What we’re about
Howdy. MJ here. I'm a Chicago fella now +21yrs in Sydneytown living in the CBD (Central Business District)... NOBODY knows Sydney better than I do, cause she's my girl / my lover... Cool bars. Amazing hikes. Great places to eat. Yup. I know it and love it all.
Let's share it together... Perhaps your style is:
*I like long walks on the beach... "*NO. That's so cliche on Bumble."
*I want to hike 30kms on rugged terrain... "*Nah. Too much."
*I want to do a pub crawl... "*F that. I'm too old."
Or?
"I fancy time in Mother Nature exploring beautiful hikes / walks in Sydney while meeting cool people. I want to check out some new bars and hydrate myself with a wine, beer or cocktail at the finale."
If the final statement suits your style??? Welcome to the group. Let's have some fun.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Hike ALL of SYDNEY HARBOUR v6! Balmoral Beach to Taronga to Caterpillar Club!Balmoral beach rotunda, Sydney
101kms of Hiking Sydney Harbour!!! We started at Sydney Opera House last month, and with this hike we finish at Sydney Opera House... and "CHEERS" at the lush and plush Caterpillar Club for the best Happy Hour in Sydneytown (admittedly v5 is next week as I had to move it - but let's celebrate anyways - Caterpillar Club is the place to do it).
[DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR "Hike to a Sydney Harbour Yacht Event!!!!" You can do that HERE]
THE HIKE.
Balmoral Beach to Taronga Zoo & Mosman Rowers (8.5kms). This is definitely one of my favourite inner-Harbour hikes. We begin at Balmoral Beach and climb to one of the best views in Sydney at George's Head. Downward to a cracker of a (Chowder Bay) beach, then onward through lush greenery to Taylor's Bay, Bradley's Head, Taronga Zoo... and into one of my favourite pubs in Sydney (shhhh, it's a secret): Mosman Rowers (please bring ID, preferably you live >5kms away).We'll stop here for a rest / 30min drink on the water. If you have to leave (or if you want to meet us here for the 2nd half of the hike that's cool too), there's a ferry just steps away. But why not carry on?
Mosman Rowers to Sydney to Caterpillar Club (8.5kms).
Onward we go through a classic neighbourhood (Cremorne Point)... lower Neutral Bay and the beautiful Anderson Park. Up to Milson's Point, then onto Sydney Harbour Bridge with stunning views of our glorious city and Sydney Opera House.When we finish... Sorry, there won't be a band playing. Or fireworks. Or military jets. Or cheerleaders. But there will be Caterpillar Club opening its doors at 4pm with a superb Happy Hour... $16 burger (it's damn good), $12 cocktails, $6 beer and wine. You can't beat it. It's a former strip club turned cocktail joint... very fun indeed. Only thing? We need to freshen up - we can't walk in there with shitty hiking clothes on. Sooooo, think about a clothes upgrade at Angel Hotel (right across the street) before we head in - my strategy is some linen pants / shirt / deodorant for a quick Heavy Metal spray-shower.
Oh, and if you read this early, and you're keen for our other "Hike the Harbour Event(s)?" You can join our three in late June:
a) DEE WHY to MANLY BEACH, 21 June;
b) WATSON'S BAY to BONDI to COOGEE BEACH 22 June; and
b) MANLY BEACH to BALMORAL BEACH, 29 June.THE OTHER STUFF.
a) Don’t be late.
b) The cost. The hike is $10. Cash or PayID.
c) Honour Your RSVP. No shows on days like these are… well, not on at all. It's anti-social. You’ll be nudged out of the group.
d) Fitness. Fitness matters. There will be ups. Downs. Trail. Rocks. Nothing super technical / challenging.
e) Transport. I assume you have TripView app or something close - please make your way to Balmoral Beach. All buses drop right at Hunter Park. We meet there.
f) Dress code @4pm. Please have a plan. This is a really cool, really nice cocktail joint.Looking forward to this one - amazing scenery mixed with cool hikers, exercise, and excellent food / drinks!
See you then. MJ
- Multi-COAST-GASM. Manly Beach to Balmoral Beach. Hike SYD HARBOUR v5 + Drinks!Manly Wharf, Manly
Coast-gasm weekend continues?!?! Yup. Have that elusive multi. The “Spit to Manly Hike” is… So. Damn. Beautiful. And? We’re adding Chinaman’s Beach - one of the sleeper Sydney beaches, and perhaps it’s the best. Let’s do it all and finish at Balmoral Beach to hydrate.
[DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR "Hike to a Sydney Harbour Yacht Event!!!!" You can do that HERE]
Here we go with:
a) SATURDAY: Hiking All of Sydney Harbour v4, WATSON’S BAY TO COOGEE BEACH, 16KMS. Sign up HERE.
B) SUNDAY: v5: Manly Beach to Balmoral Beach with Chinaman’s Beach along the way…. a beach you must visit.HIKING SYDNEY HARBOUR.
If you're following along, our "Hike ALL of Sydney Harbour Series” is:
Hike 1, Dee Why Beach to Manly Wharf 16kms (21 June, sign up HERE)
Hike 2, Manly Wharf to Balmoral Beach 13kms
Hike 3, Balmoral Beach to Sydney CBD 15kms
Hike 4, Sydney Opera House to Watson's Bay 17kms (Done)
Hike 5, Watson's Bay to Coogee Beach 16kms (sign up HERE)
Hike 6, Cronulla Beach to Captain Cook's Landing Spot 14kms (Done)TODAY’S HIKE.
Manly Wharf to Spit Bridge. So much to see… West Manly Cove Beach, Manly Pavilion, Forty Baskets Beach, Reef Beach which spills into a diverse bush walk in National Park. Harbour views. Secluded Beaches. Wildlife. Mansions on the water to Clontarf and Spit Bridge. Crossing Spit Bridge we’ll enjoy a solid rest at Chinaman’s Beach – you’re in for a real treat. After Chinaman’s, we’ll neighbourhood / bush walk down to Balmoral Beach – another delightful Sydney spot.THE TRANSPORT.
a) 920am Manly Fast Ferry leaves Circular Quay from Wharf 2. But check the boards just in case. It arrives 940am, and we’ll head off from Hugo’s Manly (great restaurant / they will be closed / good place to meet) there at 945am.
b) From Balmoral Beach there are quite a few options – easy to plan on the day.THE OTHER STUFF.
a) Don’t be late. We leave on time / 5mins after. Or consult the map and catch up!
b) The cost. The hike is $10. Cash or PayID.
c) Honour your RSVP. No shows… well, not on at all. It's anti-social. You’ll be nudged out of the group.
d) Fitness matters. There will be ups. Downs. 19kms. Nothing super technical / challenging, so our pace should be pretty good.
e) Stay tuned for post-hike beer plan… The Buena in Mosman is lovely. We’ve also had a nice time at Minsky’s. I’ll plan it.
f) Bring mates, dates, etc...See you for a beautiful hike, beers, and laughs. MJ
- ROAST the CENTRAL COAST v1 - Bouddi National Park Hike. Hardy's Hideaway Pub!Woy Woy Train Station, Woy Woy
Amazing hikes. Obscene behaviour. Whales. Succulent Food & delicious drinks! How can you not sign up for this series? Here we go.
I love, love, love the sound of this trio of events:
a) Saturday. Bouddi National Park is my favourite hike of 2024 (v1);
b) Sunday. “5 Lands Hike” (Terrigal to Macmasters, v2) is a newbie to me, and it looks beautiful (thanks to Legend Member Frits); and
c) Next Saturday. Woy Woy to Patonga Beach Hike & food / drinks at The Boat House Patonga is sooooo unforgettable (v3).And the upside? We can do it all with one (optional) overniter… Or not, as all these hikes are doable with public transport.
[DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR "Hike to a Sydney Harbour Yacht Event!!!!" You can do that HERE]
THE HIKE. Macmasters Beach to Killcare Beach & Hardy's Hideaway (11kms).
We start with my favourite hike in Sydney... it's 11kms of an absolute stunner of rolling hills, coastal views, secluded / beautiful beaches... Macmasters Beach. Maitland Bay. Bullimah Beach. Marang Lookout. Killcare Beach. And more... Bouddi National Park is fucking beautiful.And you won't find a more unique bar in Hardy's Hideaway to finish it off. I LOVE this place, and the friendly locals inside (who saved the bar with their own hard earned cash post-COVID) love hosting us hikers. It's such a special joint, and the only way you're going to see it is if you're hiking in the area. It's a hidden gem.
THE OVERNITE(?).
I'm staying overnite in Terrigal. No doubt we'll have a crew to get a tad loose, then (somehow) wake with energy for v2 - "The 5 Lands Hike". But hey, if you're only keen to do this one hike, that's cool too. Hotels, AirBnB, cars / rides will all be discussed on our facebook group here.For the evening, we'll figure out dinner, drinks, bars, and the other tomfoolery that goes along with it...
THE OTHER STUFF.
a) Don’t be late. We'll meet at Woy Woy Station with all hikers / cars.
b) The cost. The hike is $10. PayID or Bank Transfer two weeks before the event - I'll SMS you the details.
c) The overnite. Optional. For now, make sure if you book there's a "cancellation" option just in case.
d) Honour Your RSVP. No shows on days like these are… well, not on at all. It's anti-social. You’ll be nudged out of the group.
e) Fitness. Fitness matters. There will be ups. Downs. Trail. Rocks. Proper hiking.
f) When you hit "Attend" PLEASE answer the question I'm asking about overnite / driving / mobile.
g) Feel free to bring mates, dates, ex's, etc...Looking forward to this one - amazing scenery mixed with cool hikers, exercise, and excellent food / drinks!
See you soon. MJ - ROAST the CENTRAL COAST v2 - "5 Lands Hike: Terrigal Beach to Macmasters Beach."Terrigal Beach, Terrigal., New South Wales
Amazing hikes. Obscene behaviour. Whales. Succulent Food & delicious drinks! How can you not sign up for this series? Here we go.
I love, love, love the sound of this trio of events:
a) Saturday. Bouddi National Park is my favourite hike of 2024 (v1);
b) Sunday. “5 Lands Hike” (Terrigal to Macmasters, v2) is a newbie to me, and it looks beautiful (thanks to Legend Member Frits); and
c) Next Saturday. Woy Woy to Patonga Beach Hike & food / drinks at The Boat House Patonga is sooooo unforgettable (v3).And the upside? We can do it all with one (optional) overniter… Or not, as all these hikes are doable with public transport.
[DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR "Hike to a Sydney Harbour Yacht Event!!!!" You can do that HERE]
THE HIKE. Terrigal Beach to Macmasters Beach (10kms).
"5 Lands Hike" was named to connect "People to People" and "People to Land". That's 4. I'm unsure what the 5th variable is... perhaps it's connecting "People to Margaritas".I've not done this hike, but the path and beaches look beautiful... Terrigal Beach to Copacabana Beach to North Avoca... Avoca... Macmasters Beach. Just wait 'til you see the Macmasters Rockpool. 'Tis a beauty.
We'll find a post-hike spot for a beer and Sunday feed... perhaps a Sunday Roast?
THE OVERNITE(?).
On Saturday nite, I'm staying in Terrigal. No doubt we'll have a crew to get a tad loose, then (somehow) wake with energy for this hike. But hey, if you're only keen to do this one hike, that's cool too. Hotels, AirBnB, cars / rides will all be discussed on our facebook group here.THE OTHER STUFF.
a) Don’t be late. We'll meet at Terrigal Beach with all hikers / cars.
b) The cost. The hike is $10. PayID or Bank Transfer two weeks before the event - I'll SMS you the details.
c) The overnite. Optional. For now, make sure if you book there's a "cancellation" option just in case.
d) Honour Your RSVP. No shows on days like these are… well, not on at all. It's anti-social. You’ll be nudged out of the group.
e) Fitness. Fitness matters. There will be ups. Downs. Trail. Rocks. Proper hiking.
f) When you hit "Attend" PLEASE answer the question I'm asking about overnite / driving / mobile.
g) Feel free to bring mates, dates, ex's, etc...Looking forward to this one - amazing scenery mixed with cool hikers, exercise, and excellent food / drinks!
See you soon. MJ
