Seven Bridges Walk, Sydney

I'm still finding it hard to believe that last Sunday I did the Seven Bridges Walk, a fundraising initiative encouraging Sydneysiders to get out and exercise, whilst also donating optional "bridge tolls" to be divided equally between four charities: the National Heart Foundation, Cancer Council Australia, depression initiative Beyond Blue and Diabetes Australia (NSW).

People of all ages and fitness levels were encouraged to participate, and entry was free. Participants could start at any point along the 22 kilometre (14 mile) route which proceeded in a clock-wise direction. No running was allowed, and free buses operated in an anti-clockwise direction for participants to head home.


The 22km (14 mile) route

All participants were provided with a passport with a unique barcode at the back. This would be scanned at various checkpoints en route, tracking your progress for a personalised participant certificate.


Scan your passport here

When A, N, C and I had met at Milsons Point train station at 8.30am, we only thought we'd do two bridges, three maybe, four at an absolute pinch. However once we started, it was amazing what the lure of another "stamp" in your participant passport will make you do (the kid in me has never grown up).

By bridge number three,we worked out that bridges four, five, six and seven were actually quite close together; and finally A and I pushed the others to complete the final half of the route from Hunters Hill through to North Sydney.

That's when the legs really started to ache and we never thought we'd see the finish. It was a beautiful day though: perfect outdoor conditions with clear blue skies, happy cheerful sunshine, mild temperatures and a regular light breeze. You couldn't have ordered a nicer day. There were free energy bars and bottles of water at the seven participant villages, and hundred of volunteers made sure participants stayed on the correct route and that everything ran smoothly.

And yes we did finally make it back to the start. We were endlessly pleased with ourselves and the aching muscles stopped after about three days :)

That's probably one meal walked off with plenty more to go.

Here are the pics:


Where were started: Milsons Point checkpoint
8.40am Sunday October 29, 2006
with the Harbour Bridge in the background


Getting scanned at the start


We begin: stairs up to the Harbour Bridge
(Bridge #1)


Heading towards the Harbour Bridge


Fabulous views of the Sydney Opera House


Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon


Travelling in style: getting pulled in a wagon

This kid got a number of admiring glances from fellow walkers. He also had a pillow and books. Why didn’t I think of that?!?


Bridge #2: Pyrmont Bridge in Darling Harbour


Walking across Pyrmont Bridge


Bridge #3: Anzac Bridge


Bridge #4: Iron Cove Bridge


Walking across Iron Cove Bridge

[Cue a leisurely 70-minute lunch break - and yes, of course I took photos. To be posted shortly]


Bridge #5: Gladesville Bridge: the steepest one!


Harbour views from the Gladesville Bridge;
the Harbour Bridge can be spotted in the distance

The man on his bike pedalling furiously uphill and ony proceeding at a snail's pace was quite a sight to behold.


Bridge #6: Tarban Creek Bridge


Plenty of route markers led the way


Bridge #7: Fig Tree Bridge


Cute house in Hunters Hill


Steep incline? Ha, I’m sure it was a 75 degree incline

The hill beyond this sign was an absolute killer. When I took this photo I thought it was cute. I had no idea of the pain that lay ahead. The only thing that kept me going was the pensioners threatening to overtake me.


Entrepreneurial kids with a lemonade stand
(and this point they were goading the youngest to spruik their wares)

We spotted two lemonade stands along the way. And one very neighbourly house had an esky with a sign "free drinks and water bottle refills".


Lane Cove bushland

Are we there yet?


View of the Harbour Bridge from Balls Head


After 7.5 hours, back to Milsons Point!
Harbour Bridge and the Opera House

We made it back to the start at 4.30pm, only 30 minutes before the course closed at 5pm. Not a bad effort considering we hadn't planned to cover the entire route.


Luna Park

We headed down to Milsons Point wharf to try to catch one of the free ferries back to Circular Quay but a lack of timetable and an urgent desire to head home saw us trudge back up the hill again to collapse onto a train.

A long day but a worthwhile one. Thanks to all the sponsors and volunteers for their wonderful smiling efforts. I'm sure this event, a phenomenal success for its first run after years of planning, will be back again next year.

The Seven Bridges Walk was held on Sunday October 29, 2006.