West Coast BC Wanderings

During my five day visit to Vancouver Island my friend Katherine, her dog, Fergus and I set off from Cobble Hill on a few days’ adventure of the Pacific Marine Circle Route (south end of island). We rented a cottage at Homestead Cabins outside of Port Renfrew, a perfect base.

Bottom right: the Pacific Ocean crossing over to Nanaimo.

Day One we relaxed and had a great swim in Lizard Lake, above, twenty minutes out of Port Renfrew.  Lovely warmish water. Total tranquility. 

Day Two was solid hiking on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Our host, Brick, dropped us off ten km out of trail end Botanical Beach Park and we walked back. Designated ‘moderate’ level it was tough enough for me! (I had laughed when literature said ‘good balance required’ to do trail;  it was very true – lots of walking on logs!). The trail further east is graded ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’. Gulp. Another day!

Top right: elk near cabin

After hike we purchased live Dungeness crab off the dock from the locals and took them home on ice. Our host volunteered to ‘prepare and clean’ them for steaming – yes please! (method a bit gruesome to write). Scrumptious does not fully describe how delectable they were. 

Day 3 Rambled along Sooke’s marine boardwalk and into Ed Macgregar Park.

  Lunched at Shirley’s Bakery in Shirley – a popular spot… remember from  bike trip of a few years ago. 

Fiscard Lighthouse (1860) at the mouth of Esquimalt Harbour near Victoria. First permanent lighthouse on the west coast. Automated in 1929. Metal staircase special – brought in from England.

Returned to Cobble Hill. Who won’t love living in a place called that!