Second Valley is located on the western shore of Fleurieu Peninsula and is surely one of the most beautiful spots in South Australia. The natural beauty of the undulating hills and the rugged coastline is always picturesque whether seen in the dry of summer or the green of winter.

So says Ron Blum as he opens his book The Second Valley A History of Second Valley South Australia

It was during the public ride for the Tour Down Under that I really discovered Second Valley. A day which was so far beyond hot it didn’t matter. I had cramp early in the ride not surprising given it was 40c plus and which made all of the hills a major challenge. The road was melting under my wheels!

I reached Leonard’s Mill and sat in the shade simply to recover before attempting yet another hill. One which on a normal day would have been simple. While I was sitting there a group of locals rolled out of the pub after a cold beer and had a chat. I must have looked quite a sight!

In any event, I took a mental note of the place as we searched for a new beach house. We had a place at Aldinga but

it had become part of suburbia. Second Valley certainly wasn’t suburbia with no water or sewerage connection. It was a small holiday village with a smattering of permanent residents and a caravan park.

Australia has lots of great beeches but very few on St Vincent’s Gulf that face North meaning that you can see Adelaide. Second Valley rated as one of Australia’s 101 Best beaches ,is one of them as was highlighted in the Sydney Morning Herald’s 2009 Traveller article, The valley time forgot.

Second Valley is about 90kms from Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is nestled between McLaren Valeand Cape Jervis the stepping off point for Kangaroo Island one of our great tourist destinations.

Whilst the area around Second Valley has two golf courses and good jetty fishing, for me it’s the opportunity to bike ride that is the greatest attraction. Quiet roads apart form the occasional tourist bus and truck. Whether it’s a ride along the coast road back into Normanville and on over the Myponga Dam Wall, through the Second Valley a forest or down to one of the beaches it is all stunning country side. The ride into Cape Jervis where the ferry takes you across to Kangaroo Island is stunning as you have a wonderful view of the coast and Kangaroo Island but the ride out is a challenge. It’s the same as you ride into Rapid Bay, a beautiful sweeping downhill ride to a stunning beach but again the ride out is full on.

Whether its Summer through Autumn or Winter the sea view is always amazing.

Lady Bay looking toward Second Valley

Looking across to the sea on the road to Cape Jervis

As Ron Blum says in closing his book

Second Valley … is one of the most scenic spots in the state