lynnemurchie – Page 4 – Explore Some More

Vancouver Island – Sooke to Port Renfrew

Westcoast Hwy Sooke to Port Renfrew – so much to see and enjoy. Here’s an overview of our 4 days.

July 2021

Craving a get-away now that travel is allowed, we chose to take advantage of the BC Ferries Vacation package to Sooke, BC. It is great to explore a new (to me) area of Vancouver Island.

We arrived at Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal early, so we were able to just barely fit on an earlier sailing. Sailing was smooth and sunny.

Since we were too early to check into our hotel, we had lunch at Route 14 Bistro. Great food, friendly service. Then it was off to the tourist info centre to gather some information about the Sooke Potholes.

It’s a short drive to the area. We chose to follow the Galloping Goose Trail (from Parking Lot 3) to the Todd Creek Trestle. It has recently been restored. The rock formation was interesting. I saw a puffin face…maybe you’ll see something else!

We wandered back up the hill on the river side to catch some views of the potholes. The young people on the rocks below were enjoying the day (and I’m pretty sure had climbed over a tall chain link fence to get to this section of the river). The potholes are a popular place during the hot summer weather.

We stayed at the Prestige Resort on the harbour. Our room was ocean-facing, with a large balcony to take in the sights. I loved sitting out there in the morning with my coffee, watching the seals, deer and fishermen launching their boats. It was quite entertaining! The coffee bar served great coffees and we enjoyed a breakfast and dinner in the restaurant. Excellent meals.

We spent the next two days exploring the coast along Highway 14 between Sooke and Port Renfrew. Here’s some of the highlights.

Whiffen Spit (5 minutes from Sooke)

It’s a short flat walk, popular with dog-walkers and locals. Lots of driftwood and amazing views of Sooke Harbour and the Straight of Juan de Fuca. Apparently this is a great place to storm watch!

Shirley (about 15 minutes from Sooke)

Three things about Shirley, and two of them are food-related. For excellent breakfasts, coffee, pastries (and I am sure other food), this is the place. It’s very popular! And just down the road is Stoked for wood fired pizza. Can personally attest that both are excellent.

If you follow the road behind Shirley Delicous, you can access the lighthouse at Sheringham Point. This part of the Strait of Juan de Fuca has seen hundreds of shipwrecks in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is know as the “graveyard of the Pacific”. The lighthouse has recently been refurbished. Beautiful views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Peninsula. It’s a short walk downhill to the lighthouse.

Beaches along Hwy 14th

So many beaches! We picked 4 to visit during two drives to Port Renfrew, once for a day trip and another on our final day continuing to Lake Cowichan, Duncan and finally Swartz Bay after a visit to the Malahat Skywalk – more on that later.

Sandcut Beach (Jordan River)

Small parking lot, but you can park on the side of the road. A beautiful short walk through the trees where you come out to a 3.5 km stone and pebble beach. Heading left, you will find a sandstone wall with one or two waterfalls. We were there during the hot weather, so the falls were small. Further along in the sandstone walls, many smooth, flat beach rocks have been placed and stacked, making an interesting mural. A great beach for families…and dogs!

China Beach

In my opinion, this is the most beautiful beach along Hwy 14. Lots of sand and would be great to make sandcastles. At the north end of the beach you can walk a trail to Mystic Beach (part of the San Juan Trail system). The trail down from the parking lot has some steep stairs towards the end, so if you have bad knees, just take it slow. There’s a campsite on the north end of the beach.

Sombrio Beach

We missed the turn-off on the way to Port Renfrew, but found it on the way back to Sooke. It’s a Forest Service Road with lots of potholes on the way down. It’s probably only a km to the parking lot, but it felt much longer to us! The trail to the beach felt longer than the posted distance of 1/2 km. Where the trail branched, we took the path to the right and walked over a suspension bridge. The trail from there was narrow and a little rooty, but manageable. The beach was quite rocky at that end. I understand the path to the right leads to a sandier beach and that part is popular with surfers – in the fall, winter and spring. I thought we might see some! There are two rustic campgrounds at Sombrio which seem to be quite popular.

Botanical Beach (Port Renfrew)

Miles and miles of tidal pools to be explored at low tide. I think we went to the wrong bay first…it was a little more difficult walking on the rocks. However the cool forest trail between the two beaches was amazing. Definitely on the list to come back to and spend a good portion of the day.

Port Renfrew

We had a great lunch at the Port Renfrew Pub – rock cod and chips. I had a local beer and Craig was surprised to see his favourite no-alcohol beer, Partake which is brewed in Ontario. A short walk on the pier afterwards where we found some amusing COVID signs and some great little cottages right on the beach. That info was filed away for future reference.

Fairy Lake

I have seen many pictures of a bonsai-like tree growing out of a small lake just outside of Port Renfrew. On our drive through on our last day on the Island, we found it. Here’s a couple of shots, one showing the lovely beach in the background and one edited for drama. The campground and beach is a popular place during the summer.

Other Island Adventures

Craig participated in quite a bit of walking (which I love to do). On the beaches, through forested trails, up and down hills. I asked him what he would like to do during our 4 days. He had three requests: whale watching, ziplining and the Malahat Skywalk. I think he was quite surprised when I booked a zipling afternoon. I do have a fear of heights at times.

Adrena Line Ziplining (Sooke)

Have to admit, I wondered what I was getting myself in to.

We joined two families with young kids and headed up the hill. The first one was pretty good. I thought to myself, I can handle this! Little did I know that it was a practice run. There were 8 ziplines and one suspension bridge and it was a blast. Only one time was I scared. One of the platforms was on a very tall tree swaying in the wind. Then other trees started swaying and a little bit of vertigo set in. I hugged the tree (and got pitch all over me). I greatly enjoyed the day…and the beer at the pub next door to the Adrena Line office after! Our guides were amazing! Highly recommended as an activity in Sooke. Adrena Line

**Ziplining in Sooke. Fun rides, beautiful views.**

Malahat Skywalk

This newly-opened attraction is located between Duncan and Victoria on the Malahat Hwy. It can be a little tricky as there are no left turns to the facility. Pay attention to the directive signs to use the designated U-turns depending on which direction you are coming from.

This is quite the architectural structure. From the ticket booth, you walk along the skywalk amongst the tree tops where you see the beautiful arbutus trees. The structure itself is easily walkable with a gentle slope. And the views are beautiful – in all directions. The top of the structure is 250m above sea level. The structure itself is 35m tall.

At the top you can bounce on the Adventure Net (if you want). I declined this feature and chose to drink in the scenery instead. Craig did some jumping.

You have three choices to get down… walk down the same way you walked up, walk down the metal spiral staircase in the middle, or take the 165m slide. I meandered my way down and Craig chose the slide (it was about a 20 minute wait).

Certainly an enjoyable experience. For any who would like to do this more than once in a year, the annual membership is definitely worth it.

Post Trip View

Such a fun 4 days. We were very happy with booking the trip through BC Ferries Vacations, and there are many other options for accommodations in and around Sooke including dozens of B&B’s and AirBnb’s. Hope to return for further exploration in the future…maybe some storm watching!

Looking forward to our next adventure – Campbell River, Port Hardy, ferry to Prince Rupert, Terrace, Smithers and more…

New Views in Familiar Spots

Like so many others, I am waiting for the time when we can meet friends for coffee, have family dinners and travel even if it is only in our own province. That time is not here yet. So I continue to walk familiar trails daily, but I am now challenging myself to see things I may have missed before.

The obvious changes come with a new season. The hills and mountains are greener, there’s an abundance of blossoms, and the weather is warmer. Here are a few things that I had not noticed before:

Aldergrove Regional Park

I probably walk here about once a month and typical paths are the Rockin’ Horse Trail and the Peppin Creek Trail. A while ago I discovered the Marsh Pond Look and I am looking forward to seeing some Western Painted Turtles in the coming weeks. Last week, I wandered on to a small side trail and came upon a picnic table with a hitching post! There are a few equestrians that use the park…I wonder if they know about this table!

South Vedder River Trail

Love to walk both the North and South Vedder River trails. On the North Trail, there is lots of activity right now in the Great Blue Heron Reserve.

Today I started my walk near the Browne Wetlands on the south side. Walking east I soon came across the Vedder River campground. The last time I was here was in the winter and it was empty. This weekend was bustling (all BC licence plates!) The first thing I noticed was the camp host…he looked very relaxed.

Walking past the campground, again I took a slightly different trail and discovered a mini-mountain bike park for kids, complete with a small ramp. It look me a while to find it again on my return walk. Such a fun thing for the kids…with parental supervision of course

The trail has some amusing signs about sharing the trail between walkers and cyclists.

But today I noticed new, more explicit signs for those who didn’t understand the humour

There were lots of other small things that I hadn’t noticed before, and I will continue to find new things in my neighbourhoods until time allows us to venture out a little further.

Check my website for photos and narratives on several walks and trails. This is a work in progress so things will be updated frequently.

Stay safe, think of others.

Little Western Town – Langley

Lucky Star Saloon

I have driven by this place a couple of times when visiting Campbell Valley for a walk. It’s out of the way, and unless you have a reason to go to High Point Equestrian Centre, or the High Point neighbourhood, you would never see it. After parking at the 200th Street lot for Campbell Valley Regional Park, I started walking the Perimeter trail, with the goal of walking the Shaggy Main Trail. As I approached 200th and 8 th Ave, I thought, “Why not walk by the little western town to take a few pics?”

As I approached the gate, a couple of pups came to greet me, and I noticed a man and woman sitting on the porch having a coffee. That’s when I met Sharon and Rick. Sharon engaged in conversation right away. I asked what the story was behind the property and found out that it is a passion project for this couple. Their goal is for the film or music industry to use the location. Sharon asked if I would like to come on the property and have a look around. Of course I said yes! Every piece on the property has a story. Unfortunately I don’t remember most of them!

In the saloon, they have hosted BC Back Country Horsemen meetings in the saloon, and the jail is actually a washroom.

Sharon, in her youth, played in a female pool league in the lower mainland. The name of the Lucky Star Saloon is a tribute to her dad who was well-known in the race-track industry. Rick is retired from Telus. They have build a collection of all things old-west from a number of local sources, and beyond.

They are now building a brand new theme-focused home on the property, part of which will be set up as a bank, boarding house and cafe.

Here’s a few more photos:

The Carriage with the “withered bride” comes from Sedro Wooley in Washington state.

Copper Doors will be the entrance to the “Bank”

Above: Rocky the Rooster, and the three pugs Bowie, Jackson and Marley. Didn’t get the name of the mule, but he had just enjoyed a roll in the mud!

Current Family home. New one being built behind.

My host – Sharon. Such a lovely person!

Portugal – 16 days, 227,000 steps, 186 km walked!

On June 1st, just two days after my retirement, we boarded a plane with our friends Dave and Susan for a vacation in Portugal…one of my bucket-list destinations. I have included some pictures in this blog, but you can see more in the Gallery section.

Lisbon:

Love, love, love Lisbon! Our home base was in Alfama in a comfortable and functional Air BNB. Alfama is the oldest neighbourhood in Lisbon. First settled by the Romans and flourished in Moorish times. It is built on the slopes above the Rio Teja and has endless winding alleys and tiny public squares. We learned that many apartments were being converted to Air BNB’s which was starting to make it unaffordable for the locals. As of the end of 2019, no new holiday rental licences would be issued.

Entrance to our Airbnb…and to one of our favourite little restaurants!

We arrived during the month long Festival De Lisboa. The streets were colourfully decorated and came alive in the evenings with booths selling wine, beer, and local food such as grilled sardines. Music filled the alleys and live entertainment popped up on the weekends.

Through a colleague at UBC, I was introduced to Joao Guadalpi (his wife’s cousin’s husband) who is a tour guide in Lisbon. His company is called West Portugal Tours…we highly recommend him. Our first full day (June 3), we spent 4 hours with Joao on a walking tour through the city. His historical knowledge and story telling was impressive…and he is a really nice guy as well.

Highlights: Miradouro de Santa Luzia, Castelo De Sao Jorge, Elevador de Santa Justa with amazing views of Praca do Rossio, Igreja do Carmo, the neighbourhoods of Chiado (shopping) and Bairro Alto (nightlife and restaurants), introduction to pasteis de nata, Lisbon Rail Station…and so much more.

View from Miradouro de Santa Luzia
Hmmmm….the best pasteis de natal
View of Castelo de Sao George from Elevator de Santa Justa
Lisbon’s major historical events animated on this painted storyboard
The famous Tram 28 – early morning.
Artist’s parody of amateur fado performers

Further exploration included a day trip by tram to Belem to see the Tower of Belem, Monestary of Jeronimos, and Casa Pasteis De Belem where they have been making these delightful custard treats since 1837 with a secret recipe originating from the monks who developed this famous tart. And yes, I waited in line to get a half-dozen of these delicious treats for me and my travel companions!

The walk along the Tagus river as it enters the Atlantic was very enjoyable. Unbelievable view of the 25 of April Bridge renamed to commemorate the revolution of April 25, 1974 that restored democracy to Portugal. The design was inspired by San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Another highlight was the 170 ft high Monument to the Discoveries built in 1960 to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator.

We hopped on a local ferry one night to travel to Cacilhas (just across the river) to enjoy the sunset with a view of 25 of April Bridge and dinner at a centuries-old establishment called O Farol for a seafood dinner. Sunset was spectacular. Dinner was OK.

Craig and Dave explored the War Museum, while Susan and I set out to find the Tile Museum. We didn’t find it; however, we explored another neighbourhood with colourful murals and walked around the outside of Santa Engracia which contains centotaphs of Vasca da Gama, Henry the Navigator and the famous fado singer Amalia Rodrigues. Later we took a tuk-tuk to the Gracia neighbourhood for another spectacular view of the city and a ride back down on the famous Tram 28.

It is so easy to walk around the neighbourhoods of Baixa, Chiado and Bairro Alto . I spent our last afternoon in Lisbon wandering the streets and soaking in the atmosphere. I watched a vernacular make it’s way up a steep hill while cars and pedestrians travelled all over the tracks. Took about 20 minutes for it to travel up the hill…about 5 blocks!

Lisbon (Silver) Coast

Another highlight of our Trip was a full-day tour with our Guide-extraordinaire, Joao (West Portugal Tours). First stop of the day was in the small town of Serra da Vila to sample a local treat where they are made. The Pateis de Feijao are a delicious almond tart and they pair well with a robust espresso!

Next stop, AgedaMae Winery. This is a relatively new winery with their first production in 2011. Since then they have won numerous awards for their wine and their business. Their signature “Dory” label reflects the family’s history in the fishing history, with the cod fishing dory boats on the label. Wines, both red and white were tasty.

Cheers!
Truth!

On the road again, this time to the fishing village of Peniche (home town of my co-worker’s wife). Amazing views from Baleal with interesting rock formations. Peniche is historically a fishing town, so what better place to have an enomous seafood lunch than here! Joao made a reservation at a small family restaurant, Marisqueira Mirandum where we experienced an amazing seafood platter that included crab, lobster, prawns, sea snails, barnacles accompanied with a great Portugese white wine. Soooo good!

Peniche

Next a short drive to Nazare, a very famous surfing beach. You may remember hearing of an 80 foot wave ridden by a Hawaiian surfer in 2017. This is the place. Sitio is the place overlooking the beautiful beaches and this is where we stopped. Legend has it that a nobleman was hunting on a misty day and the deer he was pursuing fell over the cliff. He was about to do the same and called out to Our Lady of Nazare and he was saved. He ordered a chapel to be built, which still stands today with beautiful Portugese tiles lining it. We also saw the “ladies with the seven skirts” selling treats of candy and roasted nuts. These women represent the tradition of fisher wives who would await the return of their fishermen husbands on the cold and windy beaches.

Final stop of the day was at Obidos, a beautiful city within the walls of what was once a medieval castle. It is now a tourist destination with the town well looked after. We learned that Portugese houses are typically painted with blue or yellow trim. We noticed that throughout our trip. In the summer, they hold a medieval festival here, and it is a charming place to wander at any time, especially some of the back alleys

Obidos – beautiful little town

Sintra and Cascais

Sintra and Cascais was easy to get to via train from Lisbon which takes about 90 minutes. Once in Sintra, we hopped on a bus to explore the various sites located in hills of Serra de Sintra. The first stop was Castelo de Mouros, a 10th Century Moorish castle overlooking the town of Sintra and surrounding hills. Lots of stairs and hills, but beautiful scenery. We had views of several estates and castles.

Hopped on the bus again to Pena Palace, a colourful palace that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven wonders of Portugal. Unfortunately, it started to rain while we were here, so standing in line to go inside the castle was not something we wanted to do. It was pretty impressive from the outside, and we did get a chance to walk through the gardens during a break in the rain. Back on the bus, we decided not to view the other sites in Sintra. Back in town, we hopped on a bus to Caiscais. The windows were foggy, so not too much to see. There were sections of the road where cars had to back up to let the bus through. Very glad not to be driving!

Pena Palace and gardens

Cascais, we are sure, is a beautiful place. The rain had followed us, and although we did walk around, our siteseeing was limited by the weather. We enjoyed the harbour and found an interesting outdoor art installation. Many people describe the seaside area as a “typical Portugese town”. I found it to be a little like a tourist area in many cities…pleasant, with lots of restaurants and tourist shops. During our time in Portugal we were lucky to truly enjoy typical Portugese towns.

Cascais in the rain

Atlantic Coast

Leaving Lisbon, we drove over the …..bridge on our way south via the Atlantic coast. Our tour guide Joao had given us many suggestions on where to stop on our way to the Algarve. The first day we travelled directly to Sines, a small port and fishing village where we stayed overnight. It was great to walk around the small streets (not to great to drive on) and along the beach. Found a wonderful sunny patio for a late lunch, and later a pub just two doors away from the hotel.

The next day, we had several stops along the West Atlantic coast. Porto Cova, Vila Nova, Arrifana (where we found a lovely family run seafood restaurant…one of the best meals we had in Portugal). The stop at Bordeira beach was amazing. The wooden boardwalk afforded some amazing views of the coastline where surfers enjoy the waves. You can walk from the beach to the little town of Carrapateira.

Algarve

Next stop was our Airbnb in Luz in the Algarve. Checked in, went grocery shopping and a quick walk around the town.

Our Airbnb was spacious and had a beautiful view of the beach. Lots of room and several patios! Definitely a comfortable place for the next 6 days.

We explored the area around Luz both by foot and by car.

Day trips took us several places. Lagos (only 5 kms away for a walk along the promenade, then a walk cliffside at Ponte de Piedade, visiting Praia D Ana. We travelled to Sagres and St. Vincent cape, where explorers left to discover Brazil, India and Africa. This is where Henry the Navigator established a nautical school. It truly felt like the end of the world.

Praia da Batata
Ponta da Piede
Ponta da Piede
Ponta da Piede
Praia da Batata
Sagres
Sagres – end of the world view

One of the most outstanding days in this area was spent on a small boat touring the coast areas between Portomao and Albufeira and included a stop at the famous Bengali Cave. Our tour hosts were entertaining and accommodating (Royal Nautic). We cruised by dolphins, Carvoeiro, Praia de Rocha, Praia de Bengali and much more. Afterwards, we drove to Carvoeiro for a closer look.

Praia da Carvoiero
Sweet heart view
So many small beaches along the Algarve
The famous Bengali Cave
Rock formation – Elephant
Sea Monster (or dragon)
Our hosts – very entertaining and informative.
A visit by land after the boat tour

Another day, we headed West from Luz and simply explored many small towns, villages and shorelines. Quite by accident, we came across a nude beach…didn’t stay too long there! The small village of Salema was lovely and I would definitely think of staying there on another trip. We found old forts and many (very) narrow streets in the neighbouring towns.

On our last day, we went on a quest to see the oblelisk that we could see from our Air BNB patio, high a top a hill overlooking Praia de Luz. After winding our way around to the far side of the hill, we stopped at Praia do Porto de Mos…and there we found a trail. It was a pleasant walk with several look-outs along the way. The obelisk was unimpressive…just a marker…but the hike and views made up for it.

The last night in Luz, was a fresh seafood feast. There was a great fish monger (and French bakery) just a block away from our condo. Menu consisted of grilled sardines, swordfish and tuna cooked on a barbeque with wood briquettes. The final night’s sunset was also amazing.

Boa noite, Luz

Monsaraz and Evora

After our 6 days on the Algarve, we headed up the middle of Portugal to Evora, with a stop at Monsaraz on the recommendation of Joao (our Lisbon tour guide). Monsaraz is a walled medieval castle surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. There are outstanding views of the Alqueva reservoir and of Spain on the other side. Had an unpleasant experience at lunch (a very rude waiter, and an attempt to overcharge), but otherwise it was a nice stop.

We arrived in Evora late in the afternoon on a Sunday and managed to find our hotel after parking the car. Narrow, cobbled streets everywhere, most of them one-way. The old town is compact and very easy to walk around. The influence of the Romans, Moors and Portugese are every where. One of the most interesting sites was the Chapel of the Bones (Capela dos Ossos). Three monks lined the walls of the chapels with bones from various Evora churchyards in the early 1600’s to remind the rich residents that material things do not matter in death. During our evening wander after dinner, we found a “interesting” live art exhibit. I was more fascinated with the facial expressions of some of the audience.

Open air restaurants
Bridge and Groom arrived in the VW
Temple of Diana
Evora Cathedral
Chapel of the Bones
in the Church of St. Francis
Chapel of the Bones
Street near our hotel in Evora
interesting clay work in a shop window
She is doing what….!!
Dancing with paint

Final road trip back to Lisbon where we stayed overnight in a hotel near the airport to catch our morning flight the next day. Not too much around, but we did find a lovely little restaurant near a man-made lake where we enjoyed a cold beer and watched the locals celebrating the long weekend in the park.

Adios Portugal. Hope to visit again one day.