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Bondi to Bronte Walk - part 1

Bondi to Bronte walk must rank among Australia's most scenic coastal walks

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The Bondi to Bronte Walk is Sydney's best known coastal walk and the most spectacular. It's a relatively easy walk rewarded by stunning coastal and ocean views. This is one walk you should not miss.

The 3.5km walk follows the coastline from Bondi Beach to Bronte Beach. The first 500 metres of the walk sees walking paths and boardwalks carved into the rocky foreshore and cliffs that skirt around Bondi Bay. Rocky ledges and outcrops are both above and below the walking path.

In summer months there is an extraordinary number of people on this path. To some who go on the walk it may seem as though a pilgrimage is underway.

In October and November each year, the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition is held along the walking path between Bondi and Tamamara beaches, with sculptures positioned against the backdrop of the ocean..

If you're on the path from 10am on a certain Sunday in December, you'll be able to follow the Bondi to Bronte Ocean Swim, a 2-2.5 kilometre swim that starts in front of the Bondi Pavilionand finishes at Bronte Beach.

THE WALK
The walk is a fairly easy one even though there are steps along the way. Seats are placed at strategic points for walkers to stop and enjoy the ocean views. It's a walk that can be done quickly or it could take you a half day, depending how you want to go about it. The temptation to stop along the way and stare dreamingly at the ocean will inevitably make the walk longer for most people than it need be.

The walk starts at the southern end of Bondi Beach, where there is a walking path leading up past the Bondi Icebergs Club. The "Icebergs" are a group of dedicated swimmers who make it their goal to swim every day of the year. To condition themselves for the colder winter months they toss blocks of ice into the pool in warmer months.

After leaving the Icebergs Club behind you quickly come to a diversion in the walking path, with an upper section continuing on and a lower section leading down a set of steps to a path that runs along the foreshore.

If you're not up to going down or climbing up steps, continue along the top path where you have the option of making a small excursion into Hunter Sculpture Park, a small park that has sculptures placed around the park.

The lower path, which tracks the top path, is by far the most interesting option as it runs along the rocks on the foreshore. In some instances the path cuts inside hollowed-out boulders, which are almost cave-like, and under craggy overhanging rocks. The huge rock formations on the foreshore are works of art in their own right, having been scupted by the ocean for thousands of years.

The ocean waves breaking against rocks is mesmerising with white mist exploding from pale blue water.

Walking so close to the ocean there is always the tempation to leave the walking path and climb onto the rocks on the water's edge. Not a good idea! At any time monster waves can break onto the rocks and it's easy to be swept off the rocks and carried out to sea. There are a number of drownings in Australia each year from people being swept off rocks.

A little further on the lower path reconnects with the upper park via a set of steps and the path clims for a short way, passing fine homes built on the cliffs that blend into the rock and seaside vegetation.

Bondi to Bronte walk - part 2

Editor's note: All the pictures taken of the walk were shot in late autumn when there were relatively few people on the walking path. In the late spring and summer months the numbers swell considerably.