Walk the Yorke Trail
The walk the ‘Yorke Trail is more than 500 kilometers of the continuous shared trail for cyclists and walkers. You can explore the unique coastline of the Peninsula, from Port Wakefield to Moonta Bay. You can choose from short walks or a day walk, or even walk a section of the trail over multiple days. Download the Walk the Yorke leisure trail map Here. The trail is divided into 16 smaller sections. For the last 10 sections of walking the Yorke trail, there are a lot of detours along the roads for cyclists while walkers walk along the beach. We gave most of the sections where there were large sections of roads a miss. This Blog is the ‘Walk the Yorke’ Trail on the the East Coast of the Yorke Peninsula.
Balgowan
There were a couple of good trail sections of the ‘Walk The Yorke’ Trail in Balgowan, Port Victoria and a short section from Port Hughes to Simms cove
Port Clinton To Price
This is the second section of the trail. It begins in Port Clinton and ends in Ardrossan. Walk The Yorke is designed to be walked as one section (27.8km), but can be walked in 2 sections. The 2 sections are Port Clinton to Price 7.8km (1 hour 57 mins), and Price to Ardrossan 20km (5 hours). We completed the beautiful scenic clifftop trail from Port Clinton into Price.
From here the trail does continue along roads and down to Mac’s beach. The next day we road from Ardrossan to Tiddy Widdy beach.
Ardrossan to Muloowurtie Point Or Pine Point
Ardrossan to James Well
You can walk the full 18.8km from Ardrossan to Pine Point (one-way), or choose to do one of the smaller walks that makes up this section – Ardrossan to James Well 8.1km (2 hours) The trail is well maintained but gets confusing. If you follow the trail signs you will end up on a very sandy trail which is fine for walkers. But for cyclists you may have to carry your bike over the small fence and then take the the first track up the steep corrugated track to the top. From here it does smooth out again but there is one more fence on the way out to James Well town. Alternatively take the Yorke Highway south from Ardrossan, bypassing Parara Road and using James Well Road to access James Well.
James Well to Rouges Point
James Well to Rogues Point 1.6km (25 mins). This section is Along James Well road to Chapman road before linking back up with the coastal trail. Rogues Point to Pine Point 9.1km (2 hours 17 mins). This is a very beautiful part of the trail with spectacular ocean views along the way. Although the track kind of just ends for cyclists at Muloowurtie Point. Unless you are willing to wheel your bike down the valley and up a very sandy steep track. I wouldn’t recommend the track, If you are willing defiantly scope it out before you attempt it. After the Gully the track is back to fine gravel into Pine Point.
According to the Yorke website the trail is under maintenance. For this section, cyclists will need to follow the highway between Rogues Point & Pine Point. Walkers can continue to use this section of the trail, however will need to follow the fence line through the unmade trail part.
Port Julia to Port Vincent
This Section of the walk the Yorke trail does begin in Pine point. From Pine Point, walkers & cyclists share the same path until the turn off at Black Point. From here, cyclists continue along the highway to Port Julia, while walkers following the coastline, first along the designated trail then along a beach walk. Unless your a cyclist that likes highway riding this section of the trail isn’t very scenic. For walkers it is a walk along the beach only at low tide.
Port Julia
The next day we headed past Port Julia and rode the section from the Jetty to Sheoak Flat. We then began the ride from Port Vincent to sheoak Flat this is a beautiful cliff top walk to begin with. The path heads along the cliff and through the golf course. After the golf course the trail continues along the road or you can take the single trail on the right. Its a beautiful trail however its dangerously close to the edge at times and probably safer to just walk the trail.
Port Vincent to Stansbury
This section is split into 3 small sections Port Vincent to Lime Kiln Gully 7.2km, Lime Kiln Gully to Beach Hut 2km, and Beach Hut to Stansbury 8.4km. The last section is along the highway and isn’t the most scenic part. The first section from Port Vincent to the cliff top is up a set of stairs for cyclists you can detour along the main road and take you’re first left back to the trail. If you are walking, take the trail up the set of stairs. If you don’t want to do the whole track you can just walk this section for beautiful views over the ocean, a 1.6km return walk known as the Ralph Munro Clifftop Walk. The trail along this section is mostly fine gravel and ends at a beautiful beach before heading to the highway.
Stansbury to Edithburgh
The trail begins along the foreshore path in Stansbury. It then heads along a nice gravel path before heading up to the top of the cliff. It isn’t very well signed we first headed along the bottom trail which heads to the beach. The walk on the Yorke trail goes to the right and up the cliff. From here the trail is along the front of houses with beautiful views of the ocean on the other side to Pitts Cutting lookout. The trail is a single trail and has quite a rocky terrain. Alternatively for cyclists head up to Klein Point road and along the road, you will connect back up with the trail from here. We drove to Wool bay From the Lookout and when you get to Klein Point mining the trail heads along roads for about 9km to Wool Bay.
Wool Bay to Edithburgh
When you get to Wool Bay the trail continues along the cliff from Klein Point Mine to The Wool Bay Lime Kiln. This section is Wool Bay could also be done as a short walk for beautiful views. As you head out of Wool Bay head towards Coobowie past Port Giles, a deep sea port for transporting grains all over the world. Spring & summer time means harvest with lots of grain trucks bringing their loads to Port Giles. Most of the trail to Coobowie is along fine gravel or along the road for cyclists. There is a section of the trail that is narrow and has rocky terrain this section is for walkers only.
Coobowie To Edithburgh
Once you get to Coobowie head through the town on the other side. You will have the choice to go left or right. The path to the right does go down through the estuary but not past the bird hide. You have a choice to head across the road bridge where you will find the bird hide sign on the other side of the bridge. The Path to the left heads along the waterfront to the bird hide. Then cross the road bridge back to the made path. From here the trail winds its way on a made path along the coast to Edithburgh Golf Course. You then head through the golf course on a shared trail before coming out into the town.
Edithburgh to Sultana Point
The next section of the ‘Walk the Yorke Trail’ heads from Edithburgh to Port Moorowie. We completed this section in parts. We first headed from Edithburgh to Wattle Point Windmill farm. The walk to Sultana Point is an easy trail and can be done as a short walk. The trail is also known as the mosaic trail which is 8.9km return walk.
Sultana Point to Wattle Point Windmill Farm
From Sultana Point follow the yellow signs, The trail then becomes 600m section of sand. Between Sultana Point & Wattle Point, cyclists may find they need to walk their bike. It then opens up to a four-wheel-drive track which can be ridden. This is where you will see the 55 large wind turbines. The trail then splits with walkers heading down to the beach and cyclist head along Heel Road. The road continues for 3.5km to Gold Smith Beach.
Gold Smith Beach To Port Moorowie
From Gold Smith beach the path becomes a shared trail to Troubridge Lighthouse. Although it is a shared trail the terrain is quite rocky. The Troubridge Hill Lighthouse has a light range of 22 nautical miles and is 32 meters tall. The lighthouse is built with custom-made special wedge-shaped clay bricks and was designed to be resistant to high winds and earthquakes. After the lighthouse the trail splits off to walkers heading down to the beach and cyclists along the road to Kemp Bay Shelter. The trail then becomes shared again to Port Moorowie. We choose to drive the Scenic route to Marion Bay. We went past the light house, Kemp Bay and Port Moorowie.
Foul Bay
The next section of the ‘Walk the Yorke’ trail continues to Foul bay. This section is better suited to walking as cyclists ride along the gravel road from Port Moorowie to the intersection of South Coast Road, Wild Dog Hill Road and Nugent Road. From here the trail is for walking & cycling as it heads towards Foul Bay. The last part from Point Davenport to Foul Bay is 17.9km one way along the road and a Fwd Track just up from Foul Bay. There is also a short 500 meter trail in Port Moorowie.
Foul Bay To Marion Bay
After Foul Bay cyclists head to the road while walkers head to the beach to Marion Bay. Make sure to stop past Kangaroo Island Lookout and Meehan Hill Lookout. We think the best part of the ‘Walk the Yorke’ trails was through the eastern coast of the Yorke with most of the trails being along the cliff top and having spectacular views along the ocean for both cyclists and walkers. We found from Gold smith beach most of the trail was along the roads for cyclists and along the beach for walkers.
Click Here for the Best things to do in the Clare Valley