The Bay Run
This walk takes you in and around the inner-western suburbs of Five Dock and Drummoyne, Lilyfield and Rozelle.
Yes, it’s called the Bay Run, but trust me, you don’t have to. The circuit is approximately 7km long, mostly flat and it’s wheelchair and pram friendly. The path can get very busy especially on the weekends* and there is very little shade so pack the sunscreen and a hat.
The route for this walk needs little explanation - just follow the crowd. You can begin and end at any point and there is usually plenty of parking in the nearby streets. We began in Neild Park in Five Dock, parking in Neild Avenue and heading in an anti-clockwise direction around the water.
This walk is particularly pretty in the morning when the sun is still low and the rowers are breaking the otherwise still surface of the water. The path winds around Iron Cove and Canada Bay, past mangroves, parks , picnic grounds and playgrounds.
Along the way
Keep an eye out for the winged water feeders busy among the mangroves, especially at low tide, and for this fetching art installation by artist Edwards Clarke. Titled Fishtraps, it was commissioned as part of the council’s Gadigal-Wangal Wayfinding Project in 2019.
There are bubblers and toilets dotted around the route and you can get your caffeine fix at a couple of spots along the way. Haberfield Rowers has a little take away kiosk serving food and drinks as does La Montage adjacent to Leichhardt Park.
There are some great playgrounds at Timbrell, Leichhardt and King George Parks and plenty of spots to kick a ball around. There are even a couple of well-equipped outdoor gyms for those who want to add a bit of stretch and strengthening to their workout.
About half way around, just beyond Leichhardt Park, you’ll enter the grounds of Callan Park, formerly a mental health facility and later home to Sydney College of the Arts. There are a number of heritage listed buildings on the site dating back to the late 1800’s. In plans still to be finalised, these will be preserved while other more dilapidated buildings on the 60 hectare site will be removed to make way for public parkland and amenities. And according to a recent announcement (early 2023), a 50 metre tidal pool, with accompanying jetty and pontoons is also set to be built here.
The last section of the walk takes you over the busy Iron Cove Bridge into Drummoyne. On the left you’ll pass Drummoyne Pool whose swimming club has a long history, associated with the likes of Dawn Fraser and Forbes Carlisle. On the right you’ll see Birkenhead Point, a popular outlet centre for major retailers.
As you make your way back to the start you’ll get a good view of Rodd Island, which lies in the centre of Iron Cove. The island is managed by National Parks and is accessible by boat only. It is available to hire for functions or for day trips and picnics, (landing fees apply).
The walks ends where it began, at Nield Park. I can recommend Nield Park Pavilion at the edge of the park as a good place to stop for coffee or breakfast before heading back to the car.
*At the height of the pandemic, when we were all locked down, or locked up, this walk was threatened with closure as there were too many people using it to get as their daily means of exercise and escape. Go on a weekday of you can, outside the peak morning/late afternoon periods.