Climb The Famous Bridge In Sydney
No trip to Sydney is complete without taking part in the Harbour Bridge Climb.
Sydneys harbour is pretty spectacular at the best of times but seeing it from an elevated position from the top of the Harbour bridge, is quite simply breathtaking.
You dont just get to see the harbour though, you get uninterrupted, 360 degree views of Sydney and its suburbs. You can even see the Blue Mountains on a good day.
A symbol of Sydney and even Australia, the Harbour bridge is an institution. In my opinion, it’s a masterpiece. You only have to see the New Year’s Eve fireworks from the bridge to know why.
Believe it or not, the bridge is the world’s largest steel-arch bridge. It was opened in 1932 to link the northern Sydney suburbs with the CBD (Central Business District)
The climb itself is no longer than 2km and takes 3.5 hours in total (that includes the safety briefing.) I wouldn’t advise doing the climb if you are afraid of heights or if you struggle to walk unaided (e.g. you need a stick) or if you are pregnant. Kids from 10 years up are able to join the walk so that should give you an idea of how difficult it is – not that difficult!
The tricky bit is the first bit where you have to climb up ladders before you reach the fairly wide walkways. There are now two climbs that you can do. The original (and still the best) is the Bridge Climb. This takes you to the summit and then back down again and you get to see the lovely views.
If you are into your bridges then go for the newer climb. This climb takes you for a behind the scenes look at the workings of the bridge. You still get to see those wonderful views too.
Safety is critical on the bridge climb and every precaution is taken to ensure your safety. There is a harness to link you to the fellow members of your group so you won’t fall off. You get an ear piece so you can hear the instructions and commentary from your guide. There is also a breath test before you leave to make sure no-one is over the limit. Only other thing you should know is that you can’t take your camera or anything else up there with you (you get to wear a special suit.) This is a bit of a blow given the views from up there are so stunning. Still, you could do some serious damage if something fell from that height.
There is an official website www.bridgeclimb.com and this is where you can book. You should book in advance and choose what time of day you would like to do the climb. The most popular times are dawn (only run once a month on the first Saturday of the month) followed by twilight. It’s a good one as you get to see the city in the day and night. You really need to book months in advance to get these slots. You should expect to pay more for these slots too.
The other two times are during the day and then at night. The day time slot can be very hot if you intend to be here in the peak of summer ” this is the one that is usually left. The night one is good too as you get to see the city lights but its perhaps not quite as impressive as the other times.
If you can be flexible on time slots then I’d wait to book it when you get here – you need at least a weeks notice though to book. Once you are here, you can check out the weather forecast for the week and pick a day when it looks like the weather will be clear skies (but preferably not too hot!) The best days or the ones when there isn’t a cloud in the sky and we do get a lot of those.
The bridge climb isn’t that cheap I’m afraid but it is worth it. The cost is around $250 and for that you’ll get a group photograph taken right at the top.
