Harbour Hike

Today in Australia it’s been Father’s Day.  To celebrate the day our family went on a Harbour Hike.  It was an event organised by The Sydney Institute of Marine Sciences (SIMS) and it was an 11km (7 mile) hike around the Sydney Harbour foreshore.  The walk started under the Harbour Bridge and ended in Clifton Gardens where there were activities including face painting, kayaking, rafting, live music and the Zoo had some reptiles you could handle (if you like handling reptiles!)  I declined to handle the snakes and instead went kayaking with Alfie and Archie.

A classic Sydney Harbour image

All week I had been telling the teenagers that the walk was on and I gave them plenty of plenty of notice and many reminders and while Arabella was enthusiastic Archie’s head was all over the place and for some reason he couldn’t quite remember the walk was on.  He did have a late night as he was working as a barman at the fancy dress birthday party Carl and I went to so he didn’t have a lot of sleep but no less than me.  We did try earnestly to wake him several times but he was very reluctant and as we had a 10am start under the bridge we had to drag him from his bed and throw him under the shower and tell him to get moving.   He stayed in the shower until the bathroom was so full of steam he couldn’t be seen and we thought he’d gone missing and when he did emerge we told him he had to get into the car because we were now running late.  ‘But mum, I haven’t had any breakfast’.


‘Too bad Archie, you should have got up earlier when we asked you to get up so just get in the car, we’ve got to go’.

‘Mum, I’ll be right there.  I just need to get something to drink.  I’ve got time for a drink haven’t I?’

‘Okay, grab a drink.  But I’ll be in the car and you’ve got 30 seconds or we’re driving off without you’.  So I walked out to the car and started time-keeping.  My phone rang.

‘Mum, there’s a bar-be-cue chicken in the fridge.  Can I just have some?’

‘For breakfast?’

‘There’s nothing else I can eat in the car.’

‘Okay, just hurry up’.  So a few seconds later Archie came out to the car with a chicken breast in his hands that he ate on the way to the Harbour Bridge.  We arrived 15 minutes late.

A public swimming pool right on the water’s edge

We did the hike in beautiful Spring conditions with clear blue skies and no wind and temperatures in the low 20’s (70F).  It was a very beautiful and extremely scenic walk that we all enjoyed and would love to do again.  When we arrived at the picnic grounds of Clifton Gardens we ordered lamb and rosemary sausages in bread rolls and wagyu beef burgers for lunch.

Me and Arabella

Of course it seems no outing is complete these days without me running into the ex-boyfriend so yes, he was there too.  Bumped into him just as I finished the hike and didn’t worry that I was looking fairly ordinary as he wasn’t looking too flash himself.

From Bradleys Head

Bradleys Head, Mosman

Someone owns a beautiful piece of real estate

Mosman Bay

The lower entrance of Taronga Zoo

A beach at the bottom of Taronga Zoo

Catching the ferry back to the start of the walk

Waiting for the ferry

 

The SIMS Harbour Hike will be on again next year.  If you’re in the area or visiting the area, I would really recommend it.

See you on Facebook!

 

Comments

  1. ChopinandMysaucepan says:

    Dear Charlie,

    I love the walk around Cremorne Point to Mosman Bay. It’s definitely one of the most beautful walks around Sydney harbour. Beautiful photos that you took too!

  2. Eva Taylor says:

    What a great way to spend fathers day. And so lovely for Carl that you had the entire family together. I’d love to do that walk with you; now I’ve just got to figure out how to get to Sydney without having to mortgage my house again ;)!
    I’m commenting from our deck at the cottage and we’re experiencing similar warm temperatures as you are. Just wonderful weather.
    Eva http://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com

  3. Sounds like a fun way to spend the day and enjoy the gorgeous scenery.

    http://a-boleyn.livejournal.com/

  4. kitchenriffs says:

    Sounds like a lot of fun! I would have declined handling snakes too (why would anyone want to?!). Chicken sounds like a pretty good breakfast to me! Loved the pictures – thanks.

  5. Sophies Foodie Files says:

    What beautiful sceneries! Waw! The water is looking turquoise & lovely & the Sidney skyline is looking great! I love travelling from my couth! 🙂

    Thanks so much for sharing with us all, Charly!

  6. Minnesota Prairie Roots says:

    Looks like a lovely day, despite the late start, which is understandable given you were dealing w/ a teen. Love the scenery.

  7. What stunning pictures! I’m often a chocolate-for-breakfast person, so chicken is probably a better option than that.

  8. Glamorous Glutton says:

    Great pictures. What a fantastic way to spend the day, particularly with the whole family joining in. GG

  9. That’s a lovely way to spend fathers day!

  10. That’s a great way to spend fathers say my friend 😀
    Beautiful day, walk and company!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru
    http://gobakeyourself.wordpress.com/

  11. Wasn’t yesterday stunning! You chose the perfect thing to do on such a gorgeous day.

  12. Wonderful photographs… fascinated me. Thank you dear Charlie, Blessing and Happiness for you all, love, nia

  13. InTolerant Chef says:

    What a wonderful way to spend your day! We spent the afternooon in an at home movie marathon as my hubby has thoughtlessly broken his collarbone and hand after falling off hits mountain bike. Given my wrists are still waiting for surgery, and my shoulder is still frozen, I think he was very selfish indeed to injure himself:) He received training-wheels for Fathers Day! 🙂

  14. Claire @ Claire K Creations says:

    What a lovely way to spend the day. The weather looks fantastic! Glad to see you finally getting some sunshine.

  15. Great Pics……………will have to do it next year!

  16. GourmetGetaway says:

    What a lovely day out on the harbour. Gorgeous pics and great story 🙂

  17. Tina @ bitemeshowme says:

    What a lovely fathers day that was spent! Hope hubby enjoyed his day out. We were blessed with gorgeous weather too!

  18. Great way to spend Father’s Day Charlie 🙂 And amazing weather to do the hike too hehe ~ Unfortunately, my dad is in HK and they don’t celebrate father’s day the same day we do in Australia. So lol no celebrations for me ;P

  19. What a terrific family outing to make dad feel special. The photos bring back wonderful memories for me. Sydney has the most beautiful harbour in the world.

  20. Victoria at Flavors of the Sun says:

    I love the idea of this walk on Father’s Day. Sydney looks so beautiful–every time I see it in movies or photos I think, “Why have I never made it Australia?” Sydney and so many more places. Archie reminds me so much of my own son. 😉

  21. As an ex-Sydney gal of thirty years so love all the photos from Bradley’s Head to that old, stilted frontage of the Zoo! Priceless photos, priceless day: Sydney at its best: so glad you had such a wonderful family outing!

  22. Beautiful photos of an amazing day (minus that bumping into ex…).
    http://www.picnicatmarina.com

  23. The weather was so fantastic yesterday – looks like you had some gorgeous views on that hike – great family idea!

  24. What a beautiful walk! I’m so glad you had good weather for it, it looks like Sydney put on its best front for Father’s Day. Well done on rounding up all children too!

  25. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says:

    Ahh it’s reading posts like this where I really miss living on the lower north shore! 😀

  26. Sounds like a great Father’s day outing, especially the lunch.

  27. Now thats how you spend Father’s Day. So glad the weather cooperated. I’ll never forget the view of Sydney and the Harbor from the Taronga Zoo. It is really something to see.

  28. The harbour is such a beautiful spot – perfect for a hike – and look at the spectacular views. Well worth the effort.

  29. Mandy - The Complete Cook Book says:

    Right, so now just to get myself from SA to Aus. What a lovely family day out.
    🙂 Mandy xo

  30. Sounds like a fabulous day out! Great photos too! That Archie.. 😉

  31. What a beautiful day out that was and how beautiful the whole area is! xx

    Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment – much appreciated!

    http://mybeautfulthings.wordpress.com/

  32. Love the photos – very fun!!

  33. I admire that you didn’t give in to your son’s excuses as so many times I do….and I know it’s wrong. In the end your firmness is appreciated and respected. Oh I could learn from you 🙂 What a wonderful day you had….I had no idea it was Father’s Day in Sydney!!

  34. My Inner Chick says:

    Ooo, I did not know you lived in Australia! How Faaaaaabulous. Happy Father’s Day!
    Ours in in June. Xxx

  35. yummychunklet says:

    Great photos.

  36. mjskit @ mjskitchen.com says:

    What a beautiful place to spend the day! Happy Father’s day to the father of the house! When my nephew came to stay for a few days I grilled 8 chicken thighs and put them in the fridge. Every time I turned around he was eating one. Your Archie story reminded me of that visit. 🙂

  37. What a wonderful day! Such a beautiful place, Charlie! Interestingly, we participated in a “walk across the bridge” event today, and as it was just my husband and me…we were on time! 🙂

  38. Looks fabulous…I’ll have to tell my sister about it who lives in Sydney. Great photos 🙂

  39. What a brilliant, energetic but fun way to spend fathers Day Sydney put on a stunner of a day so we were very lucky. And to be honest I love seeing I am not the only person having problems dragging boys out of bed lol xx

  40. What a fantastic walk and such amazing scenery!

  41. Karen (Back Road Journal) says:

    I enjoyed going on the walkabout with you…it looks like the weather was beautiful.

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