Cliffs Notes: North Manly and Queenscliff

Here's another couple Northern Beaches stops. 

North Manly

If you live in Sydney, you've probably been to Manly (and if you haven't, what the hell have you been doing all this time? Go ride the ferry this weekend.) I like Manly, it's a wonderful beach and interesting suburb. So does North Manly have anything to offer then?

(Spoiler: not really). 

Anyway. Leaving my previous suburb Allambie Heights, I made my way on foot into North Manly, welcomed by this oversized golf ball in front of some sort of sports place - 

probably a golf course - 

and started walking on an excellent footpath. 

This took me past North Manly's very own coffee tuk tuk (sadly closed for the day),

before I met the main Pittwater Road. 

I usually avoid walking on main roads because it tends to be quite unpleasant with cars zooming by, but unfortunately Pittwater Road is the main way for a chap to walk through North Manly. 

It's not too bad though. I saw this pleasant house, 

and felt glad I didn't have to climb up there to get to where I wanted to go. 

It does mean, however, that most of my time in North Manly was spent looking at scenes like this. 

And this. 

But that's okay. Pittwater Road also has a few businesses to look at, such as whatever Wellement means,

and some on the heavy-commercial side of the scale. 

Bonus paddleboarding shop. 

This ended up leading me somewhere far nicer though. Still on Pittwater Road, 

is Manly Lagoon. 

Not too bad a spot, considering it's literally on the main road.

And not only that - walk a few more steps and you get to my next suburb.

North Manly: It's no Manly, but if I was going to choose one main road to walk through, I choose this one. 

Queenscliff

Just over from North Manly is Queenscliff. 

I started on the suburb by taking this street off Pittwater Road. 

It's woody,

and boosts some attractive houses at high altitude. 

At the end of this dinky street, 

is Aitken Reserve, a peaceful reserve on the lagoon. 

This is where I sat my tired feet down to rest for a bit. I was meeting a friend for a post-lockdown catch up so I told her to come pick me up here. After a sandwich and coffee in neighbouring Freshwater (it didn't seem like Queenscliff itself had any options that weren't already closed),

we teleported to a completely different bit of the suburb to check out Queenscliff properly. 

This is where I found the suburb's one cafe that sadly closes at 3PM, 

and we got to tuck into Queenscliff's brand of suburbia. 

But first, this sandstone fence.

And opening. 

To a very promising small park. 

Freshwater View Reserve does what it says on the tin really, with views of Freshwater Beach,

tucked into a wonderful little suburban oasis. 

Now, suburban Queenscliff. 

This place has some whacky houses,

on up-and-down streets. 

This means distant water views as you stroll around. 

And occasional flashes of Manly Beach through people's backyards. 

And at the end of one street featuring some very expensive looking homes,

you get to enjoy the cliff bit of Queenscliff with a tremendous ocean lookout. 

Having now sufficiently covered this small suburb, it was time to head out - past some more fancy homes,

and one condemned cafe.

Queenscliff: What a cliff.