Escapegoat Adventures: With Ron Kandelaars in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia

We begin our day's adventure at the Mount Lofty summit. Ian Fehler from tour company Escapegoat Adventures has already driven us and our bikes to this stunning vantage point, and from here we'll take advantage of his company's planning and logistical support.

The experience certainly lives up to its name. Lofty Descents is all about the downhill run, 17 kilometres on bush and fire tracks through some of the best mountain biking country in the Adelaide Hills.

Ian Fehler, Escapegoat Adventures: "We'll go down this track and then we'll just go around the corner and that's the first little challenge for the day, a nice little steep bit just to get you on your toes. Alright, all good?

For another short stretch we're on the bitumen, on a road well travelled by many who, for generations have taken visitors and family to one of the Adelaide Hills' major attractions. As part of Escapegoat's Lofty Descents adventure you receive free entry to Cleland Wildlife Park and say hello to some of the locals - including the Red Kangaroos.

Ian Fehler, Escapegoat Adventures: "Red kangaroos are the largest kangaroos we have in Australia. You'll see some of the other guys around here, they look grey, but they are the females, so it's only the red, the males that get really red markings on their chests." As part of the Lofty Descents experience you'll also meet the star attractions - like Steven the koala. His mum was killed while crossing the South Eastern Freeway.

"He eats for five hours a day and sleeps for the other nineteen hours."

No sleep for us though as we set out on the next portion of the Escapegoat's Lofty Descent experience, down the fire tracks of Chambers Gully. For much of the trip you could imagine you're in the deep gullies of the Flinders Ranges - Escapegoats ride there as well. But for now we're taking in one of the many secrets in Adelaide's own backyard.

Ian Fehler, Escapegoat Adventures: "There are still a lot of other places that we'd like to be able to take people, and we could really make this (in the Adelaide Hills) a world class mountain biking destination. And Escapegoats is really a way of showcasing some of those little hidden gems and the more you can get access to the better."

From here it's all downhill to the city, where a bus awaits us pampered riders. The entire Lofty Descents experience costs $90. It includes transport to and from the start and finish plus entry into Cleland. To book contact Ian Fehler on 0422 916 289

Escapegoat Adventures
Bookings Ian Fehler
Ph. 0422 916 289