Spit Bridge to Manly Scenic Walk

This is what we can call a perfect day. A day well spent, with breathtaking landscapes amid beautiful vegetation, a sea of saturated colors, birds singing... wonderful, to say the least. A day of perfect and total relaxation. And how we need this peace and to be in touch with nature!

Anyone who does a little research on recommended walks around these parts, will absolutely find this one in the top 10 and we can confirm it... yes, it is really worth it! This walk from Spit Bridge to Manly is part of the "Manly Scenic Walkway" and is really a must! We recommend making the journey starting in Spit and not the other way around, so in the end you can explore the picturesque Manly and for the icing on the cake, on the way back you can count on an epic view over Sydney Bay at sunset!

We took the B178/180 bus from Wynyard Station, Stand A, in central Sydney, which took us to Spit Bridge. If you prefer you can start at Circular Quay, in this case take the T2 / T3 train to Wynyard first. Don't forget to bring your Opal Card (find out everything about this card in our first post about Australia).


This trip also has a bonus, because on the way we had to cross the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge! Great!

Crossing the Harbour Bridge

This trip was very comfortable, public transports are pretty convenient and reliable. We use Google Maps  a lot to get around, it's very reliable and useful, but you can also have a look at NSW Transport info.

The Spit Bridge is a bascule bridge built to replace an old one, still made of wood, but which, with the increased flow of boats, needed to be updated, let's say. It is not particularly beautiful, it's just a bridge, what really matters is that it is the starting point for many breathtaking landscapes.

We got off at the stop just before the bridge, at Spit West Reserve. After crossing the bridge we turn right, there is a small path that goes down, you can't miss it! You can also take the left side of the bridge, there you'll find some stairs leading to a path that goes under the bridge.

We arrived at Ellery's Punt Reserve and are "officially" at the starting point .... yeeeeeeeees

Straight ahead here we go... ;) This is a 10 km walk of easy to medium difficulty, and takes about 3 to 5 hours to complete, depending on the stops for one or two, or more photos :), a dip in the sea, and the time to just sit and enjoy! Bringing a small snack, water, swimwear and sunscreen can be an asset. The sun here can really burn a lot!

This walk, as you will see, is very diverse, we started totally immersed in nature, in a lush and green place, a bay of calm and inviting waters, with a small waterfall, Fisher Bay.

Some of the local "inhabitants" eh eh eh eh :-)

But fear not, let's just keep on track!

Along the way we pass by Sandy Bay, a place that inspires tranquility and invites you to sit and soak up the moment.

Some, or rather... most houses that we came across along the way have some privileged vistas over the sea and are wonderfully framed in the landscape.

It's hard to tell which one is the prettiest... they're all really amazing!

Our next stop is at Clontarf Reserve. A park right in front of the water, with lots of trees, perfect for a picnic. A nature shadow overlooking the sea, a beautiful invitation for a swim.

The water is crystal clear and quite shallow, wonderful! Here it is also possible to "supply", you can find some places for small purchases.

Let's keep moving?...

The path now leads us through simply paradisiacal landscapes. Take time to stop, contemplate, listen to the sounds of nature .... hmmmmmmm how wonderful ...



There is no shortage of idyllic, hidden little beaches, almost like private beaches just for us! A dream!

Look at the color of this water!

How about taking a small break for energy replenishing and relax? You think we picked the spot right? :))

Now, with our "batteries" fully charged, let's continue exploring this trail! :)

Shortly thereafter, we arrived at another amazing spot, Castle Rock Beach.

It is a very small beach,  away from the hustle and bustle, almost a private beach. Perfect for a swim. And what a delight of water this is! Warm and inviting! Since there is no infrastructer here, you'd better bring everything you need with you.

They told us about another hidden beach, farther away and little-known. The so called Washaway Beach, which as its name implies, literally disappears at high tide!
From what we researched at the time, it might not be that easy to find and access it, even because you'll find no indications on the way there. But here you have it, for the (still) more adventurous!

We have now entered a very different and interesting place, we can feel the heat coming from the land, a more arid and drier area. Amid the undergrowth, we get small glimpses of what awaits us... We are in Dobroyd Head. Wow, so gorgeous this is. Here we find several trails that take us to amazing viewpoints! It's really mesmerizing, all this beauty. One of them is the Arabanoo Lookout, what an interesting place. First of all the name itself, since it was given in honor of the first Aborigines who lived there, when the first Europeans came to these lands, then the views, which are spectacular over the majestic Pacific Ocean! Take a look at this!

If you have some more time left, be sure to visit some of the other viewpoints that you can find on this hike such as Crater Cove Lookout and Dobroyd Head Lookout.

As we approach Manly we find Forty Baskets Beach, it is another small beach with a nice picnic area, wc and a beautiful view of the nearby North Harbour (0.5 km).

As we continue towards Manly, the view is still equally beautiful, but we're already starting to fell like grabbing a bite or two! ahahah

Something we found curious was the fact that along this walk we saw several pools right on the beaches themselves, it was really interesting! It's just that they are very common here, curious!

We arrived at Manly, a very picturesque little "suburb" by the sea. It can easily be accessed by ferry from Circular Quay and is a very popular place, especially during summer time. The atmosphere here is very relaxed and cool! There is no shortage of places to unwind, eat, have a cold beer and enjoy the moment.

Here you can take the opportunity to do a little shopping, just like we did ;) ahahah since there are plenty of stores and if that is the case.... buy water and sunscreen before sunbathing and going for a swim at Manly Beach.

We'll soon give you a great tip, but for now the time is to sit and eat..... yeeeeeeeee

We chose to eat right at the ferry terminal in Manly, at Guzman y Gomez, Mexican food delight, yammy! Despite the somewhat visual mess, it wasn't bad at all!

So what's our tip for you? ... Instead of spending good money on a cruise to go through the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, why not choose to take this ferry crossing instead? Yes, the return trip to Sydney, after this hike, can be done by ferry! Much cheaper and much more fun! And with quite some vistas ... unique and breathtaking! Practical and inexpensive heheh ... we really loved it!

Here we go...

And behold, suddenly, from behind that hill...

Sydney! Woooowwwww!!!

Amazing! :))

The journey from Manly to Circular Quay is quite short and very serene, 30 minutes and there we are taking a lot of pictures of the Bridge and the Opera House eheheheh

We have reached the end of our wonderful walk, full of nature, beautiful beaches and unique landscapes, but... we have not reached the end of our journey. There's more... much more... coming soon :-)

Previous posts:
Austrália, Sydney - Feeling the City
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk

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