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Circuit distance : 7 kilometres We choose a beautiful morning to walk the stretch of the Torrens Linear Park from Port Road west to Holbrooks Road. We park in the parking area by the West End Brewery off Adam Street.
• 1 The riverbank next to the brewery has an annual Christmas display which draws great crowds. Vulcan is not at work inside his mountain today, but the riverbank is pretty.
• 2 Colonel Light lived just over the river here (next to the brewery?!), but I think only this plaque remains now.
• 3 Looking east up the river we see a short stretch of walking track on the southern bank, but it soon disappears, and we have to rely on the northern bank trail across to South Road.
• 4 It is a good day for bird watching – and for fishing, thinks the pied cormorant.
• 5 Just before the South Road Bridge we come unexpectedly upon the Hindmarsh Cemetery, right by the path. There are old graves, but also more recent ones. Not much sign of life here ...
• 6 Beyond the South Road bridge there are some lovely scenic stretches of the Park. The distance markers occur regularly along the way, but are in error here: it is about a kilometre between Port and South Roads, not the stated 2.5 km.
• 7 All the way along here the water of the river is held back by little weirs.
• 8 From these scenes you would hardly guess the industrial nature of the southern bank for much of this walk.
• 9 This large derelict site presumably had an industrial past, but will one day be a new housing estate just by the river.
• 10 These walks are always good times for reflection.
• 11 We are on a constant lookout for birdlife, including the friendly cockatoos ...
• 12 ... and the more nervous grey herons.
• 13 Towards the Holbrooks Road bridge we come to this attractive little footbridge, and some exercise equipment.
• 14 Finally the end of this stretch comes in sight with the Holbrooks Road bridge.
• 15 The river reeds make an attractive sight in the morning sunshine.
• 16 As we retrace our path, but on the southern side, some of our previously noted features take on a different aspect. Here the footbridge. We can just see industrial buildings in the background.
• 17 Shortly after this the trail leaves the river briefly and follows along a couple of streets before returning. We notice that for about a kilometre the Torrens has a carefully laid bed – interesting for people who know about tessellations!
• 18 The trail along this side of the river runs high above the water and alongside industrial properties with walls, fences, and unfriendly barbed wire. I thought this was a good symbol of the industrial age.
• 19 The industrial ugliness stands in stark contrast to the beauty of the Linear Park. We might reflect that in olden times, factories would have been built along the river to draw water. We won’t even think about the outflows!
• 20 We catch sight of another bird to add to our tally: the noisy thunderbird!
• 21 What a lovely place this is ... • 22 A special treat was finding this sheoak (swamp oak) in flower.
• 23 Around here we thought that a toilet stop might be a good idea. Perhaps this construction might cater for walkers with extreme flatulence? Or perhaps not!
• 24 Reaching the South Road bridge, our intrepid leader ventures into the unknown to see if there is any way of avoiding crossing the busy highway, but she is unsuccessful.
• 25 On this corner we find the old brickworks – an historic reminder of the past.
We cross back over busy South Road and then over the bridge, retracing our steps to the car. |
