Walk # 168 April 22nd 2015 Meandering Beacon Hill Park on Earth Day
On Earth Day 2015 the CAMRAmblers met along Dallas Road in the large parking area below the Beacon Hill flagpole. It was really windy with a bitter westerly wind off of Juan De Fuca strait. It didn't take much of a discussion to decide to walk up and over the hill and into the park where we were mostly out of the wind. We didn't have much of a route in mind, but instead just meandered around looking at the various ponds, paths and flower bed displays. A really laid back kind of a walk. After about an hour some decided to walk over to the JBI (James Bay Inn) to get ready for the lunch. The rest of us walked back to our cars and drove over to the JBI. A long row of tables was ready for us and I think that I can speak for everyone when I saw we all had a very satisfying lunch. Terry was celebrating his 70th birthday so the group sang Happy Birthday for him and it was appreciated.
Here's Terry's photos
Here's Phil's photos
Here's Terry's photos
Here's Phil's photos
Walk # 169 April 29th 2015 Cedar Hill Golf to Playfair Park and return
The group met at the parking lot of the Cedar Hill Golf course. It was another nice day, and there were a lot of other people walking around the chip trail that goes around the perimeter of the golf course. We started beside the parking area and walked counter clockwise around the trail. At the north end of the golf course we stopped to look at the ducks and turtles at Kings pond. Then we left the chip trail and walked down Queensbury to Blenkinsop and over to Judge Place and up to Playfair Park where we enjoyed the beautiful Rhodo and Camus blossoms. After a while in the Playfair Park we turned around and went back the same way to the Cedar Hill Golf course, but this time we continued walking around the chip trail until we got to the the path that crosses back to the club house and the parking lot. Most of the group went to the Maude Hunters pub for lunch. Phil reports that service was quick and the food was good too.
Here are Phil's photos
Here are Terry's photos
Here are Phil's photos
Here are Terry's photos
Walk # 170 May 6th 2015 The Wooded Wonderland Trail - Beaver lake
Today’s walk explored the trails on the southeast side of Elk-Beaver Lake Park. We met in the parking lot just off Elk Lake Drive. During the 1960s this was the site of a children’s attraction called Wooded Wonderland, featuring scenes from nursery rhymes throughout the forest. The only remnants of this time are two large cement pads just inside the woods, with the rotting remains of two extremely large log pieces lying on and around them. These originally were the entrance signs to the Wonderland. We walked through the pathways to a disused road, spotting a pileated woodpecker, who was very busy extracting bugs while hanging upside down on the side of one of the many fallen trees in this old forest—woodpecker heaven! Also a flock of California quail presented itself around a Garry oak meadow rock outcrop . Crossing the main beach parking lot we then walked along the lakeside trail, eventually emerging onto the field next to the Pat Bay Highway. We noted some late blooming fawn lilies, trilliums and newly grown vanilla leaf amongst the other spring time flora presenting itself here. We then came full circle to our starting point. There were opportunities for short-cuts for those who preferred a shorter walk; the complete walk being an hour in length. After the walk we went for lunch, promptly served, at the Fireside Grill. Some of us came upon their herb garden, admiring the chosen greens, and the camas under the oaks coming into leaf around the building. It was an added bonus to the sunny spring day.
Here are Phil's photos
Here is a map of the trails Map
Walk # 171 May 13th 2015 Oak Bay Marina to Anderson Hill loop
We parked and started the walk at the Oak Bay Marina where there is lots of free unregulated parking available. The day was cloudy and only about 14 degrees C. Our quick pace of walking soon warmed us up as we followed Currie road to Newport Ave. and south to Anderson Hill Park and through the path that leads back to Island Road. Along the way we admired lots of well kept gardens and heritage homes in very good condition. At Windsor Park we headed back along Currie Road to the marina and our cars. A short drive took us back to Oak Bay Avenue and the Penny Farthing Pub for lunch in the back patio room. Overall a nice walk with friends!
Here are Terry's photos
Here are Phil's photos
Here are Terry's photos
Here are Phil's photos
Walk # 172 May 20th 2015 Uvic's Mystic Vale Trails and Finnerty Gardens
What a beautiful day for a walk! The route this time took us down into the green and shady glen of Mystic Vale which is part of the Uvic campus. After enjoying the shade of that part of the campus we crossed through Circle road and made our way to the Interfaith Chapel and the Finnerty Gardens with their amazing display of Rhododendrons and other plants. You would be hard pressed to find another free admission garden of this caliber anywhere in Victoria. And in this time of the year the plants are almost at their peak of bloom. After wandering the trails of the garden for a while we came back out on the Alumni Chip Trail and followed it back to our cars. A short drive to the Smuggler's Cove Pub for a nice lunch afterwards.
Here are Phil's photos
Here are Terry's photos
Here are Phil's photos
Here are Terry's photos
Walk # 173 May 27th 2015 Burnside Gorge Historic Home walking tour
We met and parked at Banfield Park where we wouldn't have to worry about limited time parking. From there we walked down to the trail that leads to the Selkirk Bridge and over into the Burnside Gorge area. Our first stop was up the stairs to the Burnside Gorge community centre where we saw the tiny workers cottage across the street on Cecelia. Then back down the stairs and up the other side of Cecelia past the tiniest house you ever saw. It too was used by the streetcar operators as a bunk house. A few of the early streetcar motormen lived in this area of Victoria. We walked up Washington to Gorge Rd. along to Balfour and back down to Gorge Road again. At this point we decided to stop the walking tour and walk back to our starting point, it was getting late and we wanted to meet our reservation time at the Gorge Point Pub. It was a good walk though with lots of interesting homes to see. We'll continue the tour another time.
Here are Terry's photos
Here are Terry's photos
Walk # 174 June 3rd 2015 Centennial Park paths in Central Saanich
Centennial park is out in Central Saanich, located on Wallace drive. We parked in the small parking area among the tall cedar trees. The walking paths head into the forest and circle around through the woods where the smell of the cedar trees and the fresh forest air makes for a very enjoyable stroll. Graham Creek is the name of the stream that flows through the northern part of the park, An hour is all that it takes to walk all of the paths. Then we headed a short distance to the Prairie Inn for a very nice and reasonable priced lunch.
I've never seen the Prairie Inn so busy! It's a good thing to make a reservation a couple of days in advance.
Here are Terry's photos
I've never seen the Prairie Inn so busy! It's a good thing to make a reservation a couple of days in advance.
Here are Terry's photos
Walk # 175 June 10th 2015 Burnside Gorge Historic Homes walk continued
This time we finished the Burnside Gorge Historic homes walking tour. It was much shorter than the other part that we did a few weeks ago. In fact we were done in just over a half hour. There just weren't that many homes to see on this part of the route. We parked on the block of Carroll Street between Burnside and Doric because this block does not have an "Residents only parking" signs. After the walk we headed to the Boleskine Bistro for an early lunch. Many of us used coupons for two for one lunches. A real money saver!
Here are Terry's photos
Here are Terry's photos