Walk #7 August 31st. Rithet's Bog Saanich Area
We met on a side street near the park and walked the perimeter of the park. This land was once owned by the Guinness family and was donated to the city of Victoria. The land was also once used to grow cranberries and to graze race horses. We went to the Monkey Tree Pub for a nice lunch and a pint after this short walk.
To see more of Claudia's photos click on this link: Claudia'a Photos
To see more of Claudia's photos click on this link: Claudia'a Photos
Walk #8 September 7 2011 Royal Roads University (Hatley Castle) Colwood
We met at the end of Heatherbelle road near the Esquimalt lagoon, at the back end of the Royal Roads property. We started our tour with a walk through a large field and wooded area and soon came to the original dairy barn, horse stable and auto garages that are now converted into offices and conference rooms. We continued past homes built by the military for Admirals and high ranking officers when this was a military college. There are also overgrown tennis courts and walled gardens in this area. We eventually got to the Hatley Castle and had a look at the museum in the basement area. Lois got us permission to have a quick look at the lower gardens and we found that the large pond had been drained for it's annual cleaning. We headed back to the castle and across to the other side of the property where another trail lead through the woods where there was once a tannery. This trail brought us back to the bottom of the property and we followed a road that headed back to where we parked our cars. This was a nice walk and we learned so much about the Dunsmuir family home and property.
To see more of Claudia's photos click on this link: Claudia's Photos
To see more of Claudia's photos click on this link: Claudia's Photos
Walk #9 September 14 2011 Fernwood Architectural History tour Victoria
We started at the parking lot across from the Fernwood Community centre on Gladstone and walked to Fernwood Rd. and turned right and headed to Balmoral where we zig-zagged through Stanley, Grant, Belmont, back to Vining, Stanley and Gladstone, Pembroke and over to the Spring ridge area. Most of the homes that we looked at were built in the 1890's. We found the locations of two historic breweries and a pub in the Spring ridge area before heading back up Chambers street to Gladstone and our starting point. We went to the Fernwood Inn for lunch and a pint after the walk.
To see more of Claudia's photos click on this link: Claudia's Photos
To see more of Claudia's photos click on this link: Claudia's Photos
Walk #10 September 21 2011 Fort Rodd Hill Historic Park & Fisgard Lighthouse
This was not a structured tour, but rather a visit and walk about as a self guided group tour. We explored many buildings, gun emplacements, underground rooms, trails and the historic lighthouse. Some of the group went to the Four Mile Pub for a pint and some lunch after the walk.
To see more of Claudia's photos click on this link: Claudia's photos
To see more of Claudia's photos click on this link: Claudia's photos
Walk #11 September 28 Victoria/ James Bay perimeter walk Historical Homes tour
We met near the model yacht pond on Dallas road and headed to Douglas street via several small streets looking at examples of homes built in the 1890's. We cut back to Government Street to stop briefly at the Carr House, the birthplace of Emily Carr, then headed past the James Bay Inn, an old hotel, to Menzies Street and preceded to Bellville street, past the Parliament buildings. Heading toward Laurel Point we looked at the mansions of the Pendry and Rithet families and then turned into the waterfront path in front of the laurel Point Inn and the Blue Crab restaurant. When we got to fisherman's wharf we kept going straight through to Dallas Road and cut off the two blocks of waterfront industrial area. We headed straight to the Ogdon point breakwater to see the newly painted murals, then back along Dallas road to the starting point, where some of us went to the Bent Mast Pub for some lunch and a pint.
To see more of Terry's photos click on this link: Terry's photos
To see more of Terry's photos click on this link: Terry's photos
Walk #12 October 5 2011 Highlands area Francis/King Regional Park
We met in the parking area near the nature house and started on the Centennial trail that leads from between the two nature house buildings near the toilets. This winding trail led toward Prospect Lake road and then turned left into the forest and climbed up some rocky slopes. It eventually came back to Munn Road where we crossed and followed the Grand Fir trail until it joined the Centennial trail again. Soon we came to the burial cave (DCRU86) where archaeologists once found human remains. This was a pre-contact First Nations burial. We followed the Centennial trail until it came back to Munn Road and our starting point. At the parking lot some of us had a small snack before heading along Munn road to join Lois and Judy at the Log House Pub on Millstream road for some more lunch.
To see more of Claudia's photos click on this link: Claudia's photos
Walk #13 October 12 2011 Gordon Head Area Historic Architectural tour
We started at the soccer club parking lot near the corner of Tyndall and San Juan and walked up Tyndall to the intersection of Ash and crossed to Leabrook. At the end of Leabrook we cut through a path to Skylark and turned left on Pomona Way to Ferndale and onto Barrie road. At the intersection of Torquay we headed back south down Torquay to San Juan and back to where we parked our cars. This route took us past the homes of many of the pioneers of Victoria's history and 18 more unique homes. The original Vantreight family home and the home of Nelli McClung were the best recognized names. After the walk we went to the Smuggler's Cove Pub for some lunch and a pint.
To see Claudia's photo album click on this link: Claudia's photos
To see Claudia's photo album click on this link: Claudia's photos
Walk #14 October 19 2011 West Saanich Area Interurban Rail Trail
We met on Elk Road near the corner of Interurban Road and started our walk on this trail that parallels the West Saanich Road for two miles and ends at the Red Barn market. Here we stopped for a 30 minute rest break, and those who needed a coffee had a chance to indulge while the rest looked about the interesting market. Then we headed back the way that we came to our starting point. This was once the bed of the British Columbia Electric Railway that operated from 1912 to 1924. it is now called the Interurban Rail Trail and is one of the Saanich Centennial Trails. After the walk we went for a delicious lunch and a pint at the Roadside Bar and Grill on West Saanich Road.
To see Claudia's photo album click on this link: Claudia's photos
To see Claudia's photo album click on this link: Claudia's photos