The working week might revolve around planned meals, a strict-ish diet and possibly a few gym days; but come the weekend, I’m a firm believer in loosening the routine and indulging in good food with good friends. It’s even more enjoyable if some outdoors ‘puff’ can be woven into the scene too.
Try some of these popular combinations and the last – a little known North Canberra ‘exercise eats’ combo.
Lake Burley Griffin & Caravan Treats
Lake Burley Griffin is a favourite and easy option for walking, trotting (you name it) bridge to bridge. Park off Barrine Drive on the one end of Commonwealth Bridge and kick off the 5km loop at Regatta Point. My Sweet Alice – a vintage café caravan – has been known to park on the lake’s edges; luring joggers and walkers off their exercise paths and into hand-warming cups of coffee and home baked treats. Perch on a perimeter log in the sun and enjoy the social, yum reprieve before carrying on clockwise over Kings Avenue and back to Commonwealth Bridge.
Mount Ainslie & Poppy’s
It’s no secret that folk legging it up Mount Ainslie, at the back of the Australian War Memorial, and back down again often round off their stretching with treats at Poppy’s Café next to the Australian War Memorial. Park practically on the steps of Poppy’s and you’ll find the 2+km track up Mount Ainslie on the other side of Treloar Crescent. Great views are the highlight of Mount Ainslie, but at this time of year, take triple layers to ward off wintery winds.
Red Hill Picnics
On the flip side of Mount Ainslie is Red Hill. With backpacks full of Sunday afternoon snacks (it’s compulsory to have cheese and a sneaky Nebbiolo in there), rendezvous in the gravel car park just off Mugga Way and opposite Francis Street. There are a multitude of tracks leading up to Red Hill lookout and all of varying lengths, but either way the top offers panoramic scenes of Canberra and they really should be shared with friends.
If you would like to keep cosy for lunch, head into On Red for a restaurant style lunch with wine, or Little Brother for a cuppa and cafe style quick bite to eat.
Aranda Botanical Loop
Now here’s a favourite of mine. I’d like to think I conjured it up but I’m sure there’s the odd Aranda and Cook dweller who’s churned along this route before me.
The starting point – Two Before Ten at the back of Aranda shops, just off Bandjalong Crescent. Definitely ‘energise up’ with a coffee and given it’s winter and the mornings are damn frosty; you might as well tuck into a bowl of creamy porridge with caramelised banana too.
Plot a rough course using this guide and then head on up the back of Aranda shops, weave your way through the suburb and then scoot across Caswell Drive and into Black Mountain Nature Reserve. One to two hours later (depending on how speedy you are) you should find yourself ambling through the ‘back door’ of the Australian National Botanic Gardens and into Rainforest Gully.
Here, I might add, Floresco in the Gardens café does a great Israeli couscous salad and it never hurts to have a bowl of chippies on the side!
If you gunning to keep the ‘puff’ up, retrace your steps back over Black Mountain or grab a bus (number 40) back to Aranda Shops and the front doors of Two Before Ten – it’s the third stop.
