The Great Walk continues: Balmoral to Taronga

My companion on Leg 3 of the Harbour Walk was the delectable Miss Caroline.

The day proved too hot for the equally delectable Sir Benjamin who was forced to stay home or face the wrath of Australian humidity on Scottish flesh. And so began an impromptu girls own adventure.

Having learnt the importance of following the guidebook, we decided to do the walk 'backwards' and start at Taronga, working our way back to Balmoral. Inner west trackwork was conveniently taking place, so we chose a leisurely ferry option: drive to Balmain, ferry to Circular Quay, change ferries to Taronga Zoo. This is the kind of time I could get used to consuming.

The ferry wharf is at the Zoo Entrance and we caught a glimpse of Miya the sea-lion swimming gleefully around her enclosure (I know her name because I've visited her before). For every dirty great spider and deadly snake, Australia also graces us with some beautiful bush friends. A cooing juvenile kookaburra, and a charming lolloping goanna were two of the first we met.

The views of the harbour along this route are a little bit divine to say the least.

Bradley's Head was quite a find - one of those places you think, wow, why didn't I know this was here before? It's an amazing lookout point with some bizarre memorials, such as a Doric stone column they decided to drag out there for no real reason. There were six of them but they somehow managed to lose four (How do you lose a Doric stone column? It's not like it's going to fall behind the couch). There's also a crazy ampitheatre that goes right down into the harbour.

Most of the walk goes through Sydney Harbour National Park; speckled shade, unseen creatures scurrying in nearby bushes, fragrant flowers and almost tropical greenery.

Some people are alarmingly wealthy enough to own properties along this stretch. Who are these people? We admired the stunning, vine-laden houses from our plebs view in the vegetation, discussing whether we would really appreciate everything so much if we were to view it from a balcony every day (the answer was probably still yes).

Shoes and bags were abandoned at Chowder Bay while we took a much deserved ocean frolic. Kids were leaping from the wharf here so we joined in. Somehow, the thrill of jumping from high places never seems to get old.

The home stretch took us down a long wooden staircase through the national park to pop out the other side at Balmoral. Totally stunning, and a joyous way to spend a Sunday.