The harbourside suburbs east of the City have always looked interesting so I parked behind the Botanic Gardens and pointed my ebike north-east. I could have taken a ferry and started from Circular Quay but by mid-morning the school-holiday crowd gets underway while Wooloomooloo is very quiet.

The game plan was to hug the harbourside along every back-street that I could find all the way to Watson’s Bay. This is the slowest and longest way to do this ride, but it’s also how to see the most interesting sights. After passing the iconic Harry’s Café de Wheels and the Garden Island Naval Dockyard, the road rises to the back of King’s Cross where I took the first street left down to the harbour side.

You cannot stay on the foreshores for long because buildings block access, but I was in no hurry. The first public reserves you come to are Rushcutter’s Bay (where I met the cutest Pomeranian) and Double Bay, and further on, Rose Bay.

On the way, I stopped to admire the historic 19^thcentury-built St. Mark’s Church in Darling Point.

It’s then a climb to the lofty suburbs on the hills where you will find the Hogwarts-inspired Kincoppal-Rose Bay School, Greycliffe House, and Vaucluse House.

I entered Watson’s Bay via The Crescent which runs along the bay, then stopped for coffee before cruising past Dunbar House, Watson’s Bay Wharf and Doyles On The Beach. After taking obligatory but spectacular photos of The Gap, I rode up to the Naval precinct for an panoramic view of Watson’s Bay.

I have not been to Kings Cross for ages so I enjoyed a brief diversion to the famous El Alamein Fountain in the Fitzroy Garden. Still colourful and vibrant as ever.

This turned out to be a fascinating bike tour. By taking the snail-trail back-streets it took me about 28 kms and two and a half hours to get to Watson’s Bay but only 12kms and 30 minutes to get back to Woolloomooloo via Old South Head Road. The bike lane was adequate and where it thinned out I simply popped onto the path. It is certainly a scenic ride with many ways to avoid traffic and stay safe.