Recharge your mind, body and soul: two days in the Adelaide Hills

Taking time out to restore your mind, body and soul has never been more important, and with the tranquillity of the Adelaide Hills sitting less than a half-hour drive from the CBD, escaping the rat race to nurture in nature is as easy as unplugging that laptop, setting your out-of-office and hitting the road.

Here’s how to spend two days restoring your physical and mental wellbeing through nature, creativity, relaxation and a bit of a luxe…

Day 1

Heading up the South-Eastern Freeway, your first stop is the iconic Mount Lofty Summit, sitting pretty and proud overlooking the city of Adelaide and surrounded by native bushland. Taking a deep breath and casting your eyes over skyline and coast is a perfect start to the day, with a fresh breeze and the chatter of birds to slip you gently into first gear.

From here, it’s less than ten minutes to Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, where you’ll slip straight into a wooded wonderland. Taking time to stretch your legs along a labyrinth of leafy trails, you’ll weave your way through creeks and gullies and a panorama of exotics and natives that offer a kaleidoscope of colour at every turn. This is a prime place to simply be at one with nature, whether solo or through joining a scheduled Forest Bathing in the Garden session to help engage your senses and calm your busy mind (keep an eye on the website for upcoming events).

With Mother Nature having set your path, it’s only a short drive to the tranquil township of Uraidla, where rustling leaves, the smell of log fires and a freshly brewed coffee awaits. The quirky Uraidla Republic Café has all the retro vibes from gran’s era, with natural gardens and rocky outcrops all under the gaze of century-old sequoias. With a focus on wholesome and ethical baked goodies, you’ll find zen between two slices of preservative-free sourdough and a hazelnut-praline croissant.

After a soul-satisfying breakfast, pop into the Uraidla Hotel next door for a little tipple in ‘The Tank’ (bookings essential). From its origins as the main water supply to the hotel, this amazing space has now been converted into a 4000-bottle floor to ceiling wine cellar, being home to some of the most heavenly organic and biodynamic drops from the Piccadilly wine region.

After tasting your way through the range, it’s time to wet your whistle again at CRFT Wines in Carey Gully, just a stone’s throw from Uraidla. Here, the philosophy is simple: preserve what the vines produce and create balance and harmony, all with a minimal footprint. Its vineyard, winery and Arranmore label wines are all NASAA certified organic, producing low intervention ‘wild-ferment’ wines that champion their single vineyard heritage.

Having primed your palate, wind your way towards Verdun, where lunch awaits at Grunthal Brew & Udder Delights Cheese Cellar. Dishing up delicious pizzas and modern Australian fare, pulling up a chair inside or by the banks of the Onkaparinga River will take to straight to utopia. Of course, this place is also a mecca for cheese, and if you’re a dairy devotee, don’t miss the opportunity to join a cheese making class to get hands on with the local cheese monger (bookings essential).

With your belly now content and a creative craving in full swing, make your way to the most heavenly hamlet in Hahndorf to find The Cedars sitting pretty between towering trees and lush green gardens - a genuine icon in every sense. Originally the home of legendary artist, Sir Hans Heysen, a guided tour through his house and studio reveals the sort of light, texture and personality that he so famously brushed onto the canvas, with private painting classes also bookable on request.

Having found your inner artist, follow B34 to Echunga before joining the Angas River Scenic Drive (B33) to Macclesfield. It’s time to rest for the night, and you’ll find no better place to lay your head than the luxurious suites at Longview Vineyard, where four-and-a-half star accommodation meets winery cellar door and the decadent Longview Day Spa.

Day 2

After a blissful night’s slumber in the vines, rise to a relaxing range of body and facial treatments that pamper, calm and nourish your body, before bidding Longview Day Spa farewell and making your way back up B33 to Biggs Flat.

If you (like us) have been pampering yourself with Jurlique’s products for years, taking a seed to skin journey around Jurlique Farm is a positively soul-filling experience. Join one of their guided farm tours and you’ll learn about the plants and processes behind this global wellness giant, from plant varieties and propagation to their biodynamic farming principles. In even better news, there’s also an on-site shop for to splurge on their products (with discount) while you’re here.

Of course, plants bring us happiness, and simply being around them can deliver a huge range of health benefits from easing stress to reducing anxiety. So, with your green thumb now firmly in control, it’s time hit the road to Oakbank for a potter around Karkoo Nursery. With its treasure-trove of pots, plants, homewares and gardening gear, this peaceful little nook will restore your inner zen.

Next stop: lunch (and another plant-lover’s paradise) at Emma and Ivy, just 10 minutes up the road in Lobethal. A green gourmet oasis in every sense, this place is a botanist’s dream and a soothing space to indulge in locally sourced soul food, chai and loose-leaf teas, fresh ground coffee and delicious desserts while immersing in their indoor terrarium.

Of course, if lunch also means ‘wine’, Lobethal offers plenty of choice, with the restaurant at the nearby Golding Wines having been named after the stunning Ginkgo Biloba trees growing in their garden. Dining amongst the vibrant lime greens of spring and bright yellows of autumn is enough to make the heart sing, while their whimsical NIDO tasting nest is without doubt a world apart.

Whether you’re still hungry or just a little bit thirsty, the Scandi barn style Tilbrook Estate is another gem to check out between Lobethal and Lenswood, having laid claim to South Australia’s first zero net carbon cellar door. Eco friendly, small, and rustic, you can expect environmentally conscious wines served with amazing views and local platters to die for.

Continuing on to Norton Summit, you’ll find the birds are chirping, the buds are bursting, and your glass is well and truly half-full at Sinclair’s Gully. From lazing on a picnic rug beneath the candlebark gums to sipping and strolling your way through 20 acres of pure nature, this place is a bush walking paradise that lifts your spirit by the glass.

With late afternoon light now streaking through the trees, it’s time for a penultimate pit stop at The Scenic Hotel, where you’ll find a watering hole that’s worth its weight in gold. As another spectacular sunset washes over the city you’ll find warm vibes are in abundance, with the city’s twinkling lights the perfect curtain call to a weekend well spent.