Since a long time I was once again in Sydney and on the weekend a trip to the surrounding area offers itself. Incredibly interesting hiking trails are waiting for you where you can always discover new things. This time I decided to drive to Bundeena and then continue a hike from the north along the coast through the Royal National Park. Actually, I wanted to go only a small piece and then back again, but the day was still quite early and I thought that this multi-day tour would have to be done in one day. So I went from Bundeena to Otford in one day through the whole Royal National Park from north to south.
I set out before sunrise from Bundeena, at the very northern edge of Sydney’s Royal National Park, with one goal in mind: to hike the entire park in a single day, all the way to Otford on the southern boundary. It’s about 30 kilometres of rugged coastline, wild beaches, steep climbs, and incredible views. It turned into one of the most challenging but also one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had in nature.
Leaving Bundeena, I joined the Coast Track, a legendary trail that hugs the edge of the cliffs almost from the start. The first light of the day washed across the Pacific Ocean as I made my way past sandstone headlands and wave-battered rock shelves. The sound of the surf below and the cries of seabirds overhead set the rhythm for the long day ahead. Within the first hour I felt like I was already in true wilderness, even though Sydney was just across the water.
The walk carried me south past some of the park’s most stunning natural highlights. From the rugged cliffs I descended into shady gullies where gymea lilies and cabbage tree palms grew tall above the creeks. At places like Wedding Cake Rock, the white sandstone glowed in the morning sun, contrasting with the endless blue of the sea. Moving further on, I passed through Wattamolla, a favourite spot for picnics and swimming, though so early in the day it was quiet and peaceful.
As the hours ticked by, the landscape kept changing. The Garie Beach stretch was spectacular – a long curve of sand backed by steep green hills, where surfers were already out riding the waves. From there, the track climbed again, delivering some of the most dramatic cliff-top views of the whole park. The ocean stretched to the horizon, and inland the bushland rolled away in ridges and valleys.
One of the most unforgettable parts of the walk came when I detoured down toward the Figure Eight Pools. These perfectly round rock pools, carved into the shelf by the sea, are one of the park’s natural icons. Reaching them safely requires good timing with the tides, but standing by them felt like discovering a secret carved by nature’s own hand.
Further south, the trail passed through Burning Palms and Era Beach, wild and remote beaches with a raw, untamed beauty. Here, I saw only a few other hikers and a couple of campers – the solitude was almost complete. By this point my legs were tiring, but the wildness of the landscape kept me