Lavender Federation Trail (Northern End)

The Clare Valley is the finish line of one of South Australia's great long-distance walks. The Lavender Federation Trail begins at Murray Bridge and runs 325 kilometres up the eastern flanks of the Mount Lofty Ranges, reaching Clare through the townships of Manoora, Mintaro and Watervale. Named for trail-builder Terry Lavender, it was constructed entirely by volunteers from 1999 and officially completed to Clare in May 2018.

You do not need to walk all of it. The final sections make excellent day walks through working farmland and vineyard country, and the route passes close to the slate village of Mintaro and the riesling vineyards around Watervale, with connecting loop trails adding a further 96 kilometres of options.

In Clare the trail meets the Riesling Trail, so committed walkers can link two of the state's best-known trails in a single trip. Marker posts carry the trail's distinctive lavender-coloured arrows.