My Favorite Places Top 10 Countdown #9

I’ve decided to share my favorite places on Vancouver Island with you, one week at a time. Beginning today, and for the next 9 Fridays, I will be sharing these gems with you. Please feel free to share your favorite places too!

Previous entries:

#10 Cameron Lake 

This week’s entry is just a stone’s throw from last week’s. Cathedral Grove is an Island treasure of gigantic proportions.  Ancient Douglas firs and  red cedars  tower over its visitors in this very rare and fragile ecosystem. Some of them are over 800 years old and over 200 feet tall.

Cathedral Grove is located on MacMillan Park, along Highway 4, approximately half way between Parksville and Port Alberni. Parking is available on both sides of the highway (the park’s trails are on both sides as well) but the area is congested with traffic and tourists during the peak season between May and Sept and great care is required. Please be extra vigilant when driving through the area.

 

Take the Time to Explore Lantzville by the Sea

Lantzille is a sleepy little seaside community between Nanaimo and Parksville. One of its best features, aside from its laidback atmosphere are the unique rock formations on the local beaches where all kinds of sea creatures hide during low tide. A great place to explore!

Serenity Now

I’ve found a new place to watch the day end. I’ve lived here for almost five years now and I can’t believe its taken me this long to find such a beautiful place only minutes away from here. Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that there are so many beautiful places here, I couldn’t have possibly found them all by now.

Columbia Beach is slighty north of Parksville on Highway 19A , just after French Creek. Turn right when you see the large wooden sign, follow the road straight to the end, and then turn right to find a wonderful community wildflower garden, and secluded beach.

Where’s your favorite place to watch the sun set on Vancouver Island?

Welcome Summer!

Yesterday finally felt as if summer had arrived here on the Island. The definitive test was in the sunset and it left no doubt in my mind that the season we’ve been waiting for, is here!

Children were playing happily in the warmer edges of water, as the sun sets serenely last night over Parksville Bay, some couples strolled the boardwalk hand in hand and others sat on together in silence on a bench and watched the splendor unfold.

Welcome Summer! We’ve been waiting!

My Favorite Places Top 10 Countdown #10

I’ve decided to share my favorite places on Vancouver Island with you, one week at a time. Beginning today, and for the next 9 Fridays, I will be sharing these gems with you. Please feel free to share your favorite places too!

#10 is close to home…about 10 minutes or so out of Coombs, heading west on Highway 4 is Cameron Lake. Notorious of its rumored, but never found, lake monster, I find it memorable for many other reasons. These pictures will give you a good idea of many of them. It’s secluded, but accessible, pristine, picturesque, serene — need I say more? Why are you not in the car already? Pack a picnic lunch and head out. Watch for the sign for the entrance on the right hand side heading west. If you reach Cathedral Grove you’ve gone too far.

 

Little Mountain at Dusk

Little Mountain is the easiest mountain to climb on the Island  — you get in your car and drive to the top. Despite the ease of access, the views are immeasurably spectacular! Please be careful though, the drop is sudden and serious.

To get to the top of Little Mountain follow Little Mountain Rd off of Highway 4A and Bellevue Rd just west of Parksville.  The road is winding, narrow and steep but paved. Drive cautiously.

 

Who Says Cloudy Days Can’t Be Beautiful? (French Creek)

Since I’ve arrived back from Texas and its sweltering 90+degree weather, I’ve been looking at mostly cloudy skies here, and guess what?   I’m not complaining. They make for great photo ops such as the one below, taken at French Creek marina.

To a Whole New World (Bamfield BC)

The first time I took my grandson, then 4 years old,  on the Frances Barkley freighter, to travel down the inlet from Port Alberni to Bamfield, he excitedly exclaimed that we were setting sailing to “a whole new world!” I might be a little biased but I think he’s extremely astute and clairvoyant. Bamfield is indeed a whole new world; a small, picturesque fishing village on the westcoast where time has virtually stood still. For $70.00 return (per adult – children  7 and under are free)  you can ride aboard a working freighter for the day, stopping at places unreachable via car, to deliver mail, groceries and building supplies. There’s an onboard galley with affordable prices, that serves breakfast and lunch. Three times a week the freighter travels to Bamfield and the remaining days the route takes them to Ucluelet.

I took the journey last week to drop off my son, who will be working there for the summer. Here are a few pictures to arm-chair travel by, until you can make the trip on your own.

For more information visit Lady Rose Marine online.

What a Difference a Week Makes

It’s been just over a week since I arrived back in Canada, and made my way here to the Island. Texas seems like light-years away right now. Just a few days ago I was dealing with almost 100 degree temperatures and notorious Texas Spring thunderstorms, and now its back to sweaters and long pants while walking the ocean floor, searching for unburied treasure. I had a wonderful time in Texas, the people were hospitable and welcoming, but its time to enjoy a summer of blazing sunrises and sunsets and cool ocean breezes and there is nowhere in the world that offers all of those things in style like the Island does. Ready, Set, Explore!

I’m Back!

After a wonderful winter in Texas, I am back on the Island and will continue to update this site.  One of the first things I did was head to Parksville Bay! Despite the fact it was stormy and on the cool side, it was as beautiful as ever. (I’ve been experimenting a bit with HDR so you’ll be seeing some of my efforts here, along with the regular photographs.)