Week 17: Balgowlah to Cafe Bella Vista ( 15.3km, 1:41)

Sydney Harbour from North Head

It was breakfast-on-the-run in Sydney this weekend. The absence of my usual delightful running companions was offset by the opportunity to run around the stunning harbour and ocean.

On a chilly Sydney morning, I started on part of the well-trod trail that connects the Spit to Manly. I joined the walk just below Balgowlah and followed it around into the Manly Cove and towards the Manly Eastern Hill. With the harbour on my right, I made my way around the curve of the Manly Cove and up and over a small rise to the quaint Little Manly cove. The well maintained swimming enclosure is a local jewel where the nearby residents congregate when there are strong north-easterly winds or blue bottles on the ocean beach. Given it was 9 degrees, there was no swimming for me this morning. Shaking the sand off my shoes, I looped around the Manly Point Park, a favourite spot for fisherman, of which I noted a few were already fishing the rising tide.

It was then a rugged climb up Marshall Street and onto Darley Road, where I entered the old St Patrick College grounds, now better known as the International College of Management. Under the guise of ‘progress’, the old nuns who used to roam the grounds have departed. The estate is on prime land granted in the early days of settlement and offers spectacular 180 degree views of the beaches stretching up the coast. Within the grounds is the historic and striking heritage sandstone St Patrick’s building that was recently featured in the movie, The Great Gatsby. The grounds are accessible to the public and offer a handy walk through to the ocean side of Manly including Cabbage Tree Bay and Shelley Beach.

Somewhat like my doppelganger, Nicole Kidman in the great Gatsby, I gracefully crossed the grand forecourt of St Patrick’s and made my way through the grounds onto Bower Road, dropping down to the aptly named Shelly Beach. An essential Sydney experience includes perambulating the path between Shelly Beach and Manly Beach. I avoided the early morning crowds on the promenade and ran up and back on Manly beach (including the significant stair climb up the headland to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous Freshwater Beach). The beach was empty with only a small number of mad tourists taking an early morning dip.

With my café destination on North Head in mind, I now had to ascend the severe and sharp stairs behind the South Steyne Surf Club and up to Darley Road, past the historic military base and quarantine station to Café Bella Vista.The Café is aptly named and exquisitely located in the old military Fort. I was joined by my school friend Sian and my Mum for her second Breakfast-on-the-run meal.

The menu was fairly standard without any particular distinctions. I had the Kumura Rosti with poached eggs, wilted spinach and a flat mushroom. It looked underwhelming on the plate and remained so on the palate. It was, sadly, bland and under seasoned with a touch of charcoal flavour from an overcooked rosti. Fortunately, my companions’ portions were a little more generous than mine and their kind contributions of bacon and toast improved my dish a tad. Mum ordered poached eggs, tomato relish and a side of smoked salmon on multigrain. Sian also ordered the poached eggs with a side of bacon. Neither dish provided anything of note. Without the amazing view, I am not sure people would continue to patronise Bella Vista. Perhaps the food is forgiven because of the location? Our meals averaged around $17.

Burnt rosti                                                      Eggs and bacon                                                   Eggs and Salmon