This has got to be one of Sydney’s best rides for photography enthusiasts! Forgive the number of photos, but this is shutterbug paradise.
On a sunny Sunday I boarded an early ferry from Manly to the Quay with no particular riding plan in mind. From the start, it was hard to keep the camera down and the closer you get to the Quay the more beautiful the scenery.
After getting off at the Quay, the first port of call was the Sydney Opera House. If you have never ridden around this endlessly fascinating structure then put it on your must-do list: its magic. This four minute Youtube clip gives you the idea:
Timing is everything as this area becomes crowded quickly on weekends, and early Sunday is the best time to ride around the Quay and The Rocks.
From The Rocks it’s a flat ride around the various wharfs on the way to Bangaroo. This life-size scultpure was certainly eye-catching.
I headed back towards the southern access to the Bridge and noticed that The Rocks Sunday Markets were happening; this is another must-see Sydney institution.
As you leave The Rocks you pass the Sydney Observatory which is worth a visit; so many iconic images of Old Sydney Town in this area.
The bike path access to the Bridge is directly opposite The Observatory and, of course, offers sweeping panoramas of the Harbour and Luna Park.
Once you are off the Northern ramp, it’s a short down-hill ride to get more great pics of this amazing area.
Cruise around the wharf walk alongside Luna Park and you end up in Lavender Bay, another stunning Harbour location.
From Lavender Bay it’s a ride up the hill to North Sydney Oval, then across the overbridge and through the suburbs of Neutral Bay, Cremorne, and Mosman. It’s a sweet ride down to The Spit, then up the hill to Manly.
Overall, this ride took a bit over 3 hours and covered about 42kms (including ferry ride); perhaps slow but it’s more of a sightseeing tour than a regular bike ride. It can be completed without riding on busy roads, using paths and back streets. That gives it the ‘safe and scenic’ ride tick from me.
More detailed route map on Strava at: https://strava.app.link/Bev0LJAaA0
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eBiker Diary 
This particular ride is mostly harbour foreshore so is relatively flat. There are a few rises around the Rocks and the Harbour Bridge but The Spit is the most steep part. My Merida returns about 60kms under the conditions of this ride and it eats all the hills, with some solid pedalling to help it along. What sort of ebike are you riding Laurence?
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how much work did you do and how far can go on the charge, how were the hills? I have had to use all the gears and full throttle to get up some
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That does look like a fabulous ride 😎
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