Rose Bay to Watsons Bay Walk
Rose Bay to Watsons Bay Walk
4.5
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4.5
15 reviews
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Nina E
Gothenburg, Sweden84 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Do this walk it’s 3,5 km and you see the best of opera house the bridge and the city from many parts. You walk close to water and after the walk or during you can take a swin in the beaches. The shark bay at Nelson park is nice. They have a nice cafe and they serves fish of the day and coffe and salad.That is a good start on a perfect day and very good lunch!
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mairwen1
United Kingdom11,479 contributions
Jan 2022
This is a long walk and covers a lot of different terrain including bush trails, boardwalks and roads. It includes stunning views, secluded beaches and sandy bays. Altogether, it covers about 8km and whilst google maps tells me it can be done in 1.5 hours, this is not a realistic time frame. There are so many tempting stops along the way that you should allow 3 - 4 hours.
For tourists, one of the best things about this walk is that Sydney Ferries run between Circular Quay, Rose Bay and Watsons Bay so, at the end of your walk, you can catch a ferry back from Watsons Bay - a perfect way to finish.
I think of this walk as having 4 quite different sections. They are:
1. ROSE BAY
The first section starting from Rose Bay is about 2km and is the least interesting. It includes Lyne Park and Rose Bay Beach, then it’s uphill along New South Head Rd. Turn left into Bayview Hill Rd and walk right to the end, where you’ll find the start of the Hermitage Foreshore Track. This section is mostly urban streets and pavement and will take about 30 minutes. Hang in there because the next section is amazing.
2. HERMITAGE TRACK & NIELSEN PARK
The Hermitage Trail is about 1.8km of walking mainly along the foreshore. It’s the highlight of the walk and includes panoramic harbour views, secluded beaches, sandy bays and historic sites. The trail is a mixture of bushland paths and boardwalks and is well sign-posted. It finishes at Nielsen Park where you’ll find a very popular swimming beach as well as a kiosk, clean toilets, changing rooms.
3. PARSLEY BAY
The next section, to Parsley Bay, is mostly along residential streets. There is little to no signage and you are essentially left to your own devices to find your way. Without google maps, you would struggle. In particular, it is hard to find the right road to the Parsley Bay bridge. Keep an eye out for the path off Fitzwilliam Rd, next to 43a. We missed it and instead ended up at the back of Parsley Bay Reserve. Whilst we could easily pick up the track again, it was a shame to miss the bridge and if you have kids, crossing the suspension bridge is part of the fun.
Disappointingly, we also missed the waterfall. Apparently there is a short bushland circuit by the bridge that leads you there but again signage was not clear.
4. WATSON’S BAY
The final section is largely back on roads again but we cut down through Gibson's Beach Reserve so that we could walk along the waterfront and past the Baths. Watson's Bay is a great destination. Obviously the walk can be started at either end but we really enjoyed finishing with lunch at Watsons Bay. There were several cafes, a pub and the famous Doyles Restaurant. We had fish and chips from the Doyles take-away shop on the wharf and we sat at the edge of the park, overlooking the bay. Before leaving, make sure to walk up to the ocean clifftops to see The Gap, a stunning lookout point.
NOTES:
i) Overall, the walk involves a fair amount of time walking along residential streets, albeit attractive ones. If you are time-poor, a very good option is to do just the Hermitage Trail and plan a separate ferry trip to Watsons Bay (or Manly Beach) for another day.
ii) The inadequate sign-posting really lets the walk down. Whilst it is OK for locals, it’s unhelpful for tourists who are on unfamiliar territory.
iii) Once you leave Rose Bay, there are no facilities or shops until you get to Nielsen Park. If you’re desperate, there’s a porta-loo at Strickland House.
iv) Depending on time, there are a number of really interesting diversions, that you could include in your plan for the day. These include historic Vaucluse House, Camp Cove Beach and the South Head Heritage Trail and Lighthouse. We headed for Camp Cove Beach for a swim which was wonderful.
For tourists, one of the best things about this walk is that Sydney Ferries run between Circular Quay, Rose Bay and Watsons Bay so, at the end of your walk, you can catch a ferry back from Watsons Bay - a perfect way to finish.
I think of this walk as having 4 quite different sections. They are:
1. ROSE BAY
The first section starting from Rose Bay is about 2km and is the least interesting. It includes Lyne Park and Rose Bay Beach, then it’s uphill along New South Head Rd. Turn left into Bayview Hill Rd and walk right to the end, where you’ll find the start of the Hermitage Foreshore Track. This section is mostly urban streets and pavement and will take about 30 minutes. Hang in there because the next section is amazing.
2. HERMITAGE TRACK & NIELSEN PARK
The Hermitage Trail is about 1.8km of walking mainly along the foreshore. It’s the highlight of the walk and includes panoramic harbour views, secluded beaches, sandy bays and historic sites. The trail is a mixture of bushland paths and boardwalks and is well sign-posted. It finishes at Nielsen Park where you’ll find a very popular swimming beach as well as a kiosk, clean toilets, changing rooms.
3. PARSLEY BAY
The next section, to Parsley Bay, is mostly along residential streets. There is little to no signage and you are essentially left to your own devices to find your way. Without google maps, you would struggle. In particular, it is hard to find the right road to the Parsley Bay bridge. Keep an eye out for the path off Fitzwilliam Rd, next to 43a. We missed it and instead ended up at the back of Parsley Bay Reserve. Whilst we could easily pick up the track again, it was a shame to miss the bridge and if you have kids, crossing the suspension bridge is part of the fun.
Disappointingly, we also missed the waterfall. Apparently there is a short bushland circuit by the bridge that leads you there but again signage was not clear.
4. WATSON’S BAY
The final section is largely back on roads again but we cut down through Gibson's Beach Reserve so that we could walk along the waterfront and past the Baths. Watson's Bay is a great destination. Obviously the walk can be started at either end but we really enjoyed finishing with lunch at Watsons Bay. There were several cafes, a pub and the famous Doyles Restaurant. We had fish and chips from the Doyles take-away shop on the wharf and we sat at the edge of the park, overlooking the bay. Before leaving, make sure to walk up to the ocean clifftops to see The Gap, a stunning lookout point.
NOTES:
i) Overall, the walk involves a fair amount of time walking along residential streets, albeit attractive ones. If you are time-poor, a very good option is to do just the Hermitage Trail and plan a separate ferry trip to Watsons Bay (or Manly Beach) for another day.
ii) The inadequate sign-posting really lets the walk down. Whilst it is OK for locals, it’s unhelpful for tourists who are on unfamiliar territory.
iii) Once you leave Rose Bay, there are no facilities or shops until you get to Nielsen Park. If you’re desperate, there’s a porta-loo at Strickland House.
iv) Depending on time, there are a number of really interesting diversions, that you could include in your plan for the day. These include historic Vaucluse House, Camp Cove Beach and the South Head Heritage Trail and Lighthouse. We headed for Camp Cove Beach for a swim which was wonderful.
Written 12 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jojo2202
Adelaide, Australia92 contributions
Mar 2018 • Friends
I did half of the lovely walk from Rose Bay to Watson's Bay this week.
We were a group of 4 that set off on a warm day from Rose Bay.
My advise to anyone doing the walk is to stay on the path and don't stray off like we did.
We ended up in bush land above Shark Bay because we walked up to have a look at an Historic House that looked out over the bay. Next to the house was a sign for a track to Vaucluse Park- so we took this. We ended up after 20 mins on a suburban street. Thank goodness for Google maps! we finally ended up at Vaucluse House.
Unfortunately it was closed on the day we visited but it was lovely walking around the grounds and other buildings.
Our favorite part of the walk was along the board walk by the water where we had fantastic views of the Harbour and the little hidden beaches.
We were a group of 4 that set off on a warm day from Rose Bay.
My advise to anyone doing the walk is to stay on the path and don't stray off like we did.
We ended up in bush land above Shark Bay because we walked up to have a look at an Historic House that looked out over the bay. Next to the house was a sign for a track to Vaucluse Park- so we took this. We ended up after 20 mins on a suburban street. Thank goodness for Google maps! we finally ended up at Vaucluse House.
Unfortunately it was closed on the day we visited but it was lovely walking around the grounds and other buildings.
Our favorite part of the walk was along the board walk by the water where we had fantastic views of the Harbour and the little hidden beaches.
Written 20 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kwix
Durham, NC72 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
My 50-something wife and I, tourists from the USA, walked this from Rose Bay, through Watson's Bay (where we had lunch), and to Hornsby Lighthouse on South Head. We took the ferry from Circular Quay to Rose Bay, where there is a lovely park with lots of innovative play structures that attract children and their caregivers. We walked on the street through a business district, then down a wealthy residential neighborhood, where we found our way to the Hermitage Foreshore Trail through the Harbour National Park natural area. Except for the great views of the busy harbor, it was sometimes hard to know you were in an urban setting.
That part was the best part of our journey. Once you reach Nielson Park, however, there are no clear markings -- and you have to hoof it for 25 minutes through upscale residential streets to Vaucluse Beach, which features a nice pedestrian bridge and some swimming pools built into the harbor. But soon afterward, the path -- largely unmarked -- swerves back through another 15-20 minutes of residential streets before you arrive at Gibson's Beach near Watson's Bay. (Tip: Doyle's on the Wharf is much cheaper than Doyle's on the Beach.
After lunch, we spent more time walking on streets to get to the beach where the South Head Heritage Trail begins. The short trail was very pleasant, mainly through a park-like green, with great views of the Harbour, the ocean -- and of the nude men sunning themselves at Lady Bay Beach. The whole thing (minus lunch) took us about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Later, we visited The Gap, which was worthwhile.
So the first half of our walk was quite nice; the second half was less so. Compared to the Manly-Spit Coastal Walk (or Bondi to Coogee for that matter), the path was more urban and less well-marked -- and the whole experience somewhat less positive. But it was still a pleasant way to explore Sydney Harbour.
That part was the best part of our journey. Once you reach Nielson Park, however, there are no clear markings -- and you have to hoof it for 25 minutes through upscale residential streets to Vaucluse Beach, which features a nice pedestrian bridge and some swimming pools built into the harbor. But soon afterward, the path -- largely unmarked -- swerves back through another 15-20 minutes of residential streets before you arrive at Gibson's Beach near Watson's Bay. (Tip: Doyle's on the Wharf is much cheaper than Doyle's on the Beach.
After lunch, we spent more time walking on streets to get to the beach where the South Head Heritage Trail begins. The short trail was very pleasant, mainly through a park-like green, with great views of the Harbour, the ocean -- and of the nude men sunning themselves at Lady Bay Beach. The whole thing (minus lunch) took us about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Later, we visited The Gap, which was worthwhile.
So the first half of our walk was quite nice; the second half was less so. Compared to the Manly-Spit Coastal Walk (or Bondi to Coogee for that matter), the path was more urban and less well-marked -- and the whole experience somewhat less positive. But it was still a pleasant way to explore Sydney Harbour.
Written 7 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MarieandJules
London, UK255 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
It's so easy to reach Rose Bay, drinks a must along with a hat and factor 50, clean and lots of space.
Written 10 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Doreen C
Fort Lauderdale, FL545 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
The website has directions, however, at the suspension bridge make a sharp right turn at the other side as though you are following the water. We missed this turn and ended up wandering around in circles. Nobody knew about the waterfall and we eventually didn't do this circuit part. It disoriented us, but we eventually found our way to Watsons Bay. The description to walk across the shopping center at Rose Bay amounted to walking along a busy street lined with stores. There’s also a portion walking through nice real estate, but I prefer walking on trails. The highlight of the walk is the shady Hermitage Foreshore Scenic Walk with its outstanding views of the harbor and the city skyline as well as walking Neilson Beach. The brochure says Rose Bay to Watsons Bay takes 4 hours, but it can be done in 3. My recommendation is just the Foreshore Scenic Walk part. Wish the brochure on the website could be found at the information kiosks or main information centers at The Rocks and Darling Harbor. Being from overseas we didn’t have access to a printer or internet on our cell.
Written 13 March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stace8_12
Logan City, Australia401 contributions
Apr 2019 • Family
What a spectacular place to walk and see the beauty Sydney has to offer away from
The city. Breathtaking views with lots of friendly faces and places to stop and rest and admire the view. Definitely worth doing if you are on that side of Sydney and up for an adventure
The city. Breathtaking views with lots of friendly faces and places to stop and rest and admire the view. Definitely worth doing if you are on that side of Sydney and up for an adventure
Written 20 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David R
Adelaide, Australia715 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
We caught the ferry to Rose bay and then walked to watsons bay. Its best if you have your phone so you can use google maps to guide you through the streets as there arent any signs. The views of the harbour are very good and you also walk past a number of beaches which are good for swimming. You also walk through 'Hermitage Reserve' and 'Nielsen Park' which is mostly untouched by urban development and has lots of native plants. It gives you an idea of what the area surrounding the harbour used to be like and is the best section to walk through. You also walk along some streets that have some very nice houses which are also interesting. There are public toilets at the bigger beaches and cafes to grab a coffee as well.
Written 15 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dmaccallum63
London, UK696 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
Stunning walk but not well signposted and of course as the wealthy snobs of Sydney build more beachside housing you have less and less access to the beach itself. As they say life’s a beach!
Written 9 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jasmine38Chichester UK
Chichester, UK1,983 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
Enjoyable and easy walk. Crosses a couple of beaches. Took us about 1.5 hours. Great views of Sydney and the coast most of the way although you do need to go inland a few times on residential streets. This is not a hardship, however, as there are some stunning homes to ogle. Worth stoppong to visit Vaucluse House on the way through. Regular transport at either end by bus or ferry.
Written 22 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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