9 Best day walks on the North side of Sydney

With train station at each end this walk explores the ridges and valleys around Berowra Waters. There are plenty of excellent views, especially at Naa Badu Lookout and the many creek vantage points along the way. There are some solid climbs on this walk so be sure to allow enough time. Berowra Waters, in the middle of the walk, is a great place for lunch or an ice cream, by taking the optional side trip across the river, on the free car-ferry, which is a pleasant ride in itself.

Total climbing: 884m

This is an enjoyable circuit walk that allows you to explore this rare pocket of Sydney Blue Gum forest. You will follow a signposted track across a few creeks and alongside Waitara Creek, with a few cascades. There are many small sandstone caves and a great diversity in plant life along the way. Sit quietly on the bank of Waitara Creek and you may see a water dragon, or get going early and listen for the Lyrebirds.

Total climbing: 231m

This walk explores three valleys, with great displays of wild flowers in spring, and some nice sandstone overhangs. The section between Mt Kuring-gai and the end of Calna Creek is particularly nice, and Naa Badu Lookout is well worth the small side trip. Take the time to enjoy the many creek side rest areas along the way.

Total climbing: 553m

Starting from the Macquarie Park train station, you wander down Lane Cove Rd and over De Burghs Bridge to join the main spine of the Great North Walk in the Lane Cove Valley. Here the walk heads under De Burghs bridge then explores the dry grass tree and eucalypt forest along the side of the ridge. The track soon leads you down into the ferny and moist valley beside Lane Cove River. Near the top of the valley, you walk up some stone steps built during the depression to find some rock engravings with 1930’s style political satire, Conscript Pass. The side trip provides access to the scout campsite, where the main walk continues leads up through the streets to find Thornleigh train station.

Total climbing: 413m

This pleasant walk starts in the outskirts of St Ives and follows several tracks to explore a section of the Garigal National Park. The walk follows the Upper Cambourne Track down into Garigal National Park, then the Lower Cambourne Track into the valley, and the Bare Creek Track, through the forest. The walk then follows the Cascades Track to climb out of the valley. There is an optional side trip to the Cascades.

Total climbing: 204m

From the ridges above Cowan Creek, this walk takes in some great lookouts (especially around Mt Kuring-gai) as well as enjoying an extremely pleasant bush track along the creek. Easily accessible by public transport, this track gives walkers a good taste of what Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park has to offer. Be sure to spare some time for a dawdle around the bays on Cowan Creek.

Total climbing: 551m

This Cowan to Brooklyn Station walk is a popular section of the Great North Walk, with scenery ranging from foreshore to ridge top lookouts. You will follow the Great North Walk from Cowan Station down to the picturesque Jerusalem Bay, then climb up over a series of ridges before descending into Brooklyn. This walk is a great one-way trip from station to station with numerous water views, including a circumnavigation of Brooklyn Dam whilst enjoying a wonderful diversity of flora along the way.

Total climbing: 654m

This is a fantastic walk for those wanting a great walk on Sydney’s northern beaches. Features of this track include views of the central coast, Palm Beach and the South Pacific Ocean, and historic remnants of old lighthouses. Currently some track repairs are underway, however once completed this walk will revert to a circuit track.

Total climbing: 110m

This great walk starts at the Sphinx Memorial and loops around via Cowan Creek, exploring diverse environments as it changes altitude. There is an optional side trip to the Empire Marina and cafe for a recharge before the climb back up to the Sphinx. This walk provides some great water views of the Cowan Creek and the interesting rock formations along its shores.

Total climbing: 499m