7 June 2020
After slow going on the previous day, I was looking forward to this section of the trail as it promised a more benign profile, with only the somewhat disturbingly named Mt Magnificent to be dealt with. Having combined two days running with a weekend away, I was grateful to be dropped off at the starting point with the promise of a car drop at the other end, while Andrew went for a ride. Well and truly into winter, it was a pretty cold day and I had my fingers crossed the rain would stay away.
After a short section of sealed road, it was off road again with a sandy run through waist high ferns and shrubs. I certainly wasn’t expecting so much sand so far inland and at times it was hard going. However there really only was a single trail, so even I couldn’t get lost.
After the sandy track, it was nice to rejoin an unsealed road before a left onto Willowburn Drive then a short section along Nangkita Road then left again and the climb up to the top of Ridge Road. Cresting the top, the route reverts to off road trail and a downhill to the edge of the Finniss Conservation Park. Regrettably this also heralded the start of the climb up Mt Magnificent. A lovely trail, but my legs were feeling considerably less than magnificent.
There is a lookout after the crest of Mt Magnificent, which is worth a visit. The trail then descends through the Mt Magnificent Conservation Park which is quite small in size. Exiting the park, the route turns right onto an unsealed road and a steady climb toward the junction with Woodgate Hill Road and a significantly steeper climb to the point where the trail enters Kyeema Conservation Park. All in all, I was pretty happy to see the car parked at the designated spot and even more excited to hop in and crank the seat warmers up to maximum, before rounding off the weekend with a trundle round McLaren Vale on our bikes the following day.
Racecationing.com 