The Spit Bridge – Where The Spit to Manly Walk Begins (or Ends)

The very popular 10km Spit to Manly (or Manly to Spit) Walk is actually a part of the longer 20km Manly Scenic Walkway, which runs from the Mosman Spit, all the way to Manly North Head.

Many prefer to start their walk from The Spit, for the simple reason that Manly offers a better selection of ‘refreshment’ options, at the end of a long walk.

However, The Spit end of the walk can be a little complicated for those who are ‘first-timers’ on the route. In fact, unless you know where to go, this is potentially the ‘trickiest’ part of the entire walk.

Be AWARE that most maps show the route for the Spit to Manly Walk starting at/on the Spit Bridge. This is misleading, and is perhaps indicative of ‘armchair warriors’, who have never actually walked the ground.

A Look at What’s Inside:

Let’s unpack this further, using public transport to arrive at (or to depart from) The Spit. We will look into four important points:

1. ‘Need to Know’ about The Spit Bridge, and the A8 Carriageway

The Spit Bridge is a working ‘lift’ bridge, on Sydney’s A8 Carriageway through the north-eastern suburbs. The centre span of the bridge opens at scheduled times during the day to allow boat traffic into/out of the upper parts of Middle Harbour. Each opening cycle takes about 10 minutes. During these times, A8 traffic is completely halted.

The Spit Bridge opening schedules can be found online:

https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/using-waterways-boating-and-transport-information/navigation-communication-maps-times-and-restrictions/spit-bridge-openings#toc-bridge-opening-times

As a major transport link, the A8 is a very busy stretch of road, with three lanes in both directions. However, the Spit Bridge carries only three lanes (total). As traffic approaches the bridge, it is channelled into two lanes in one direction, and one lane in the other (depending on the time of the day).

Note that there are only two crossing points on the A8 between the Spit West Reserve (i.e. the bus stop) and the Spit Bridge. The first is a traffic-light controlled pedestrian crossing at the Parriwi Road intersection; the second is a walkway which goes beneath the southern end of the bridge.

Important Note:
There are Public Toilets available in the Spit West Reserve, about 100 meters to the north of the Bus Stop.

As an aside, it seems that parts of Spit Road on the southern side of the bridge may also be known as Military Road in some reference sources.

2. Starting at The Spit (coming from the CBD, or from Manly)

Coming from the CBD

IF you are (like me) arriving at The Spit Bridge by public bus, coming from Sydney’s CBD on the A8 Carriageway, the Bus Stop to alight at is:
Spit West Reserve, Spit Rd, Mosman, which is on the southern side of The Spit Bridge.

This stop is about 75m after the traffic-lights, at the controlled junction of Spit Road with Parriwi Road.

Note that the next Bus Stop after Spit West Reserve is Manly Rd opp Avona Cres, another 1.0km along the A8 (now Manly Road). On the northern side of The Spit Bridge, the A8 runs through a rock cutting for about 300m, with no formed footpaths on the sides (this is between the two junctions with Avona Crescent). Consequently, walking along this section, or attempting to randomly cross the six lanes of traffic, has the potential to end up rather badly! This makes it ultra important to alight at the Spit West Reserve Bus Stop, not at the ‘Manly Rd opp Avona Cres’ Stop.

Having alighted at Spit West Reserve, walk northwards (towards The Spit Bridge), along the pedestrian pathway beside the road, for about 300 meters, to the deck of the bridge.

The pedestrian pathway continues over the bridge; the bridge span is about 250 meters (You may be required to wait for a bridge opening cycle).

As you reach the northern side of the bridge, look for a set of steps on the left, leading into Battle Boulevard.

From there, on the left again, another set of steps leads down from Battle Boulevard towards Middle Harbour. This goes to a walkway under the bridge, which takes you into Ellery’s Punt Reserve. In all, Ellery’s Punt Reserve is about 550 meters from the Spit West Reserve Bus Stop.

Ellery’s Punt Reserve is the recognised start-point (or end) of the route for The Spit to Manly Walk. A worn track across the Reserve leads to the sealed pathway of Fisher Bay Walk.

Ahead you will see a sign “Manly Scenic Walkway Fisher Bay”. Now you are onto the Spit to Manly Walk; you will find numerous signposts along the way to guide you.

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Coming from Manly (to The Spit)

IF you are arriving at The Spit Bridge by public transport, from the direction of Manly, your Bus Stop is Spit East Reserve (Alternately, you could opt to alight at the ‘Manly Rd at Avona Cres’ Stop, and then walk along the Crescent for about 300 meters [330 yards], to the steps descending to the Manly Scenic Walkway, at Ellery’s Punt Reserve).

Having alighted at Spit East Reserve, walk northwards (i.e. back towards The Spit Bridge), along the footpath beside the A8 roadway, for about 200 meters, to the deck of the bridge.

Continue across The Spit Bridge; the bridge span is about 250 meters (You may be required to wait for a bridge opening cycle).

Once on the northern side of the bridge, continue along the pedestrian footpath for about 50 meters, as the A8 curves to the right.

On your right, you will see the start of Fisher Bay Walk, which leads down into the Ellery’s Punt Reserve. This is the recognised start-point (or end) of the route for The Spit to Manly Walk.

Note: be aware the Fisher Bay Walk is also a driveway for service vehicles. As you follow the Fisher Bay Walk, ahead you will see a sign “Manly Scenic Walkway Fisher Bay”. Along the Spit to Manly Walk; you will find numerous signposts beside the track to guide you.

Notes and Things to Check:

3. Finishing at The Spit (going to the CBD, or to Manly)

If you plan to walk from Manly to The Spit, and then to catch public transport into Sydney’s CBD, things are not as complicated (compared to arriving at The Spit by public transport).

And, there may be some who might want to head back from The Spit to Manly, by public transport; so we’ll also cover that.

Going to the CBD

As you approach Ellery’s Punt Reserve, follow the sealed pathway of the Fisher Bay Walk as it runs alongside the bush-line on the right.

Fisher Bay Walk terminates at the A8 (on the southbound side), about 50 m before the Spit Bridge. Note: be aware the Fisher Bay Walk is also a driveway for service vehicles.

Take the footpath alongside the A8, and continue across The Spit Bridge; the bridge span is about 250 meters (You may be required to wait for a bridge opening cycle).

Once on the southern side of the bridge, continue along the pedestrian footpath for about 200 meters, to the Spit East Reserve Bus Stop (in all, about 450 m from end of Fisher Bay Walk).

Going (back) to Manly

As you approach Ellery’s Punt Reserve, you have a decision to make about where/how to cross over the A8 Carriageway:

1. Either  take the walkway beneath The Spit Bridge from Ellery’s Punt Reserve, and then walk across the bridge and along on the footpath on the western side of the A8, to the Bus Stop at Spit West Reserve; this is a distance of around 500m
2. Or  follow Fisher Bay Walk to the A8, then walk along the eastern side of the A8, across the bridge and to the Pedestrian Crossing at the A8-Parrawi junction, and then crossing over the A8 and walking back to the Bus Stop at Spit West Reserve; this is a distance of around 750m

Note that for either, you may be required to wait for a bridge opening cycle.

4. At Manly Wharf (starting from, or finishing at Manly)

For completeness, let’s quickly unpack the Manly end:

Starting the Walk from Manly

If you choose to start your walk from Manly (and assuming you arrive in Manly by public ferry), as you exit the Manly Wharf area, you will step onto the (unmarked) Fairlight Walk.

Away to the left of the Ferry Terminal building, you will see a signpost with a number of markers; one of these gives the direction of the Manly to Split Walk.

The Fairlight Walk is the first section of the Manly-Spit Walk, and follows the shoreline of Manly Cove, initially in a westerly direction.

Now that you are onto the Manly to Spit Walk, you will find numerous signposts along the way to guide you.

Finishing the Walk at Manly

If you choose to finish your walk at Manly, you will approach along Fairlight Walk, as it follows the shoreline of Manly Cove. As you approach it, the Manly Wharf will become a very obvious landmark.

Wrapping It Up

Initially, I wasn’t going to post this, even though I had almost been caught out by planning to use the wrong Bus Stop for The Spit end of the Walk. I thought that it was ‘just me’, until I read a couple of pieces about people having the same experience, i.e. looking at a map, and then heading to the Bus Stop closest to the Manly Scenic Walkway/Spit to Manly Walk.

My suggestion, if you are planning to start your Spit to Manly Walk from The Spit, and you are arriving at The Spit by public transport from the direction of the CBD, is:

1. Alight at the Bus Stop at Spit West Reserve
2. Begin a short walk of around 550 meters, along the footpath beside the A8 Carriageway
3. This will bring you to Ellery’s Punt Reserve, the recognised start-point for the Spit to Manly Walk

The alternative (that I was somewhat ‘naively’ intending to try) is, to say the least, likely to be rather exciting, probably quite stressful, and could possibly even end up rather badly!

A Final Thought

Officially, the Manly to Spit Bridge/Spit Bridge to Manly Walk was opened in 1988. However, the 1919 Department of Lands map of Sydney Harbour reveals that much of the coastal zone between Manly and Seaforth was (then) already zoned “For Public Rec”.

For those of us who enjoy the Spit Bridge to Manly (or Manly to Spit Bridge) Walk, perhaps it is appropriate to reflect for a moment on the foresight of some (apparently) unknown civic authorities, who, well over 100 years ago, set aside much of today’s route for this popular walk.

Had this not been done, who knows whether we would have been able to enjoy this wonderful walk today?

Useful Links

Manly Scenic Walkway

(Sydney Harbour National Park)

Check for any current alerts:

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/walking-tracks/manly-scenic-walkway/local-alerts

Manly Scenic Walkway
[to Spit Bridge]

(Northern Beaches Council)

Manly Scenic Walkway Brochure (PDF):

https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/media/9923?1733962627