The Clare Valley is a beautiful piece of South Australia, on a one hour drive from Adelaide. You are surrounded by dry fields that form a strong contrast with the green vegetation. It’s like I’ve arrived in the scenery of McCleods Daughters and it so happens to be that the series were filmed here. Kingsford Homestead is the real name of Drovers Run and is now used as tourist accommodation. But even if you don’t get to Drovers you’ll feel the station vibe. The many sheep are hiding in the shade of the few trees.
Besides cattle, the Clare Valley also has plenty of room for wines. I went to a winery close to the town of Clare, called Seven Hill Winery. Years ago some Austrian Jesuits fled their country and arrived in this region to seek a place where they could practice their religion. They started this winery and it is surrounded by religious signs.
Even though I am not a fan of wine, the amazing scenery was worth the trip. Besides checking out the wine cellar, it is a must to walk around the property. The winery has made a map with a walk that shows the suffering of Jesus. I don’t like wine and I’m not religious, but I enjoyed this none the less. This area is very scenic and lovely for photographers.
Imagine countless rows of grapevines in a slightly hilly landscape. The sun is glistening in a bright blue sky. It’s just you and the birds. Dotted in between the grapevines are an old church, a shed, a bicycle, Maria statues and a cemetary. After walking around you have a picnic under the trees.
Sevenhill is part of the Riesling trail, a route you can walk or bike and passes many wineries. With B&B’s, restaurants and art galleries along the way, you could easily make a weekend out of it.
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