Anstey Hill Boundary Walk

An 8.7 km circuit around the outer fire tracks of Anstey Hill Recreation Park, roughly 16 km north east of Adelaide. Dogs are welcome on a lead no longer than two metres and entry is free. The catch is the gates: vehicle access closes at 7 pm, and the whole park shuts on days of Catastrophic Fire Danger.

The walk. AllTrails logs the boundary circuit at 8.7 km and moderate, around two and a half to three hours at a dog's pace. It strings together the wide perimeter fire tracks, with steep punchy climbs, loose gravel and long exposed stretches, and it takes in the Newman's Nursery ruins and views over the Adelaide Plains to Gulf St Vincent. National Parks and Wildlife Service SA does not signpost a trail by that name, so you are building a route from the designated tracks. Anything outside a marked trail system is classified as a hard hike, with loose surfaces and exposed rock. If 8.7 km is too much, the signed Yellow-tail Loop covers the best of it in 6.2 km on wide fire track, and the Little Quarry Loop near Gate 1 is 650 metres of hard-packed level gravel that suits an old dog.

The rules. On-lead at all times, on a lead no more than two metres long, under National Parks and Wildlife Service SA. Stick to the designated walking trails. There are no bins anywhere in the park, so whatever you pick up you carry out. Vehicle entry gates open 6:30 am to 7 pm, or to 9 pm during daylight saving, and the park closes on Christmas Day and on days of Catastrophic Fire Danger.

Water and shade. Carry everything your dog will drink. Toilets are at Gate 1 near Ellis Cottage, and there are picnic areas with shelter around the Little Quarry Loop, but the boundary tracks themselves are open and hot from mid-morning.

Getting there. Popular access gates sit off North East Road near the old Tea Tree Gully village, Perseverance Road, and Range Road South. Gate 1 on Perseverance Road is the main car park and the one with toilets and accessible parking. Adelaide Metro runs buses along North East Road if you would rather not drive.

Nearby with the dogs. Yellow Track Loop is the shorter option inside the same park, while Gate 18 and Gate 6 come at it from the other side. For an off-lead run afterwards, Ashley Avenue Dog Park is close, and Shelley Street Cafe is the local coffee stop.

When to go. Early, and in winter or spring when the wildflowers are out and the climbs are not punishing. Autumn sunset from the ridgetop trails is the local pick. Skip hot days altogether, because there is no shade on the fire tracks. Good for big runners with the fitness for a long climb.

Sources

• Anstey Hill Recreation Park, National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia · www.parks.sa.gov.au
• Anstey Hill Boundary Walk, South Australia - AllTrails · www.alltrails.com
• Yellowtail Loop (Anstey Hill Loop), Walking SA · www.walkingsa.org.au

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.