Could anyone with intimate knowledge of the Adelaide Hills please give me a view on towing a van through & around there? I'm looking at approaching Adelaide from the north on A1/A17 to Glen Osmond, then on to Mt Barker via Stirling on M1 & B37. Any mega climbs or tricky spots to avoid?
Will leave Mt Barker to the east, so I'm guessing no issues there.
Advice appreciated, many thanks.
RustyD said
04:11 PM Jul 20, 2017
Nothing out of the ordinary. Just take your time and enjoy. The Adelaide bypass from North (the big junction at Gepps Cross) to the climb to Mt Barker is easy. Done both directions many times with & without a van. Did it to go to Lake Gairnder a few months ago.
SouthernComfort said
08:04 AM Jul 21, 2017
Thanks RustyD. Didn't expect the motorway route itself to be a big issue, but I have memories of last trip through the hills many years ago (no van) and some steepish winding gradients, just don't recall exactly where they were. Anyway, most sightseeing will happen without the van once we've parked it at Mt Barker.
Steve11 said
11:42 PM Jul 21, 2017
hi, pretty easy up through the hills. no mega climbs, though you certainly know you are going up hill. once you get to stirling turn off you have done the worst of it and is probably only 15 minutes of climbing to the turn off. it goes up and down through undulating hills till mt barker then flattens out.
cheers steve
SouthernComfort said
08:22 AM Jul 22, 2017
Thanks Gwynnie & Steve, I appreciate your tips.
PeterD said
02:49 PM Jul 22, 2017
It's all flat running until you get to the hill after Glen Osmond. The climb up there frightens a lot of Western Australians, you're not from there are you? There are no gradients along your route that a well balanced rig can not handle.
SouthernComfort said
04:04 PM Jul 22, 2017
No, I'm in Melbourne outer eastern suburbs. It's all hills around here, literally, but I know which ones to tackle and which to avoid. With a petrol engine (even though 4 litre) the tug doesn't have the torque like the diesel I used to have. Not an overly big deal but I do notice a difference when climbing over the ranges north of the Yarra Valley. I'll get back into a diesel eventually, otherwise the set up is quite well balanced.
Anyway, had a close look at Google street view earlier (should have done that to being with!) and traced the route from Glen Osmond to Stirling. Looks like a long gradual gradient for 10km's or so but nothing radical. I'm thinking our nearby ranges are actually more challenging. Will keep to main roads with the van, then do the curly bits without the rig following me. So it all seems ok. Thanks again for all the advice.
-- Edited by SouthernComfort on Saturday 22nd of July 2017 04:05:29 PM
Could anyone with intimate knowledge of the Adelaide Hills please give me a view on towing a van through & around there? I'm looking at approaching Adelaide from the north on A1/A17 to Glen Osmond, then on to Mt Barker via Stirling on M1 & B37. Any mega climbs or tricky spots to avoid?
Will leave Mt Barker to the east, so I'm guessing no issues there.
Advice appreciated, many thanks.
hi, pretty easy up through the hills. no mega climbs, though you certainly know you are going up hill. once you get to stirling turn off you have done the worst of it and is probably only 15 minutes of climbing to the turn off. it goes up and down through undulating hills till mt barker then flattens out.
cheers steve
It's all flat running until you get to the hill after Glen Osmond. The climb up there frightens a lot of Western Australians, you're not from there are you? There are no gradients along your route that a well balanced rig can not handle.
No, I'm in Melbourne outer eastern suburbs. It's all hills around here, literally, but I know which ones to tackle and which to avoid. With a petrol engine (even though 4 litre) the tug doesn't have the torque like the diesel I used to have. Not an overly big deal but I do notice a difference when climbing over the ranges north of the Yarra Valley. I'll get back into a diesel eventually, otherwise the set up is quite well balanced.
Anyway, had a close look at Google street view earlier (should have done that to being with!) and traced the route from Glen Osmond to Stirling. Looks like a long gradual gradient for 10km's or so but nothing radical. I'm thinking our nearby ranges are actually more challenging. Will keep to main roads with the van, then do the curly bits without the rig following me. So it all seems ok. Thanks again for all the advice.
-- Edited by SouthernComfort on Saturday 22nd of July 2017 04:05:29 PM