Spit Bridge to Manly, Sydney Harbour National Park - September 2016

Looking out to Sydney Heads.

Before jumping onto a cruise ship and heading up to Papua New Guinea Sam and I had a few days in Sydney. Once we settled into our hotel at Circular Quay we decided to head out and do the Spit Bridge to Manly walk. Like the Bondi to Maroubra walk we did a few years ago the Spit Bridge to Manly walk is a fairly popular walk so we didn’t think that we’d be on our own today. Grabbing a taxi at our hotel we got dropped off on the Balmoral side of Spit Bridge and soon had our bearings and were on our way.

Middle Harbour near Spit Bridge.

It didn't take long until we are enveloped into the bush.

First up though we had to get across the bridge, crossing underneath the road we picked up the footpath on the west side of the bridge and from here on we would be following a signposted track all the way to Manly. As the traffic whizzed past us over the steel grate of the bridge we took in the boats bobbing on the beautiful blue water of Middle Harbour, coming up from a grey winter in Melbourne the beauty of the harbour city was on full display this morning. The other thing that we noticed straight away was that the air had a warm feel to it which couldn’t help but bring a smile to our faces.

Fisher Bay.

Middle Harbour near Sandy Bay.

Once on the north side of the bridge we picked up the route described by Mr Chapman, almost immediately we left the expensive houses behind and disappeared into the bush. The country around Sydney is sandstone country and soon we were walking along rock slabs and under beautiful overhangs of rock as we passed Fisher Bay and Sandy Bay, the whole time getting numerous glimpses out over the water. The track along here to Clontarf Reserve is a series of board walks, stairs and as I’ve mentioned, rock slabs and it makes for great walking, and like I suspected we weren’t the only ones who thought that it would be a good walk to do today. We were sharing the track with numerous other groups out walking, occasionally having to wait our turn to climb some steps or take on a particularly narrow section of the route, not something that I normally enjoy too much on a walk, but really what do you do? The crowds today never really annoyed me that much, maybe I was just happy to be out and about with some sun above me.

A few of the locals were out enjoying the view over Middle Harbour today.

Reaching Clontarf Reserve we headed across the busy parkland before taking the low tide option along the sand towards Clontarf Point, this section of the track is squeezed between the beautiful water of Sydney Harbour and some encroaching flash houses. When we strolled along there was only a couple of metres of dry sand to walk on so try and avoid high tide along here, the inland alternative through the suburban streets wouldn't hold as much interest I wouldn't have thought. Once at the end of the beach the track climbs again, passing Clontarf Point and heading towards Castle Rock Beach.

The beach after Clontarf Reserve is a little on the narrow side, there is a high tide detour if you need it though.

Heading towards Clontarf Point.

On the stroll so far we'd been leap frogging a young girl who was busy taking as many photos of the walk that I was, eventually I struck up a conversation and found out her name was Marie-Laure. Marie-Laure was from France and like us she was out for a walk and enjoying a bit of early spring sunshine. We would end up spending the rest of the day with Marie-Laure as we slowly made our way to Manly, Marie-Laure had a fascinating story to tell of working and volunteering in some of Australia's most remote country and Sam and I loved hearing of all her adventures travelling our country. Passing above the boats bobbing in the aqua marine water just off shore at Castle Beach we once again climbed up through the heathland a little to get to an area of indigenous rock engravings, there were a lot of people milling about here so I struggled to get any good photos. With all the caves, fresh seafood and fresh water, all easily accessible this must of made for a bountiful spot for local aborigines to live before European settlement.

Castle Rock Beach is just around the corner.

The aqua marine coloured water looked stunning today.

Indigenous engravings.

The next section of our stroll stayed up fairly high passing through extensive coastal heathlands, every now and again the track would cross an extensive sandstone slab which would give us great views down over the sparkling water of Sydney Harbour. Reaching a track junction we headed up the short sidetrack to check out the view from Arabanoo Lookout, named after the first aboriginal man to live among the Europeans. The lookout looks down over North Harbour towards Manly in one direction as well as out to Dobroyd Head in the other, with the lookout accessible to cars and with extensive manicured parklands around it we were soon happy to head back down into the scrub and be enveloped by the bush again. 

Sam and Marie-Laure heading towards Arabanoo Lookout.

The walk now drops slowly back down to sea level again and when we arrived at the tiny Reef Beach we witnessed what is probably a unique Australian scene, an ice cream vendor selling ice creams off his small boat. The walk now alternates a little between bushland and some quiet suburban streets and while that wouldn't really make for great walking normally, here it just works. Maybe its all the fancy houses but walking quiet streets around here wasn't too much of a hardship at all. Arriving at the large North Harbour Reserve we stopped for a bit of a break, chatting to Marie-Laure about life in France and enjoying the beautiful sunny day.

That's where were heading, Manly.

The Sydney Heads.

Buying an ice-cream at Reef Beach.

Leaving North Harbour reserve the route continues along its journey, more often than not traversing a thin strip of public land between the houses and the harbour. After checking out the tidal swimming pool at Fairlight Beach we continued on our way to Manly, now very close at hand. Our first mission in Manly was to grab a coffee and a bite to eat, before we jumped onto a ferry for our twilight journey back to Circular Quay. If there is a better way to finish a walk than with a nice cruise across Sydney Harbour I'm yet to find it and the best thing is that the commuter ferry journey costs bugger all.

Forty Baskets Beach.

There are some fairly flash houses backing onto Forty Baskets Beach.

Fairlight Beach tidal pool.

Sometimes we were walking a fairly thin strip of land between the houses and the water.

The Dirt.
According to my notes we walked around 10 kilometres and climbed 220 metres today, these stats are from the Chapman's Day Walks Sydney book, its walk number 37 in the book. I'd rate this as an easy walk, although there are quite a few steps involved. There was a cafe at Spit Bridge and a kiosk at Clontarf Reserve, but then nothing to eat after that although there are a couple of spots that you can top up your water bottles. Try and time the walk to avoid high tide near the start to make sure the beach walk at Clontarf Reserve is do-able and maybe pick a week day to avoid some of the crowds.
Relevant Posts.
Bondi to Maroubra, 2013 

Rounding Federation Point, the Manly Wharf is in the distance.

The ferry ride back to town is quite a pleasant way to end a days walking I think!