How the Clare Valley Walk Began
The Clare Valley Walk grew from the creation of one of the region’s newest attractions — the Clare Valley Wine & Wilderness Trail, a 110-kilometre walking trail winding through vineyards, farmland and native bushland across the Clare Valley in South Australia.
Tim and Bianca Grigg, owners, operators and guides at Clare Valley Walk, have been closely involved with the trail from its beginnings. In fact, the idea can be traced back to a campfire, a bottle of Clare Valley red and two mates walking the Heysen Trail.
An Idea Around the Campfire
Around 2010, Tim joined his Clare Valley mate Michael Nugent on one of his annual walking trips along the Heysen Trail, South Australia’s spectacular 1,200-kilometre long-distance walking trail. Michael was gradually completing the trail a week or so at a time, and Tim joined him for several sections over the years.
After one particularly big day of walking in the Flinders Ranges, the pair settled into a beautiful bush camp. With a campfire burning and a bottle of Clare Valley red open, the conversation inevitably turned to walking trails — what worked, what didn’t, and what made a truly memorable walking experience.
At some point Michael said, “You know, the Clare Valley would make a great walking destination.”
It made sense. They knew many of the local winery owners and farmers, and much of the most beautiful countryside in the Clare Valley was hidden away on private property. Perhaps, they thought, it might be possible to create a trail linking wineries, vineyards, farms, bushland and some of the Valley’s best scenery.
It was a great idea.
And then absolutely nothing happened.
The following year they were back on the Heysen Trail and the conversation started again. Then again the year after that. And the year after that.
From an Idea to a Real Walk
Around 2015, Michael decided to test the idea. He organised a five-day walk around the Clare Valley for family and friends, with Tim joining the adventure.
Michael approached local farmers and winery owners and gained permission for the group to cross their properties. For five days they walked through vineyards, farmland and bushland, camping along the way.
It worked.
More importantly, it demonstrated just how good a long-distance walking experience in the Clare Valley could be.
Then Came 2020
In 2020, with COVID disrupting just about everything and giving everyone a little more time than usual to contemplate ambitious ideas, Michael rang Tim.
“Why don’t we actually have a crack at building this trail?”
So they did.
There were plenty of challenges and a few naysayers who were convinced it would never happen, but a growing group of Clare Valley locals simply got busy.
Landowners came on board. Routes were explored. Permissions were negotiated. Trail markers were installed. Fence stiles were built. Volunteers donated thousands of hours.
What began as a conversation beside a campfire gradually became the Clare Valley Wine & Wilderness Trail.
Today, the trail stretches approximately 110 kilometres through the Clare Valley, crossing more than 50 private properties, with around 1,000 trail markers and 90 fence stiles along the route.
Most importantly, it has brought together a passionate group of local people, landowners, businesses and volunteers who continue to develop and manage what has become a remarkable community-owned trail.
Our Connection to the Trail
Tim and Bianca remain actively involved with the Clare Valley Wine & Wilderness Trail.
Both serve on the CVWWT committee, with Tim having served as Chairperson since the organisation was established. Together they contribute many hours each year to maintaining, managing and improving the trail.
Clare Valley Walk also supports the trail financially as a corporate sponsor, helping ensure it continues to develop for future walkers, visitors and locals.
For Tim and Bianca, the Clare Valley Walk is therefore about much more than simply running walking tours.
It is an opportunity to share a trail, a landscape and a region they have personally helped to create and protect.
You can learn more about the Clare Valley Wine & Wilderness Trail at cvwwt.com.au.
Tim & Bianca Grigg
Tim and Bianca started their tour business, Travelwild Australia, in 1998 and have spent more than 25 years creating and operating small-group touring experiences across Australia.
In 2023, they added guided Clare Valley walking tours to the mix.
The first couple of years were spent testing itineraries, refining the experience and discovering exactly what makes a great multi-day walk in the Clare Valley.
In 2025, they took the next step, creating a full walking season and beginning renovations to The Lodge, their dedicated Clare Valley accommodation, to bring it to the standard expected of a premium walking holiday.
Today, Tim and Bianca personally operate and guide Clare Valley Walk tours alongside their other tourism businesses, including Kimberley Adventure Tours and Clare Valley Wine Tours.
Their involvement in the Clare Valley goes well beyond guiding visitors through it. They live here, run businesses here, work with local wineries and producers, volunteer on the trail and have been directly involved in creating many of the places and experiences their guests now enjoy.
That local connection is at the heart of the Clare Valley Walk.
