Spit Bridge to Manly Walk

I have to write about the Manly to Spit Bridge Scenic Walkway, if only to convince tourists to do it on their trip to Sydney.

First, have a look at the map I uploaded, that gives you an idea of the track. You can walk in either direction, but personally I recommend starting at Spit Bridge, and finishing in Manly. Why? Well, by the time you're finished the walk you might want a rest and food & drink; and Manly is a fantastic place to visit anyway, the place is packed with cafes, restaurants, bars and beaches. It's also one of the most popular backpacker spots in Sydney, so you could do the walk, arrange cheap accommodation for a couple of nights, and soak up the Manly surf scene for the next day or so.

As you can see on the map you can take several routes. Don't take the dotted route, that leads you away from the water and takes you on a shortcut through residential streets. Instead, stick to the tracks near the water as much as possible. You can skip the side-tracks to Washaway Beach and Reef Beach if you want, you still get the chance to do some swimming further on.

On the note of swimming, depending on the time of year there may be some warnings in place regarding the cleanliness of the water, so do some research online or ask some locals what the water is like. Having said that, it's fine for all types of water craft and diving, so don't be too worried about it.

I did the walk in Spring, and started at Spit Bridge at 8am sharp. It was a sunny day with barely a cloud in the sky and a cool breeze. Even so, I managed to get a bit sweaty. I'd recommend a 7am start if you do it in Summer.

There's a small car park at the north end of Spit Bridge which gives you all day parking for $16 I think, if you're driving. Otherwise there are bus stops close by. All you need to pack are a drink or two and maybe something light to eat along the way. Take your camera - there are great photo ops!

The great thing about this walk is that although it's only 3-4 hours long, it takes you through so many different areas. You'll walk through rainforest and bush type nature reserves, over boardwalks and along cliffs, on beaches and past expensive waterfront homes. At one point I was walking along a beach where the gap between the water and the rock wall was about 1m, so I'd avoid doing it at high tide. Have a look at my pics, that'll show you the range of scenery you can expect.

I'm leaving Sydney around May 08, but if you have a chance to do it before then let me know and I'd be happy to join you if I have the time or at least give you a lift to Spit Bridge. Enjoy!

PS: for more info, visit http://www.manlyaustralia.com.au/information/what_to_do/walks/walkway.asp

[EDIT] - the location on the map provided by travbuddy seems to be wrong, it just points to Sydney in general. Go to Google Maps, zero in on Sydney, then search for 'the spit nsw'. The north end of the bridge is the start of the walk.