Everyone’s favourite valley
Second Valley hides itself down the Fleurieu Peninsula, 90 km south of Adelaide. That’s about an hour and a quarter by car. The valley begins at the main Adelaide-to-Cape Jervis road, and runs for a couple of kilometres down to the beach.
In summer, it feels like you have magically arrived on a Greek island; where the hills meet the sea and the rain takes a holiday. Sparkling clear water for swimming, snorkelling or scuba diving; a comfortable jetty renowned for catching squid; a small, perfect sandy beach with interesting rocks to investigate; and around the corner more challenging places to walk and explore.
As summer mellows into Autumn, the sun lowers itself slowly into the northern sky, losing its bite; shadows lenghten. The urge to take a picnic and a chilled bottle of local wine to a close-by beach or into the countryside is irresistible. Walks beckon. Sun-warmed long lunches and afternoon dozes seduce.
In winter the hills turn emerald green, the sea roughs up, the squid still hang about the solid jetty (only now the fishers bring their thermoses and beanies). Its time for forests, walks, coffees and lunches with an open fire and a Fleurieu red, and explorations to close-by places like Normanville, Rapid Bay, Deep Creek, or Cape Jervis where the Kangaroo Island ferry leaves the mainland.
Just when winter starts to outstayed its welcome, it gets the message and exits stage left. Nature stretches and unfolds as spring surprises us once again. “I don’t remember the blossom ever being as gorgeous as this year”. Days lengthen, the sun warms up, the grape vines shoot, and the second hand shops in places like Yankalilla restock for the summer crowds.