CLELAND : EAGLE ON HILL LOOP
 Circuit : 2 hours 20 minutes,  8 kms
EAGLE ON HILL


Much of this walk is in fact just outside the boundary of Cleland, but it is convenient to include it here.

Park the car at the top end of Waterfall Gully Road in the First Falls car park, and walk back down the road 2 kilometres. Watch the traffic!

Between Chambers Gully Quarry Road and Woolshed Gully, and on the opposite side of the road, we find a track into Mount Osmond Reserve.  Some track signs call this the Devonport Track.

The track climbs slowly out around the end of Waterfall Gully with views over the plains, and after a bit comes to a track intersection.  Here we turn sharp left up Centre Track. Whoever named these various tracks was certainly lacking in imagination!

About 25 minutes hard climb up a grassy ridge brings us to this look out.  In fact, this grassy ridge can be easily seen from Greenhill Road (which can just be seen in the photo).

For the very energetic, there is the option of a western excursion to this nearby grassy mound.

Looking ahead we can see The old Bullock Track which was one of the main entries to Adelaide in the old days.  The trail here is also part of The Women Pioneers trail.  Early settlers came this way from Hahndorf to sell their wares.  Keen!  I was amazed to discover a house just here on the right, and then realized that Hayward Road is right here (visible).  This would be an easy way to visit this section of the walk.

So here's the Track ...

... and the view back from up there.

From here the Track follows along the ridge with great general views of Waterfall Gully and Mount Lofty Summit on the left, and first the Mount Osmond Golf Course and then the South Eastern Freeway and the Heysen Tunnels on the right.  Unfortunately the bush has grown to obscure the views!  Reaching the Mount Barker Road, it is worth walking back for five minutes to see the old Eagle on the Hill – a thriving hotel until the new freeway bypassed it completely.

At the join of the Bullock Track and Mount Barker Road there is an entrance into Cleland ...

... and soon after, a lovely view down Waterfall Gully.  But wait!  Isn't this where we have to go?  At least it's downhill!

Almost a kilometer from the hotel, the downward track (pictured) joins the main Waterfall Gully – Mount Lofty Summit Track.

This main trail is ridiculous – like a pedestrian mall even early in the morning!   It goes down past the pretty Second Fall ...

 ... and shortly afterwards we come to First Fall – better in winter.

And so back to the car.

EAGLE ON HILL