Few cities are so abundant with forest-like parks, coastal walks and beaches as Sydney, which is best explored on foot. If you do one hike here, the Hermitage Foreshore track has it all. The trail offers a side of Sydney’s eastern suburbs most visitors don’t see. Grand old houses meet lush bush, calm water, endless swimming opportunities and a new city view at every turn. It’s uncrowded and relaxed, and despite the blue-chip surrounds, it is delightfully unpretentious.
The official 1.2 mile trail runs from Bayview Hill Road in Vaucluse, a well-to-do harborside suburb, and leads north to Nielsen Park; but you can extend the walk by continuing all the way up to the ferry wharf and waterfront restaurants at Watsons Bay and on further to the tip of the South Head peninsula. The extended version is about 4.3 miles one way, though it can be done in parts. Allow three to four hours for swims, snack stops and drinks along the way.
If you are driving, leave your car parked around New South Head Road and weave down through Vaucluse to the end of Bayview Hill Road, where the track starts. This stretch of coast will impress even the most jaded Sydneysider and is filled with glistening views of Shark Island, Fort Denison and some of Sydney Harbour’s famous landmarks, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.
Stroll north to Milk Beach, an ideal stop for your first swim. This shore features rocky overhangs that act as sun shade, and some of the best city views over the water. The secluded beach sits right below the heritage-listed Strickland House, a cream-coloured estate whose manicured gardens are open to the public from sunrise to sunset.
After a dip, ascend the bluff back to the trail between Milk Beach and Nielsen Park, which winds around craggy sandstone cliffs. Inhale the scent of eucalyptus and red gums, and keep your eyes open for native white flannel flowers and the feathery pink petals of blueberry ash. Next, you’ll wander through Nielsen Park, a tree-lined public reserve. (On its adjacent bay, Shark Beach — which is safer than it sounds, because of its large shark net — is being upgraded and is closed to swimmers until early 2024.) At the north end of the park, take the pedestrian path that hugs the coast, rather than continuing along the road.
Once you leave Nielsen Park, the next section of the walk is mostly through the residential backstreets of Vaucluse and is an opportunity to admire its mansion-lined streets. The signage to…
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