[jones]

This thread is for discussing walks on the 'Sea to the Forest' (Victor Harbour to Kuitpo Forest (Rocky Creek) part of the Heysen Trail.

[jones]

2007-Jul-15: I walked 23.5Km return on the trail (6:00 walking time) between Yulte Road and Mt Cone (near point I on Map 2.4 to point G on map 2.5). Grades are easy to medium, with some hard hill climbs. The surface has some muddy sections, some sandy sections, lots of grassy sections, and plenty of slightly rocky tracks/ paths. Elevations vary between 250m to 380m (repeatedly). This part of the trail travels on unsealed roads, tracks, paths, and fields. Off road walking is through Yulte CP, some farms, and a plantation. The weather was cold to cool and had drizzle early, eventually clearing to partly cloudy. The dams I saw close up were full (I could not tell about Myponga Reservior because it was too far away), and creeks were running.

Animals seen were a rabbit, a deer (stag), different types of cows and sheep, and a horse. Birdlife included a falcon, some parrots, and wrens.
Wren in Yulte CP

The walk started on Yulte Road before it passes into a private property. Despite the threat of drizzle, I climbed up to Yulte CP. The sign at the entrance names it as 'Yuli' CP. This park is rather small, but has some steep hill climb sections. I was not discouraged (and no, not because it was drizzling and enveloped in cloud; I could see well over 200m)! The initial section climbs about 80m in about 800m, but most other bits are easier except one section that descends to a creek quite a long way. Fortunately the lower parts of this section has recently been fitted with steps . This, and some well made bridges further on are thanks to the Bushwalkers Group of the SAADV.
Entrance to Yulte CP
View from Yulte CP

The walk exits Yulte CP, crosses a field, goes down a track (not on the map) a short distance, and then crosses a bridge. Here I met a group of 8 or so walkers who had just turned around, and were going to go back through Yulte CP. I continued, ascending through some fields to a ridge line. This has good views down to the Myponga valley, and also down to a walnut farm in a smaller valley on the other side. At this stage my boots were soaked, so a descent into some flatter fields and the need to step through some mud and shallow water did not bother me.

The (re-routed) way then crosses Hindmarsh Tiers Road, and goes to the end of Lawless Lane (which contained a pistol club)! It then goes through a blue-gum plantation for a few Km, until it ascends through forest and fields to Mount Cone. This was nearly as cold as last time, so I ate lunch while walking! The return trip was made easier and more scenic by a little sunshine between the clouds; though the walk through Yulte CP at the end was a good challenge!
View towards the Myponga valley

[jones]

2007-Jul-21: I walked 23.4Km return on the HT (5:27 walking time) between Yulte Road and the James Track/ Myponga CP Track intersection (near point I on Map 2.4 to point I on map 2.3). Grades are easy to hard, with elevations varying between 180m to 380m. The surface is generally firm on the roads, tracks, paths and fields traversed. The boggy sections are mostly boardwalked or bridged. Off road walking is through Myponga CP and some farms. The weather was cool to mild and was fine and sunny. The dams all had water, and all but the most minor creeks were running.

Animals seen were half a dozen kangaroos, different types of cows and sheep, some dogs, a cat, and a rabbit. Birdlife included many parrots, a wren, a kookoburra, 3 geese, and some ducks. Wattle is starting to bloom, and some tiny plants with as few as 3 leaves each have a white flower.
Wattle at the edge of Munn Road

The walk started at the corner of Causeway and Munn Roads. I headed up Causeway Road which has a few little rises with farmland on each side. It then goes north on James Track (at this point a sealed road) for a short way. It then crosses some fields, with boardwalks and bridges (thanks to the efforts of the Bushwalkers Group of the SAADV) over some reeds/ creeks. It then goes up Yulte Road to the point where it passes into a private property near Yulte CP. This was where I started the previous week, so I retraced my steps to the car, covering about 7.1Km in this leg.

I then walked up Munn Road, which starts off unsealed, and eventually degenerates to a track over the 3.5Km the way follows it. There are interesting hills surrounding it in a narrow valley for a while, but they are locked behind private land. There are two fairly easy hills along the path of the road. Eventually the way leaves the road (track) near a small creek, and climbs through fields to Myponga CP. Some kangaroos were hanging round the fields near the park. I stopped for a bite to eat, looking down over the fields and the sea in the distance.

The way then travels along near the edge of the park on a path that is at times steep and quite hard. The park has mostly bushland, with a few cliffs, a waterfall, and some creeks in the hilly terrain. The way drops quickly to a creek initially, then climbs over a smaller hill and crosses another creek. It then climbs a longer way towards a ridgeline at the southern edge of the park. At one point it follows a contour towards a small waterfall for a while. It misses that (there is a spur track to it which I did not have time to go down). Eventually the way reaches the Myponga CP Track, and climbs to the intersection with James Track. This is the highest remaining point on the way going south, and the sea is visible from here. I then turned back to the car, enjoying the mild to even warm conditions on the way back.
View over Myponga CP
Entrance to Myponga CP

[jones]

2007-Aug-25: I walked 21.0Km return on the HT (4:56 walking time) between the James Track/ Myponga CP Track intersection (near point I on Map 2.3 to point I on map 2.2). Grades are easy to hard, with elevations varying between 100m to 380m. The surface is generally firm on the roads, tracks, and paths traversed except climbing Sugarloaf Hill which had a grass/ dirt surface which would be slippery when wet. Off road walking is through bushland in the Sugarloaf Hill/ Town Hill area, and also on a section of the Second Valley Forest. The weather was mild to warm and was partly cloudy. The dams had from 10% to 50% water, and some of the creeks were running.

Animals seen were three kangaroos, some horses, different types of cows, some sheep, and some dogs. Birdlife included many parrots, a few wrens, and a kookaburra.

The walk started at the Memorial Hall in Inman Valley. The way goes a short distance along Inman Valley Road, turns up James Track, and then up Martin Road. This section of the way passes mostly by cattle and horse farms. The way leaves the road, going through a field with two curious horses. This reminds me that there is a big horse influenza scare in Sydney this weekend. The way then rises and turns in a moderately hard climb up Sugarloaf Hill. Follow the fence most of the way to the top and divert to the right on a faint path (which shortly thereafter turns into a track). I actually went right to the top of the hill (great views), took some photos, and then wandered a bit in the light bushland looking for a shortcut to the next part of the track! The way actually continues up the previously mentioned track, then diverts along a well-marked path high above the gulley I went through. It eventually reaches another track near Town Hill. Along here, a Kookaburra was following me for a while. The last section of this stage was back on James track to the turnoff to Myponga CP. I then returned to Inman Valley.
View from Sugarloaf Hill

The other leg of the walk started by going along Inman Valley Road for about 1.5 Km. The way then turns up Roads Lane, and after another kilometre enters part of the Second Valley Forest. It passes along the edge of the pine trees rather than going through them. After another kilometre, the way turns and climbs moderately to Hancock Road. It travels along here for 1.5Km, passing the grave of the original John Hancock (an immigrant settler who arrived in 1840). The road goes along a ridgeline along the southern end of the Inman Valley. You can see across the valley to a tower near Moon Hill, close to the northern end of today's walk. At the point where the way leaves Hancock Road, I turned back for the car.
Hancock Road

[jones]

2007-09-15: I walked 21.8Km return on the trail (4:55 walking time) around Back Valley between the turnoff from Hancock Road (near point I on Map 2.2) to the turnoff from Tugwell Road (near point G on map 2.1). Grades are easy to somewhat hard, with elevations varying between 65m to 200m. The surface was firm on most of the roads, tracks, paths, and fields traversed except for a few muddy places by watercourses. Off road walking was through fields that are sometimes lightly wooded. The weather was mild to warm and was partly cloudy with a few spots of rain a couple of times. The dams were not full, and only some of the creeks were running.

Animals seen were four kangaroos, some ponies, different types of cows, some sheep, and a shingleback lizard. Birdlife included many parrots, a few wrens, and some ducks.
A shingleback lizard

The walk started at the corner of Back Valley Road and Tugwell Road. I headed along Back Valley Road for 600m or so before the way turned on to a track. Back Valley is mostly dairy cattle country (although there are different types of cattle here and there). The track comes back to the road after about 1200m near a field with some ponies. The way diverts there onto Kirk Road, an unsealed 3Km road that goes further along the valley and passes some farmhouses. The way then turns south west, climbing 50m through lightly wooded fields (with a few kangaroos) in a medium grade up a hill. It gradually descends into more open fields, goes past a farm dam, and turns north. In the next 1500m it crosses a watercourse, a hill, a gulley, and then rises fairly sharply to Hancock Road.
View of western Back Valley

After returning to the walk start, I decided to go along the section of the way which follows Tugwell Road to the top of the hill. This unsealed road rises 150m from Back Valley over about 2Km, past a few houses, some stables, and dairies. There is also a small amount of bush where I saw another kangaroo. There are good views down Back Valley near the top of the hill. After reaching the top of the hill, the road stays high for another 500m. The sea can be seen in a few places around here, still about 5Km away. At the point where the way leaves Tugwell Road, I turned back for the car.

[jones]

2008-May-10: Saturday I walked 16.0Km return on the way (3:32 walking time) west of Victor Harbour between the turnoff from Tugwell Road (near point G on Map 2.1) to the end of Kings Beach Road (south of point A on map 2.1). Grades are easy to medium, with elevations varying between 5m to 160m. The surface was firm on most of the roads, tracks, paths, and fields traversed except for a few muddy places by a dam. Off road walking was through open fields and wooded reserves. The weather started cool and partly cloudy, but in the afternoon warmed to fine and was mild to warm. One farmer's dam was full, but there was little runoff and no creeks were running.

Animals seen were a mob of kangaroos in a paddock (and a few others in a patch of bushland), some sheep, some cows, some sheep, and a hawk on the last power pole before the sea. Hawk on pole

The walk started at the corner of Range and Waitpinga roads. I headed north/ northwest along a firetrail bordered with trees and fields. It descends to a creekbed, and after a short while further ends at Tugwell Road. The way continues to a fenceline and follows this for over 2Km through fields. I had confusion over what fence to follow at one point. Signs (further along the fence) seemed to indicate you should cross a low electrified fence at one point, and then (maybe) a not-so-low electrified fence at another point (or walk 1/2 a Km, go under another fence and go through a gate)! The alternative way was to detour around a dam. I'll leave it to you to guess which way I went... There was a mob of kangaroos in one of the fields with a slight dark stripe down the centre of their backs. The way rejoins Tugwell Road near a hill top. This was my turnaround point, so back I went to Range Road. Kangaroos in field

After returning to the walk start, I continued along a narrow patch of bushland bordered by a quarry and some fields. The route goes along the flank of Newland Hill. It comes out on Jagger Road. As you walk east along here you get excellent views of Victor Harbour, the Bluff, and West Island. I then turned down Kings Beach Road, which ends near a small cliff down to the ocean. Here there are great views of King Head and West Island. The Bluff West Island

I walked back to the car still enjoying the views and the great weather. I found my car had a flat on a six-week old tyre that already had a flat two weeks ago! Lucky I had good light and a decent wheel brace to change it with!