Richard and I have continued to hike a different trail each day. We are now on Day 40. We are curious to discover when we will run out of local trails to explore. Realistically, we are more likely to run out of energy first!
I have posted a single photo of our hike each day on Instagram. Here are the four hikes that we have completed since my last blog post.
Kitsukis Creek, Port Alberni 
Beach Estates, Nanaimo 
Bowen Park, Nanaimo 
Arbutus Woods/Ravensong, Qualicum Beach
A few people have asked if I would create a simple spreadsheet of the trails that we have hiked on this series to date. This gave me the perfect opportunity to finally try out the WordPress Guttenberg Editor (better late than never).
DAY | TRAIL | ADDRESS | KM | SIZE | NOTES |
| 1 | English-man River Falls | Errington Off Hwy 4 Parksville | 18.27 | 97 ha | waterfalls old growth forest multiple trails scenic views |
| 2 | Enos Lake | Fairwinds Nanoose Bay | 8.37 | 7 km base trail | waterfalls wetlands rocky bluffs Enos Lake Stickleback |
| 3 | Rath- trevor | 1240 Rath Parksville | 10 | 347 ha | 2 km sandy beach campsites popular |
| 4 | New- castle Island | Ferry from Maffeo Sutton Park Nanaimo | 13.77 | 336 ha | revered healing place for Snuneymuxw foot ferry or boat hike, bike, kayak, camp, restaurant, tours |
| 5 | Coombs-Parksville Rail Trail | Station Rd (Coombs) Springvalley Park (Parksville) | 15 | 14 km | 3-metre wide trail level, accessible km trail markers bald eagles common |
| 6 | West- wood Lake | 381 Westwood Rd Nanaimo | 13.94 | 5.51 km trail | hike, run, cycle well-groomed trails on-leash dogs off-leash sections joins to other trails |
| 7 | Labur- num Woods | Claymore Rd Qualicum Beach | 5 | many trails | limited parking minimal signage use GPS/trail app mountain bikes off-lease dogs |
| 7 | Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery | Claymore Rd Qualicum Beach | 4 | 4 km trail | gates closes at 3 pm off-leash dogs wide, easy trails salmon (in season) |
| 8 | Com- munity Park & Board- walk | Island Hwy & Corfield Parksville | 9.2 | 15.7 ha 445 m board- walk | community hub arboretum sports field playground labyrinth food trucks |
| 9 | Nike Creek | 6590 Island Hwy Bowser | 13 | 10 km out & back | five waterfalls downed trees rope bridges shorter route |
| 10 | Lantzville Lookout Loop | Sywash Rd Lantzville | 8 | 5.8 km loop trail | Copley Ridge Rec some steep climbs splendid views multiple trails great picnic spot |
| 11 | Nanaimo Water- front Walkway | Downtown Nanaimo | 7.2 | 4.5 km trail future +8 km | multi-use marinas, shipyards, parks, gardens, shops, restaurants |
| 12 | Light-house Country Regional Trail | South: 3480 Lioness Blvd North: McColl Qualicum | 10.3 | 12 km out & back | north & south loop accessible level grade tapping rail Crown Forest & Woodlot Trails |
| 13 | Moore-croft | 1563 Stewart Nanoose Bay | 4.18 | 35 ha | small park ecologically significant Gary Oaks meadow Coastal Douglas-Firs |
| 13 | Es-he Sme-nts | 1650 Oakleaf Nanoose Bay | 4 | 1.29 ha | opened in 2017 in collaboration with Snaw-Na-As First Nations name means ‘Seal Rock’ |
| 14 | Heritage Forest | Crescent Road East Qualicum Beach | 9 | 20 ha | remnants of old growth coastal Douglas-Firs, Sitka Spruce & other endangered trees, plants & wildlife |
| 15 | Columbia Beach | French Creek | 9 | forest & beach | small marine community marina, charters, seafood, pub rocky shore & forested path |
| 16 | English- man River Estuary | E: Shelly Rd W: Shorewood Parksville | 4 | 68 ha 2.4 km trail | viewing platform interpretive signage migrating water birds mature second-growth forest |
| 16 | Rosewall Creek | South of Fanny Bay | 7 | 54.3 ha | second growth forest narrow paths near drop-offs, waterfall |
| 17 | Extension Ridge (Abyss) | Between Harwood & Extension Nanaimo | 11.76 | 8.85 loop+ | fissure sweeping views fairy circle connects to Great Trail |
| 18 | Cable Bay | Nicola Road Nanaimo | 7.25 | 2 km trail+ | merges into Joan Point Park & Dodd Narrows sandstone beach tidal current off-leash dogs |
| 19 | Parksville Wetlands | 790 Hirst Parksville | 7.86 | 35.9 ha | formerly Ermineskin Parklands flat, accessible paths rare ecosystem hidden gem |
| 20 | Richard’s Marsh | 9 Ranchview Nanaimo | 7.35 | many trails | viewing platform interpretive signs multiple paths encircled by subdivision |
| 20 | Hamilton Marsh | Hilliers Road Qualicum Beach | 0.8 km | 36 ha wet- lands 360 ha forest | two short trails viewing platform red & blue listed species owned by Island Timberlands |
| 21 | Neck Point | 1055 Morning-side Nanaimo | 7.22 | 14.5 ha | rugged rock cliffs pebble beaches numerous vista points fairy houses |
| 22 | Pheasant Glen | 1025 Qualicum Rd Qualicum Beach | 10 | many trails | beside golf course unmaintained natural trails parking lot bear sightings on inner trails |
| 23 | Nymph Falls | 4481 Hidden Plateau Rd Comox Valley | 18 | 61 ha | falls are near parking lot numerous trail options links to Comox Lake Dam swimming |
| 24 | Jack Point | 655 Jackson Nanaimo | 6 | 12.9 ha | geopark edge of Nanaimo River Estuary stunning views next to Duke Pont Ferry |
| 24 | Morrell Nature Sanc- tuary | 787 Nanaimo Lakes Rd Nanaimo | 5 | 112 ha 11 km trails | lush forested trails small lake picnic shelter second growth forest last logged in the 1920’s |
| 25 | Crescent Beach | Beecher St South Surrey (Mainland) | 3.75 | 6.5 km shore | rugged strip of shoreline numerous shops & restuarants |
| 25 | White Rock Beach | White Rock Promenade White Rock (Mainland) | 5.25 | 8.85 km | 470 metre-long-pier great walk at low tide stunning views of Mt. Baker |
| 26 | Pro-tection Island | Ferry from 151 Front St Nanaimo | 7 | various trails & lanes | 350 full-time residents small publc ferry ($10) Dingy Dock Pub pirate street names charming & creative |
| 27 | Fern Road Woods | Fern Road Qualicum Beach | 9.14 | various | multi-purpose route part of Qualicum-Parsville Trail hidden gem |
| 28 | Stocking Creek | 11014 Finch Saltair | 8.88 | 15.6 ha | touchable waterfall rainforest connects to Great Trail easy & moderate paths |
| 29 | Shelly Creek & EN Railway | Corfield St Parksville | 8.27 | Shelly Creek 6.5 km | tributary to Englishman River Parksville’s last fishbearing stream hidden gem |
| 30 | Mount Arrow-smith Brewery to Black Goose Inn | Stanford Ave & Resort Drive Parksville | 9.14 | 5.8 km | easy walk on multiple paths (some roadside) both pubs have great outdoor seating |
| 31 | Spider Lake & Horne Lake | Exit Hwy 19, or 19A Qualicum Beach | 7 | Horne Lake: 105 ha | sandy beaches forested paths popular gathering place some watercraft restrictions Horne Lake Caves |
| 32 | Lost Lake | 4877 Lost Lake Rd | 4.5 | < 1 km loop+ | gravel areas boardwalk & stairs lake set against mature trees tranquil environment |
| 33 | Qualicum Beach Water- front | Island Hwy Qualicum Beach | 9 | 1 km board- walk | go at lowtide to extend your walking options |
| 33 | Butter- tubs Marsh | 1780 Jinglepot Rd Nanaimo | 4 | 2 km loop | bird & wildlife sanctuary viewing platforms dogs are not permitted |
| 34 | Little Qualicum Falls | 4001 Alberni Hwy Qualicum Beach | 6 | 440 ha | straddles Little Qualicum River & south Cameron Lake steep mountain peaks, waterfalls & rocky gorge beautiful forest setting |
| 35 | Hole in the Wall | Across from Coombs Candy, Port Alberni | 6 | many trails | hole made by waterpip (now removed) short hike one partly steep climb |
| 36 | Craig Bay – Peace Abide | Park off of Franklin’s Gull near museum | 5 | many trails | forested paths Peace Abide Trust, Wall Beach sandstone, shale, limestone, siltstone & basalt |
| 37 | Kitsuksis Creek | Several access points Kitsuksis Creek Port Alberni | 6 | 3 km walk-way + trails | flat walkway forested trail waterfalls trestle Spenser Park & Blair Park |
| 38 | Beach Estates to Kin Park | 2140 Departure Bay Road Nanaimo | 7 | Beach Estates Trail <2 km | waterfalls ravine many stairs beach access |
| 39 | Bowen Park | 500 Bowen Nanaimo | 6.3 | 36 ha | accessible trails waterfalls duck pond Great Trail (TransCanada) |
| 40 | Arbutus Trails Raven-song | 737 Jones Qualicum Beach | 7.3 | many trails | well-groomed forest trails location maps throughout off-leash dogs separate bike trails & bmx park |
*KM is the distance that we walked and not necessarily the actual length of the trail.
*On a few days, we hiked two different trails. That means we have actually walked 47 trails in 40 days…with numerous trails to go!
If you have any questions on any of the routes, I’d be happy to share the information that I have. And if you have more VI trails to share, I’d love to know about them.
#30hikesin30days
#40hikesin40days
Retirement Reflections 
Donna,
Well, once again, you have introduced me to a new blogging tool—Guttenberg Editor. You also tipped me about Grammarly, which I cannot do without. Hopefully, we will get to sample a portion of the 47 trails sometime. Thanks for sharing. Here’s to more hikes! Joe
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Hi, Joe – You are fast! I hadn’t even finished editing (yup, I often publish first before doing that) when I received your reply.
I sincerely thought that I was the last person standing not to use Guttenberg. I thought that I would switch when a) I was forced b) there was something that I needed on Guttenberg that the Classic Editor did not offer. Needing a table was the motivator. The whole process was amazingly easy. But I did need to change my theme. Although I had an official WP theme, it would not let me create a feature photo on Guttenberg. Go figure! I have now switched to the WP 2020 theme. Fingers crossed!
I look forward to reading more about your current travels!
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Thanks, Donna, for sharing your hikes and beautiful photos. I see that you also updated your blog theme in addition to using the block editor. Well done!
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Hi, Natalie – You have a great eye for detail. As I mentioned to Joe, the switch to Guttenberg, and the switch to a new theme, were both based on need. Now that’s I’ve made the change, I’ll give them a try. If I like them, I’ll stay. If not, it’s back to Classic I go! 😀
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Great chart. Nice to see the info in one place.
I have yet to switch to the blockhead editor because I’m a firm believer in if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. You hear me, WordPress? Your new [?] template is pretty and is showing up here in a large font. That’s fun and easy to read.
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Thanks, Ally – I’ve been the exact same about Guttenberg. I had no desire to change until I saw a need. (I also was hoping that they’d get a few more bugs out while I delayed). I hope that the print on your screen is not too large. This theme moved my sidebar to the bottom. I’ll give it a go and see what feedback I get. I hope that all is well with you.
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I wouldn’t say the print is too large, but it makes the page longer so more scrolling to read it all. I’ve been messing around with new templates [contemplating a change] and most of them seem to put the sidebar at the bottom. Not sure what I think of that.
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Hi, Ally – I am currently using the WP 2020 theme. I didn’t put much time into choosing, but I also didn’t seem to have much choice among free themes. My last theme (also WP) did not allow me to set a Feature Photo with Guttenberg. The other theme that I originally selected (Hesler or something like that), did not allow post summaries, so all posts appeared on my blog in full. If you find the perfect theme out there, please share! 😀
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I’m already lost! I like learning new things but I’m a dinosaur when it comes to block editors , Gutten-what?, WP 2020 etc that I will be dragged kicking and screaming and fear I’ll stop blogging! (Can you detect a person with not a lot of patience ha ha for changes out of my comfort zone!🤣)
Susan Grace
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Hi, Susan – Your comment made me smile. I definitely agree with the old adage about not fixing things that are not broken. That being said, my first try at Guttenberg went surprisingly smoothly…and I was overdue for a new theme (I think that I was on WordPress Twenty Seventeen). But I agree, the Classic Editor is working well so no need to change that if it has everything that you want.. 😀
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You’ve been busy, Donna! I’ve been on IG more than WP. Happy to read about 40 hikes! You’re a true inspiration!
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Hi, Terry – I always greatly appreciate your kind and positive feedback. I hope that your break is going well and that you are ticking off boxes on your list! 😀
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Hi Donna, did you create an Excel spreadsheet and then insert it as an image with GE?? Not sure how you used GE. I will PIN this for future reference. One day….
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Hi, Suzanne – I didn’t use Excel. Guttenberg offers a ‘table making block’. It was the straw that finally made me move from the Classic Editor. The table block, and the rest of Guttenberg, were relatively intuitive and easy to use (but I did need to switch from my old theme). Fingers crossed for the future!
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Got it. I have been using Guttenberg for several months but have not yet discovered the table function. Overall, it has been an easy transition. Best of luck with the new theme.
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Thanks, Suzanne – I’m glad to hear that you have found Guttenberg easy to use. This post was fine, but other than the Table, it was very short. Hopefully, my next posts with Guttenberg go smoothly as well.
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You did a great job!
Susan Grace
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Thank you for all the tips and highlights of your hikes. A spreadsheet is an amazing idea. I didn’t realize there was a tool for that on word press.
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Hi, Antoinette – Thank you for your kind feedback. When I was asked to do a hiking spreadsheet, I did a fast WP search and realized that I would need to switch to Guttenberg. I had roughly planned to do so after my official 30 hikes were posted, so the timing was perfect. Fingers crossed all goes well from here.
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Good to see that you will still be posting about (at least some) of your hikes. What is that flower arrangement in your top photo? It looks like it’s made out of succulents, but I can’t see too much detail. Did you just come upon it on your hike?
I have been using the block editor for a few months now and have found it pretty intuitive BUT (big but) I haven’t tried anything fancy yet. I like your new theme and the larger type.
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Thanks, Janis – I have it roughly in my mind that I will try a weekly ‘Tuesday’s Trails’ post and see how that goes. Even if I am not hiking daily, I will still likely have done a hike or two most weeks. Thank you for your comment on the larger type. It seemed fine on my laptop. But, I just had a look on my smartphone and it was LOTS of scrolling. Hopefully, that was because of the large table, and won’t happen on most posts. I’m looking forward to catching up again soon!
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Oh, and about the flowers– I don’t think that they were succulents. Whatever kind of flowers they were, they had been placed there. That always makes me wonder about the underlying story!
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You two are amazing! Also, so impressed by all the trails you have in your area. Holy cats!
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Hi, Laurie – We are incredibly spoiled and I am forever grateful. Many of the trails that I have listed have been fought for by women or donated by very future-thinking and generous individuals. I’ve been enthralled by all of the local history that I have been learning. Thank you so much for following along!
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It is a great pleasure to follow you two.
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Your photos are so captivating that I can almost smell the ferns, the firs and the damp earth. Would enjoy a cool forest hike about now. Might have to copy your idea about taking notes on the various trails you enjoyed. I could do that with the trails we explore around here…once we can get back to exploring them again.
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Hi, Leslie – I would love to read about the trails in your area. We are grateful that so many of our trails are open. Since we hike relatively early, we seldom see other people….and when we do, it is usually at a fair distance. Thank you for reading and commenting!
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Hi Donna I so admire you and Richard for continuing on with your hikes and I’m amazed at how many there are where you live. I’m also impressed with your table listing the hikes so far. Great information thank you and I’m sure hikers who live on the island will enjoy following your lead. xx
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Thanks so much, Sue. Your encouragement and support mean a great deal. I hope that you are feeling better. I look forward to our catch up later today. See you then!
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HI Donna – it’s a wonderful part of the world … and being further up the island opens the doors more easily to plenty of trails. I’m so glad you’re doing more trails and letting us know about them. Well done on the grid – at least we all have an idea of the walks you’ve done. Carry on enjoying them – while the weather’s good … Hilary
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Thanks, Hilary – Central Vancouver Island definitely is an awesome spot to hike. With only 2 hours from Victoria and 2.5 hours from Tofino, it is also the perfect starting point to explore the rest of the Island. I’ve greatly appreciated you following along and have looked forward to your comments.
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Your walks leave me longing to find the same. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
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Thanks so much for following, Gwen – I hope that you do find some great hikes in your area. I’d love to read about them.
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Hi Donna – these pictures are great, especially the header one! I like that bouquet of flowers on the fallen tree. Did you put that there? Congratulations on trying out the Guttenberg editor – that spreadsheet feature looks great!
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Hi, Barbara – Thank you for your kind words. I didn’t place the flowers there, but they were definitely added by someone. I love wondering about the stories behind mysteries like that! 😀
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I think that picture would make a great story prompt!
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Great idea, Barbara!
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You two rock!! What an active life and such diverse hikes. Sigh!
I thought your blog looked different… I had no idea Gutenberg has a table feature to create a spreadsheet! I never saw that. I would have used Word and then taken a photo of it, haha. So, good for you for making the change.
I’ve been using Gutenberg for a while now and there are still parts (like photo galleries) I revert to the classic editor for, since WordPress hasn’t figured out that feature yet. I’m also apprehensive about changing my theme to be able to use certain features. You’re much braver than me!
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Thanks, Liesbet – I did consider creating a table in Word and simply photographing it. But this truly was the nudge that I needed to get me to try Guttenberg. To my surprise, it was fairly intuitive. I also put no thought into my new theme. I was using a WordPress yearly theme before, so the WordPress 2020 theme made sense. I still have a couple things to sort out with it, but I am happy with it so far. Fingers crossed!
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This is great for lots of reasons Donna. Your embracing of the Gutenberg editor for one and your table of hikes – so comprehensive! So pleased to read you are still walking!
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Thanks, Deb – I really enjoyed the Classic Editor so was never in a hurry to move. Now that I’ve made the leap – I can see lots of Guttenberg advantages — and much new learning ahead! Thank you for following and for your kind words. Your friendship is greatly appreciated.
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No stopping you two! The picture of Kitsukis Creel looks particularly enticing.
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Thanks, Anabel – I was just reading your recent post when this comment came through. Great synergy!
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Hi Donna, I’m so impressed. Firstly with all of the amazing trails you’ve walked and the photos you’ve taken. And also at tackling the new editor in this format. It’s quite different to the Classic in many ways. I’m still getting used to it but pleased that I’ve finally given it a try. Take care and happy walking! xx
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Hi, Miriam – We have so many great trails n our area. I am incredibly grateful for this.
It was definitely time that I gave Guttenberg a try. It was not as complicated as I had first thought. And, I’m getting used to my new theme (Twenty Twenty) as well!
Thank you for your kind words.
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This is such a great resource. As an aside, I’m liking the new theme…
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Thanks for this feedback, Jo. The new theme was unexpected and didn’t have much forethought. I was on a roll and just kept going with it. I’m sure that there are a few more tweaks that I will need to make, but so far I am happy with it.
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That is amazing there are so many hiking trails. Good luck!
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Hi, Jacqui – Thank you so much for stopping by. We have barely scratched the surface of available hikes in our area. We are truly spoiled with choice!
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Hi Donna, It looks like my comment from this past weekend disappeared into cyberspace? It happens occasionally, and I have learned to keep most comments in a file. I will attempt again, this time using Google Chrome versus Safari. 🙂
First impression looks great! Good for you, jumping in and making it happen. I have a couple of drafts ready since I want to space out the “Marley” posts. They are still on the “old” editor. I may also jump in to the new block editor after they are posted. A nice, calming base colour for your theme. I don’t know whether you had a choice with colours.
I made a note of the author and books that Deb is using for her hikes. It is a great deal of fun for me to see where you are hiking. I am familiar with some of them. Many are new to me. I am more familiar with the hikes this end of the Island. I extra like how you can place the titles clearly on top of the photographs.
Your spreadsheet is excellent. I do think you have the making of an enewsletter or addition to a local magazine. Again, not if it turns out as a stressful venture. Your information is concise, realistic and you always add that personal touch.
Re: the whole theme and editor thing: I have bookmarked this post since now I have more questions than answers, especially when I read the comments. xx
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Hi, Erica – This was totally my fault! I just found your original comment in my spam. As that folder gets overwhelmingly full (especially with the Mucho Gracias Robo Commenter), I seldom ever check it!
Thank you for your feedback on my switch to Guttenberg, and my new theme. I have greatly appreciated hearing your thoughts on this.
I have just finished writing my second post on Guttenberg. Easy-peasy! I’m not sure why I waited so long to make the switch. Errr, yes I do remember. Three WordPress-Savy people that I trust recommended that I wait until more bugs were fixed. I’m sure that my 2-year wait was long enough!:D
Even with the 47+ different trails that Richard and I have just completed, we have barely scratched the surface of available hikes in our area. If you have any questions about any of them, please do not hesitate to let me know. I’d be very happy to share the info that I have.
Most Beginners’ tutorials for Guttenberg recommend first updating your theme (and updating plug-ins if you are using any). That is awesome advice. Although I had been using an ‘official’ WordPress theme that worked well on the Classic Editor, it would not allow me to post a Feature Photo using the Guttenberg Editor. My new theme is the most recent one by WordPress (TwentyTwenty). I believe that it still has some bugs with it, but overall I’m happy with it and am far to lazy to switch again. This theme also gives you much choice, including colours for background and text. The background colour that I’m using here is the exact same colour that I’ve painted our house walls for the last twenty years. Yup, I’m that boring! I’m looking forward to chatting again soon.
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I thought the “Mucho Gracias” was possibly only me. I found this robo commenter was linked to my “Red Slippers” post. So, I turned off comments for this post only about 2 weeks ago and zero spam (so far). Possibly once a month I will find a “normal” regular blogger in the spam folder.
I greatly appreciate all the information you share, Donna. I am sure things will evolve and I will have fun with the new editor.
We are expecting the girls (4yr and 6yr) for a sleepover for a few days, so lots of activities around here. Unsure what is happening next week re our friend flying in? I am trying to keep the days open so far.
Chuck and I went to Island View Beach Sunday for the day/hike/picnic. Heaven on Earth just to be by the water. You know first hand all about this.🙂 Talk to you soon. xx
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Thanks, Erica – I wish that the ‘Mucho Gracias’ spam comment was limited to just one or two posts on my site. Sadly, it is widespread. I looked up information about it and the advice was to ignore it, which I have been trying to do (sometimes more patiently than other times). 😀
Enjoy your granddaughters! I look forward to hearing the stories afterwards!
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Donna, I like your new theme. It’s clean, simple, and easy to read. Also, it loads (on the iPad) more quickly than your previous theme. Thanks for the spreadsheet.
Jude
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HI, Jude – Thanks so much for dropping by and reading. I’m glad that this new theme is loading more quickly for you. Fingers crossed that this continues. See you Friday!
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