Sydney Bondi to Coogee Beach Running Route

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Length 12.3 km or 6.1 km one-way (7.6 miles, or 3.8 miles for one-way)
terrain: mainly flat, with many stairs and short hills (gain 100 meters)

In addition to my own pictures, I added a few better ones from the creative folks at Flickr Creative Commons. Thanks!

Sydney Running Routes:
Best Sydney Running Routes: Overview
Central Businesss District (CBD)  
Harbour north shore  
South Head and Watsons Bay  
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Run
Manly Beach Run
Centennial Park Run Check the Routes by Country/City page for more routes

Sydney is the most livable city I've ever visited, with its beautiful bay, good weather, pub culture and outdoor recreational possibilities. And the beaches along the coast add the crowning touch. So make sure you get out to some of Sydney's beautiful beaches, sand crescents backed by cliffs, with swimming pools set into the cliff bases, and with rocks out in the distance and surfers out among them, braving the huge breakers. The cliff rocks are often carved by the winds into fascinating matrices of mini-caves and ledges.

View of Coogee Beach from the south along the Coastal Walk

This spectacular route follows the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, between these two beach neighborhoods in eastern Sydney. The trail follows the sandstone clifftops, with all the great scenery in between. It visits five beaches, plus countless vistas, rocks, parks, rock-pool baths, and beach houses: it's one of the most inspiring spots for a run that you'll ever find, anywhere. And it's right in this multi-million-resident city.

NOTE: see the Destinations Tips page for tips about spending your free time in this great town!
 
On one of my last trips to Sydney, I decided to get a room in Bondi to enjoy some beach life in depth, and I was glad I did. You can get there from the city center by taking the T4 train to Bondi Junction, then a bus to the beach (lines 380, 381, 382 or 333). The trains and buses all run every 10 minutes. The 380 and 333 buses to Bondi Beach also leave directly from Circular Quay, in the city center.

NOTE: At the end of every October, there is the Sculpture by the Sea exhibit along a 2-km section of the coastal walk, south of Bondi. Very cool stuff, but there are big crowds along the trail then, so make sure you run early before the crowds arrive.

Bondi, with ocean pool and Icebergs Club

We'll start the run at Bondi Beach, at the pavilion right at the center of the beach. Turn to your right and, past the big semicircle of sand, you'll see the ocean pool of Bondi Baths. The coastal walk begins on the street right above the baths.

So start running along the beach (either on the sand or on the promenade) towards the steps rising up to the right of the baths. The steps take you up to Notts Avenue, where you turn left and run past the Bondi Icebergs Club, which runs the baths. The Icebergs only allow members who have proven that they have gone swimming on most winter days for a few years in a row. And they have over 600 members!

The street soon ends in a cul-de-sac, and you take the trail leading off to the left at the Coastal Walk sign, heading down along the rocks, with the waves crashing below you. You can see surfers ahead, off the cliffs of Mackenzie’s Point: it looks a bit dangerous out alone among those big rocks.

View from Mackenzie's Point

The trail winds around the rocky point at Marks Park, then heads west towards quiet Tamarama Beach and the park rising up the hillside behind it.

At Tamarama, you can either follow the trail down across the beach and then back up the stairs again on the other side, or exit the trail at the Tamarama SLSC lifeguards' house by taking the steps going up to Gaerloch Avenue and then follow Pacific Avenue as it loops around the beach and park.

Bronte Beach, photo by Chavelli

The trail now becomes a sidewalk along Marine Drive until you you round the next rocky point and come to Bronte Beach. At Bronte, at almost the 2.5-km mark, you can either cross the lawn of Bronte Park or run down along the paved promenade just above the beach itself. At the other (south) side, before the rock pool baths, you can take the stairs up to the street just above. This narrow one-way street used to be the old tramway, heading uphill.

Stunning Bronte sunset captured by Sacha Fernandez

At the top of the rise, where the street turns to the right to head inland, leave the street to enter the Calga Reserve park, above the cliffs. At the far (south) end of Calga Reserve, look for the new boardwalk that takes you along the water side of Waverley Cemetery (you used to have to run inland, behind the cemetery). This is about the half-way point of the way to Coogee, at three kilometers.

After the cemetery, the trail continues downhill along Ocean Street, with Burrows Park to the left, along the water side. You'll pass some lawn-bowling fields. After the last lawn-bowling field, at Warner Avenue, you could cut eastwards through the park to run along the cliffs again, instead of running along the street.

Along the cliffs

When you reach the south end of Burrows Park, you'll see the narrow, fjord-like bay of Clovelly ahead. The trail now leaves the road to head down to Clovelly Beach. You can either try to cross the loose sand of the beach or follow the trail as it winds back behind the beach and back around the other side, as you pass the 4-km mark.

The trail now follows the south shore of Clovelly Bay, heading up above the small rock-pool bath, and then up around the beach parking lot. You can already see Coogee Beach stretching out back behind the next rocky point.

Maybe you thought you had seen as much gorgeous scenery as anybody possibly could during one run, but now, at the end of the parking lot, you come to the next beautiful bay, Gordon's Bay. The whole bay is lined by cliffs and rocks, and is a protected reserve.

Beautiful nature in Gordon's Bay, photo by Deborah & Kevin

The trail follows the cliffs around the bay, going over a spot where local fishermen leave their little boats parked up under the cliffs, at the 5-km mark.

Heading back uphill again at the south end of the bay, the trail enters Major Street, where, after a few houses, you can take the trail as it goes into the park on the left, Dunningham Reserve. You'll loop through the park and then head down to the last bit of the run: into Coogee Beach.

Coogee Beach, looking back at Dunningham Reserve

When you reach the semicircular steps at the middle of the beach, this is the end of the route. One of my favorite Sydney hangouts is right across the street: the Coogee Bay Hotel and its courtyard pub.

Now either turn around and run the 6.1 kilometers back to Bondi or take the bus. The 362 line heads back to Bondi Road, just a few blocks south of the staring point, or lines 372, 373 or 374 will take you back to the city. But I would plan to spend some more time out at the beach, wherever you stop, and go for a swim (there are showers) and try out one of the cafés. At Coogee, for example, you can sit outside overlooking the beach at the Barzura café, and enjoy their creative menu. Hey, this is the life, enjoy it!

NOTE: You could even continue running southwards from Coogee towards Maroubra or further, if you haven't had enough of this beautiful coast yet, adding a few more kilometers to this beautiful route.

Birmingham Canals Running Route

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Length 8 km (5 miles), terrain: flat
NOTE: By leaving off the last section, the distance is cut in half

Pictures courtesy of the creative folks at Flickr Creative Commons. Thanks! 

For other running routes, see Route List. 

If you're staying and working in downtown Birmingham in the UK's Midlands, you might feel intimidated about heading out for a run. It's pretty urban, with loud streets and buses everywhere. Railway yards and freeways cut swaths through the neighborhoods, and big parks or green areas are nowhere to be found. The whole city center has been wonderfully revitalized in recent years, with new pedestrian shopping streets, but extended green areas are still in short supply.

But, luckily, Birmingham is bisected by a network of old canals, which provide a bit of water and greenery away from the traffic: the perfect place to go for a run.

A narrowboat underway in Birmingham, photo by Cmdr Gravy

I first discovered the canals many years ago, while working at a client's along the Grand Union Canal on the east side of Birmingham. During each lunch break, I wandered along the canal trail, picking ripe blackberries and enjoying the serenity, marveling at the old boat locks and basins where the canal barges could tie up.

The canals were dug in the earliest days of the Industrial Revolution, in the early 1800s. Birmingham was the center of the whole revolution, with the world's first modern factories sprouting up all over the area. And the canals provided a way to move Birmingham's goods faster than along the muddy, rutted roads. But just a few decades later, the railroads killed the canals, and they fell into a kind of Snow White deep-sleep. Urban planners have now discovered the delights of waterside living, and have encouraged the redevelopment of the old factories and warehouses that lined every canal.

The main canal at Broad Street, photo by Aff

The canal are lined by towpaths, trails where men and horses pulled the barges, step by step. So each canal has always had a waterside trail that fits runners perfectly. It's kind of fun, running the narrow path along the water, going past ancient boat locks, under bridges, often down below the raised street-level all around you.

The canal-side buildings in the Birmingham town center have been redeveloped to provide a whole new evening entertainment district, full of restaurants, bars and shops. You're sure to see a few places where you'll want to return in the evening, after the run.

This means, of course, that the towpaths in the town center can be crowded in nice weather, in the area between the Mailbox and the nia, but once you're out of that area, you can run without zig-zagging around lots of pedestrians.

The Birmingham Canals Route
We'll start the run at the back end of the Mailbox, a converted ex-Royal Mail sorting center. The Mailbox has its own little basin harbor on the back side, and is the perfect place to start.

Start of the run, at the Mailbox basin, photo by Slack12

So head to Commercial Street. At the right of the Ramada Hotel, take the steps going up, at the "Mailbox" sign. You will find yourself at the little canal basin, surrounded by the Mailbox's shops, pubs and restaurants. Now take the stairs up behind the Ramada, which connect into a pedestrian bridge over one branch of the canal and then head northwest along the canal towpath.

You'll pass the extravagantly designed cube of the Indigo Hotel with its strange roofline on the left, before crossing the bridge.

Heading west from the Mailbox, photo by Slack12

In just two blocks, you'll come to one of the coolest spots around: the Gas Street Basin, full of narrowboats, with a few pubs and cafés. Right after this, you go under a building built over the canal at Broad Street, then the Brindley Place pubs and cafès on the left.

Did someone say there are narrowboats at the basin? Photo by Roger Marks

Keep running northwest towards the gigantic National Indoor Arena (or "nia") straight ahead. When you get to the arena, you will also have the big aquarium on your side of the canal, the National Sea Life Centre.

Just past the aquarium, you'll cross a side canal on the left. Turn left to follow it as it loops around to join back up to the Birmingham Main Line Canal again. This quiet "Old Line" canal is now lined with nice new apartments and offices.

Urban living along the Old Line Canal, just before it connects to Main Line. Photo by Leonardo Morgado

After just 400 meters, the Old Line Canal will have curved back around to the Main Line Canal again. Now just follow the towpath to the left for 100 meters to the next bridge, at St. Vincent Street, at about the 1.3-km mark. We'll turn around and head back here. Just run under the bridge, take the steps up to the bridge, cross it, and take the other steps down to the northern towpath, and now head back east.

NOTE: You could continue westwards along the Birmingham Main Line Canal for miles, with towpaths lining both sides, but it's pretty industrial out that way. It's better to add distance to the last leg of the run, along the more scenic Worcester and Birmingham Canal later.

Looking east from turn-around at St. Vincent Street bridge. Photo by Miroslav Petrasko

So now, heading eastwards, follow the curve of the canal to the left around the very impressive nia, and head northeast up the side canal between the nia and the Malt House (a big pub on the other side of the canal). You're now heading up the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

NIA on left, Malt House on right: head up that side canal past the ship roundabout! Photo by reveriewit

There is only a usable towpath on this west side of the canal, although there are spots across the water where walkways line it for a while. You're running towards some big buildings ahead, including the really tall BT telecommunications tower. Run up to about the second street bridge and turn back and run back to the nia again, at the 2.5-km mark.

NOTE: One of Birmingham's oldest and most interesting neighborhoods, St. Paul's Square, is just around the corner from the northern turnaround spot at Ludgate Hill, but there's no exit to the street there.

Now turn left to cross the old iron footbridge to the Malt House and then run eastwards along the northern towpath back towards the Mailbox.

You'll run around the north side of the Gas Street Basin, running right between all the narrowboats, then you have to take the footbridge to the south side of the canal.

You are now back near the start of the run: just turn left and run the two blocks back to the little basin at the Mailbox.

You could just end the run now, making it a 4-km run. But to add a bit more distance (we'll double the run, actually), you can turn right just before the last footbridge to the Mailbox, and run southwards along the old Worcester and Birmingham Canal. This canal is quiet, and lined with grass and bushes, and is a nice place to add some more kilometers. A railway lines it, but not many trains go by.

The Worcester and Birmingham Canal, photo by Simon Hammond

You can run for many kilometers towards the south here, if you want to add extra distance. This route will turn around at the University of Birmingham, though, two kilometers down the canal.

When you get to the university, which is on the left (east) side of the canal, there is a small basin with a sign for the university, and a footbridge that crosses the canal.

Now turn around at the basin and run back north the last two kilometers to the Mailbox, having had a delightful run in an otherwise very loud and urban city center.

New York Riverside Park Running Route

Click here for route map
Length 11.3 km (7 miles), terrain: flat, with small hillside along river
NOTE: You can shorten this route by just turning around along the Greenway any time you like.

Pictures courtesy of the creative folks at Flickr Creative Commons. Thanks! 

New York Running Routes:
Best New York Running Routes: Overview
Downtown  
Greenwich Village  
Midtown and Central Park
Riverside Park 
For other running routes, see Route List. 

Here's a great riverfront run along the Hudson, along the upper west side of Manhattan. Riverside Park lines an 80-block-long section of the Hudson, and provides a great, uninterrupted waterfront trail, plus a collection of other parallel paths winding through its lawns, sports fields and woods. This route will follow the lower, 60-block section, between 72nd Street and 129th, but you could continue up to the George Washington Bridge and beyond, further north.

NOTE: see the Destinations Tips page for tips about spending your free time in this great town!
 
There's something great about having a free horizon off across the river, an experience you don't find elsewhere inland on Manhattan.

View of Greenway and park from boat basin, photo by xymox

The park is bounded by the Hudson to the west and Riverside Drive along its eastern edge. As with most urban green areas, this one is not pure nature. A loud freeway, the Henry Hudson Parkway runs straight down through the park. There is also a railroad, but that is covered and nicely hidden beneath the park.

This run will follow the river shoreline going north, and return inland via Columbia University and the park landscape. So, does this route sound like something for you? Then let's get a move on!

Sunday afternoon in Riverside Park, photo by WilliamNYC

The Riverside Park Route
We'll start at the subway station at 72nd Street and Broadway (the 1-, 2- and 3-Lines all stop there, so it's easy to get to). Now turn to the west and run the 3 blocks to Riverside Park, past the dog-run area and under the Henry Hudson Parkway, downhill to the water's edge.

You now turn right and head north for about 4.5 kilometers. We are now on the Greenway, a combined bike/pedestrian trail that circles most of Manhattan. It's mainly a bike trail: there are only narrow pedestrian shoulders in some spots, so you'll have to see how you like it. But the great view over the Hudson River makes it a great run, in my opinion.

You'll soon come to a marina, the 79th Street Boat Basin, with a waterfront restaurant.

Soon afterwards, the freeway meanders close to the water and becomes louder for a half-kilometer. Then, at about 100th Street, it comes back to the waterside, and you run next to the freeway most of the way to the north end of the run. Luckily, the road is situated higher up the hillside, so you don't really see it, except for one new section of the Greenway, which was raised up to street level, around 86th Street.

Greenway: View south from new section, photo by lgh7

Beginning at about 100th Street, the trail has the name "Cherry Walk," named after the 2,000 cherry trees planted here by New York's Japanese community. Also at 100th Street is the last tunnel beneath the freeway. There is no other way towards the east until you reach 129th Street, the turn-around point of this run. There are other tunnels further south, at 79th Street, 83rd Street and 93rd Street.

Along the Cherry Walk, photo by rbs10025

At the northernmost point of the waterside trail, just before you get to the piers ahead, turn right onto 129th Street and run under the freeway- and railroad-bridges. Then turn right onto the sidewalk going up the hill below the metal bridge for Riverside Drive.

Now run south along Riverside Drive for a half-kilometer until you come to a rectangular, columned pavilion, where you turn left and run past the front of the big white monument, the tomb of Ulysses S. Grant, who was the commander of the Union Army during the Civil War, and later U.S. President.

Grant's Tomb, photo by Grey Barklay

At the monument, face east and cross the other part of Riverside Drive and run through the south end of Sakura Park, with the imposing Riverside Church right next to it.

Continue eastwards along 122nd Street for one block, to Broadway. Now turn right to run south past some Columbia University buildings to 120th Street.

Here, you turn left and run to the middle of the block, where you will see an iron gate on the right side, leading into the university's main campus. Run through the gate and take the stairs to either side of the white-stone building to run around it.

The Columbia campus, photo by David Molloy

You will now run south past the impressive libraries, running down the steps and through the South Lawn until you exit the campus at 114th Street. What can I say: I love college campuses!

Now turn right and head west the two blocks to Riverside Park. You can now turn left onto any of the parallel paths that you please, heading south towards the starting point. This is the green part of the run, with tree-lined paths and sports fields for the rest of the way.

Riverside Park walkways, photo by Shawn Hoke

At 96th Street and 79th Street you'll have to cross freeway exits, but the rest is pleasant parkland. At 89th Street, you'll pass the Civil War veterans memorial.

When you get back to 72nd Street, turn left and head uphill back to the subway station. Now that was New York at its best!