some delicious treats, it would’ve been remiss of me to walk out of Melba’s empty handed.
https://www.melbaschocolates.com.au/ Golding Wines, located on the outskirts of Lobethal, was one of many wineries devastated by the December 2019 bushfires that ripped through parts of the Adelaide Hills. The fires left many winemakers with no vines, no infrastructure, no stock and sadly some even lost their homes in the catastrophic blaze. Although Goldings were fortunately spared the estate buildings, 90% of their vineyards were destroyed. As we drove up the gorgeous winding driveway it became evidently clear that the fire licked at the doorstep of the charming sandstone barn, now Tasting Room but remarkably left it untouched. The gardens surrounding the barn are green and the landscaped terraces are the perfect place to while away an afternoon enjoying some local fare while enjoying the pretty surrounds. A little too early in the morning for us to taste, and my palate isn’t the most well-calibrated for alcohol consumption, we let the friendly cellar door staff choose several bottles for us to take away as gifts. I can’t wait to return to sample some of the delicious menu offerings at Golding’s Gingko Restaurant.
❊ ❊ ❊ ❊ ❊
One of the motives for spending a few days away in the Hills was to gain a little respite from my kitchen. I love eating but have no time, energy or enthusiasm for the creation of a dish, so spending an hour or so enjoying someone else’s cooking and not having to soak my hands in Morning Fresh afterwards is one of the all time greatest joys in life. I didn’t do an awful lot of research into hills eateries, but stayed quite mainstream to appease all of our appetites.
Unbeknownst to me, The Aldgate Pump Hotel were offering “kids eat free” on the day we arrived for lunch, so that was a lovely little bonus. Sitting right by a lovely roaring fire while eating a Beef and Guinness pie wasn’t too bad either! And as an extra bonus, there’s a small, fully fenced playground for the kids to run off a bit of energy post meal.
https://aldgatepumphotel.com.au/about-us/
No visit to the Hills would be complete with a quick drive up to Mount Lofty Summit to take in the wonderful panoramic views across Adelaide and right out to the coast. It was pretty fresh 710 metres above sea level, but delightful to fill the lungs with some of that crisp, clean air.
https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/find-a-park/Browse_by_region/Adelaide_Hills/mount-lofty-summit
❊ ❊ ❊ ❊ ❊
Day three of our Adelaide Hills escapade was spent traversing the Mt Lofty Ranges under a beautiful blue winter sky. After a lovely morning tea with friends in Scott Creek, we found ourselves in the rather majestic Stirling Hotel for lunch. Originally known as “The Halfway Inn” given its location being roughly halfway between Adelaide and Mount Barker, the Stirling Hotel is not just a fine place to eat, but also offers five luxuriously appointed B&B suites, function spaces, a cellar and patisserie. Lucky to get a table as a walk-in at the exceptionally busy but beautifully decorated Bistro, lunch was a mouth-watering plate of beef cheek gnocchi. Possibly the most perfect dish for a crisp July afternoon.
https://www.stirlinghotel.com.au/
What better way to walk off a belly full of beef cheek than a stroll through the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden. We arrived quite late in the day and given the gates closed at 4pm, it was just enough time to clock up a couple of thousand steps around the lake, conveniently located just near the lower carpark entry off Lampert Road in Crafers. We were a little too late in the year to enjoy the full autumnal colours but caught some residual red and burgundy tones on a smattering of trees. For art lovers, there are some interesting sculptures dotted around the one kilometre lakeside trail - all sporting a thought-provoking message relating to the environment, life and our beautiful planet Earth.
Before we came back to suburbia on day four or our sojourn, I met up with one of my dear friends from high school. When you have children, the absolute best place for a catchup is a playground. And the little gem right next to the Bridgewater Mill is quite perfect. We easily chatted a couple of hours away while the kids played on the flying fox, climbing equipment, slide, and indulged in some nature play. The Heysen Trail meanders nearby if you’re up for a stroll and little ones might be keen to explore the Fairy Garden at Deanery Reserve. The pièce de résistance - The Little Cog Cafe. A delightfully cozy stone cottage cafe serving up coffee, snacks and lunches to keep everyone happy!
https://kidsinadelaide.com.au/bridgewater-mill-playground/
The Adelaide Hills provided four fabulous days away without having to travel more than an hour from home. I can’t wait to get back and explore more of this beautiful part of my state - and it’s right there on my proverbial doorstep.
Comments