The Clare Valley's Riesling Trail, Town by Town: Auburn to Barinia in Four Legs

You do not have to ride all 33 km to enjoy the Riesling Trail. Most of its pleasure is in the villages it links: stone towns a few kilometres apart, each with a cellar door or two a short push from the path. Here is the trail leg by leg, from south to north, with the towns, the distances and what you will find in each. If you would rather someone else did the driving between tastings, the Clare Valley winery tours are set side by side too.

The trail at a glance

The four legs add up to the full 33 km. Distances are Clare Valley Tourism's, as of September 2026.

Auburn: where the trail begins

Auburn is the southern end, km 0, and a good place to start. The trail finishes here at Mount Horrocks Wines, in the restored Auburn railway station, so your first or last tasting can be in the old station building. You will find a car park, toilets in Auburn Memorial Park on St Vincent Street, and bike hire. The Rattler Trail also starts here, running 19 km south to Riverton, slightly downhill, past canola fields in spring.

Leasingham and Watervale: Riesling country

North of Auburn the trail passes Leasingham on its way to Watervale, about 10 km along. Watervale is Riesling country through and through, and Crabtree Watervale Wines sits in the village. There is a car park, toilets at Watervale Oval on Quelltaler Road, and water at the trail shelter. If you ride only one leg with children or a slow group, this is a gentle one.

Penwortham: the highest point

Between Watervale and Sevenhill the trail climbs gently to its highest point at Penwortham. It is a small place with a large story. John Ainsworth Horrocks founded it in 1839 as the Clare Valley's first European settlement, and planted some of the valley's first vines here in the 1840s. The John Horrocks Loop, 10.3 km and moderate, carries his name.

Sevenhill: the Jesuit winery

Sevenhill is about 19 km from Auburn, and it holds the trail's best-known stop. Sevenhill Cellars was founded by Jesuits, who planted vines here in 1851 and built the valley's first winery in 1852. You can look into the underground cellar and St Aloysius' Church, whose crypt holds 41 Jesuit brothers, and there is a picnic area. Toilets are at the Sevenhill Cricket Ground, and there is water between Sevenhill and Quarry Road.

Clare: the main town

From Sevenhill it is 6 km to Clare, the main town and about 25 km along. On the way you pass the Clare Valley Wine, Food and Tourism Centre, which sits on the trail between the two and is the start of the 17 km Spring Gully Loop. In Clare, look for the old railway station near Pinks Reserve, the Clare Valley Art Gallery with its Aboriginal art, and the trail's artworks: a steam-train silhouette, a flock of sheep and the Ness Street mural. There is water at the Lennon Street car park and toilets at the Clare Skate Park.

Barinia: the quiet northern end

The last 8 km take you out of town to Barinia, the trail's northern end at 33 km. This is the quietest leg, through farmland along White Hut Creek, and it has its own car park. Ride it for the countryside rather than the cellar doors.

Because there are car parks at Auburn, Watervale, Sevenhill, Clare and Barinia, you can start or finish at any of them. In summer, ride early: January averages a high of 30.5 °C at Clare, and parks and the Tourism Centre close on Catastrophic Fire Danger days.

Cellar doors along the way

Clare Valley Tourism lists these among the cellar doors along the trail. Check the hours of the ones you want before you set out, and book where it says to:

• Mount Horrocks Wines, in the old Auburn railway station
• Crabtree Watervale Wines and Claymore Wines
• Sevenhill Cellars, with the church and the crypt
• Knappstein, in the old Enterprise Brewery building
• Mr Mick, Tim Adams and Shut the Gate
• O'Leary Walker and Grosset

Hiring a bike and getting back

You can hire in Clare from Riesling Trail Bike Hire, Clare Valley Cycle Hire and Scoot the Valley, and in Auburn too. E-bikes and tandems are available. The trail is one line, not a loop, so plan your return: ride out and back, or call Clare Valley Taxis to bring you home. Three loops leave the main trail for riders who want hills: Spring Gully and Father Rogalski, both 17 km and rated difficult, and John Horrocks. The loops follow roads.

Walking is fine too. The Clare to Sevenhill section is one of the Clare Valley Short Walks, and things to do in the Clare Valley lists the rest. For distances between towns, see the Clare Valley map; for the best months to ride, Clare Valley weather.

Trail day or tour day?

Do both if you can. The trail gives you the villages at your own pace; a guided day gives you the cellar doors you would not find alone, with the tastings paid. The Clare Valley Wine Escape starts with a stroll in Auburn and ends with Riesling at Pikes, and the local guide's day collects you in any of seven valley towns. Read how to visit the Clare Valley for the rest of the plan.

Guided days through the trail's villages

Clare Valley Scenic Wine Tour with Local Stories

Six hours with the local guide, collected in one of seven valley towns, five guests at most, with the tastings and a winery lunch paid.

From $174 per person

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Clare Valley Wine Escape

Eight hours from your Adelaide or Glenelg hotel to Auburn, Taylors, O'Leary Walker, Hill River and Pikes, with tastings and lunch in the fare.

From $341 per person

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