I was excited about finding a safer way into Gawler from the end of the Stuart O’Grady Bikeway, so as soon as I saw that the forecast for Sunday looked reasonable, I posted a ride to the group.
We met at Munno Para Wetlands and took the Smith Creek and Andrews Road bike paths out to Fradd Road East, where the last of the almond blossoms were in flower.
Stuart O’Grady Bikeway
The plan was to take the Stuart O’Grady Bikeway nine kilometres to the northern end of the path. The wind was southerly and the riding was easy as we headed north, but we knew we would probably have to pay for it on the return journey. The faster riders zoomed ahead. They would wait for us at the end of the bikeway.
Between Hillier Road and Two Wells Road, the Stuart O’Grady Bikeway crosses the Gawler River. It’s a good opportunity to look at the river, have a drink and maybe take off a layer.
We re-grouped at the end of the bikeway and crossed the Gawler Bypass on Two Wells Road. Straight after the bridge we turned left onto Paternoster Road which we followed for a kilometre. We pedalled a short way through the suburb of Reid before spilling down onto the Gawler River flood plain.
Gawler Rivers Trails
The Gawler Rivers Trails are a wonderful network of paths along the Gawler, North Para and South Para Rivers.
We passed the junction of the North and South Para Rivers and followed the South Para River into town. It was the Gawler Show weekend and the path was busy with pedestrians as we passed the showgrounds.
We sheltered from the cold at Cibo Espresso in the main street of Gawler.
While we were drinking coffee, it began to drizzle outside. We hoped that the forecast of little to no rain would hold true.
We rode quickly on the return journey. Everybody was keen to get out of the cool wind and avoid getting wet. We had cycled 37.7 kilometres and climbed 131 metres.
Here is a short video of the Gawler Rivers Trail from Reid to Gawler:
Another great ride which makes use of the Stuart O’Grady Bikeway is the Almond Blossom Ride.
To see what group rides we have planned for the coming weeks, join the Uncool Cycling Club Facebook Group. If you would like more detailed information about the Gawler Rivers Trails, click here.
