Hiking, Uncategorized, Vancouver Island

Tuesday’s Trails: Incredible Views, New Discoveries and a Local Hero

Retirement Reflections

We have continued our habit of hiking a different route each day. This week’s trails included incredibly diverse paths, some that we visited for the first time, and others that were old, familiar friends. Our adventures led to new information, new learning and new reasons to be grateful.

  • Boyle Point Park,
    Denman Island
  • Virginia and Sun King Intersection, Coombs
  • Old Island Highway-Grandon Creek Loop, QB

Day 41: It’s a short drive for us to catch the ten-minute ferry to Denman Island. There, numerous trails await. We chose to spend our time at Boyle Point Park and catch a glimpse of Chrome Island (first photo above). We found out later that the lookout bench (which we sat on) is frequently used for more than just viewing. Oh my!

Day 42: On Trailpeak.com, we read about the ‘Coombs Family Trail.’ We thought that we would give it a try, but we accidentally discovered the Virginia-Sun King Road Trail instead. This was a tranquil path that was surrounded by lush, mature trees intersecting with French Creek. This would make an excellent family trail and/or off-leash dog-walking route.

Day 43: We did a short four-kilometre loop from the trailhead directly across the highway from Deez Bar & Grill in Qualicum Beach (see feature photo). From there, we crossed Grandon Creek and circled around to Seaside Nature Park. This recreation area contains numerous interpretive signs and gives special recognition to local hero, Faye Smith Rosenblatt.

Recognizing a local hero

Faye Smith Rosenblatt was a long time Central Vancouver Island resident. Trained as a classical pianist, she travelled the world but continued to return to her home and the outdoors that she loved. At the age of fifty-six, Faye became concerned about the pollution in a nearby creek. This unease sent her in a brand new direction that she passionately embraced during her remaining twenty-three years. During that time, Faye became the driving force on more than seventy local projects focussed on watershed health and salmon-habitat improvements. She became a fearless environmental advocate known for her humbleness and grace, as well as her gentle, persistent and persuasive nature. Faye is an excellent example of another ordinary woman who has left behind an extraordinary legacy.

  • Oyster River to Salmon Point, Courtney
  • Mount Tzouhalem, Duncan

Day 44: The seven-kilometre Oyster Bay to Salmon Point hike in Campbell River (which somehow was nine-kilometres for us) has long been on our list to complete. Previously, this was known as a ‘Pub-to-Pub’ hike. Sadly, there was not one operating bar or restaurant in sight. Soft drinks and munchies are available at the Salmon Point Campground. Yay, that’s not quite the same. But the trail was absolutely stunning!

Day 45: Known by locals as ‘Mt. Zoo,’ Mount Tzouhalem is one of the largest municipal forests in North America. It boasts over five-thousand hectares of forestland — eighteen hectares of which form an ecological reserve. One of the cliffsides bears a large metal cross that was originally wooden but needed to be repeatedly replaced. The hike to the Cross Summit can be done as a five-kilometre out and back, or a seven+ kilometre loop–which we did. If you don’t mind some up and down, this hike rewards your every step with remarkable views of Saltspring Islands, the Coastal Mountains of the Lower Mainland and Mount Baker in Washington State.

Notch Hill Loop, Nanoose Bay, Elevation Gain 204 m

Day 46: Notch Hill can be hiked in a short three-kilometre loop. As usual, Richard, our trail navigator, snuck in an extra loop…or two. The partly steep climb to the top offers stunning views of Mount Arrowsmith, Nanoose Harbour and South Nanaimo. This trail also boasts a rare Garry Oak meadow and Arbutus forest ecosystem. What else could you ask for on a Monday morning?

Because it has to happen someday, and because we will be travelling shortly, we have decided to conclude our hiking challenge on Day 52. Actually, we had decided to end it on Day 50, but we wanted to include this coming weekend when we will have both full days available. As we have only scratched the surface of possible hikes in our area, we will continue to hike new-to-us trails often. This will give us the chance to mix up our hiking with familiar and unfamiliar routes.

We are now off to today’s trail. I will add it to next week’s post.

Many of you have commented about my recent switch to the Guttenberg Editor. That turned out to be like many of the unknown trails that I have recently faced. Sometimes our greatest fear is fear itself.

See you next week!
#46hikesin46days

Published by Retirement Reflections

Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.

61 thoughts on “Tuesday’s Trails: Incredible Views, New Discoveries and a Local Hero”

    1. Thanks, Janet – I thought the exact same thing when I was taking that picture. In a following shot, I had Richard jump in and outstretch his arms in the same fashion. Despite Richard’s best efforts, the second photo did not turn out like I had imagined it would.
      Thank you for reading and commenting.

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  2. You two are amazing…trekking the island trails, keep up the good work! Think you should tackle the West coast trail next summer!

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    1. Hi, Georgia – Thank you for your continuous kind words. Although I love multi-day hikes, I am sadly more of a ‘lodge-to-lodge’ hiker. Sleeping in the middle of a forest, needing to carry my bed and all of my own food just isn’t my thing. Then there are the rope ladders. I could never cope with that! 😀

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  5. Beautiful photos again from your hikes. You live in such a beautiful place. I like that you’ve had good experiences with Guttenberg. You’re one of the few I’ve read who has said that. Someday perhaps I’ll give it a go…

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    1. HI, Ally – I appreciate that WordPress is currently making it easy for bloggers to use either Guttenberg or the Classic Editor. Guttenberg even has a ‘Classic block’ that immitates many of the features of the original editor. I greatly appreciate their flexibility on this. The choice is ours! 😀

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    1. Great question, Ann. believe that this hike is officially in between both places. When I looked up Oyster Bay Resort and Salmon Point Resort, both places listed their addresses to be in ‘Campbell River’ so I went with that. I hope that all is well on Horby. I’m looking forward to seeing you again soon.

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  7. Beautiful hikes with such gorgeous vistas (although I guess you missed some… ummmm… interesting sights at Boyle Point’s lookout bench). We definitely need more Fayes in the world. I’m glad her accomplishments were recognized. Also, I love your new look! It’s nice to mix things up a bit and try something new.

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    1. Hi, Janis – One of the unexpected pleasures of these hikes is that I have learned about so many woman (often our age) who directly or indirectly made a difference in preserving nautral habiltats for future generations to come.
      Thank you for your feedback on my attempts with the new Block Editor. It’s actually been fun!

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    1. Thanks, Terri – I absolutely loved learning the story about Faye, and the others who have made an incredible difference to preserving natural habitats on our island. Thank you for your kind comments. I hope that all is well with you.

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  11. Hi Donna, So much beauty and interesting history. Thanks for sharing your hikes and photos with us. I’m glad you had a good experience with the block editor. I started using it when I switched from Blogger to WordPress about a year ago and have always thought it’s great.

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  13. Hi Donna – I love that you and Richard are doing something that you both love to do together that also is good for your health (physically, mentally and spiritually). You’ve done enough forest bathing now to be completely soggy! I’ve loved all your adventures and photos – you certainly live in a beautiful part of the world! #MLSTL

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  14. Hi Donna – wonderful to see views I remember, places I never visited … for your challenge – it’s the easiest of places to fulfill all these hikes and also do more. Another fascinating woman to know about … Faye Smith Rosenblatt … love the extra learning you give us. Take care – Hilary

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  16. Hi Donna, I read the title of your post yesterday, and my mind went in all sorts of directions with the word “Hero.” Again, I really like the descriptions on top of the photos. I find a lot of people do not know they can click on a photo for descriptions on the other themes. One year we stayed in a cabin on Denman Island and then did day trips to Hornby. Like you say, many trails. A laid back way of life.

    I see what you mean by local hero “Faye.” Very well said “ordinary woman who has left behind an extraordinary legacy.” Beautiful photos and a fun and interesting post. Sharing #MLSTL and SM. Talk to you again, soon.

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    1. Hi, Erica – Thank you for your kind words. I also really like how Guttenberg allows you to put captions on top of photos. Ironically, one of the reasons that I was avoiding this editor, is that I had heard that it didn’t handle gallery images very well. I ❤ how gallery photos come out on this program! Perhaps it was a bug that has since been fixed. 😀

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  17. Donna,
    We have loved your hikes and send hearty congratulations for hanging in there. I’m certain that you and Richard have gained far more out of them than you envisioned when you began the journey. We are hiking on Mt. Ranier on Thursday and looking forward to every step. Enjoy the weekend jaunts and stay safe out there. Joe

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  19. Enjoyed seeing your pics, you’ve been busy! We’ve just returned from vacation so I’m behind on my comments. I see you have a new header and read that you’ve switched over to Gutenberg. How do you like it? I’ve been using it for close to a year now I suppose.

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    1. Hi, Dee – Welcome back fom vacation. I hope that you had a wonderful time. Thank you for dropping in and commenting. Yes, I’ve recently switched to Guttenberg…which means that I also needed to switch my theme (from Twenty-Seventeen to Twenty-Twenty). So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the ease of transtiion to the new editor. Fingers crossed that this continues!

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      1. Thanks, vacation was good and manageable with masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes 🙂

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  20. I can’t believe you both are still hiking away! Or, hiking about. 🙂 Beautiful photos and trails. Such a diversity on the island and even near you; bliss! Congratulations on all these efforts and achievements. And, on managing the Gutenberg editor!

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    1. Hi, Liesbet – We are almost finished our consecutive hikes. We said we’d stop at 50…or 52. Hike #50 is tomorrow. As Richard continually reminds me, we have walked most days in our retrement anyway. This challenge has simply changed up the scenery and increased our local knowledge. Thanks so much for following! 😀

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  21. I love reading about your adventures discovering new trails, Donna. It makes me want to hurry and get to retirement, so I can do this kind of thing! It’s lovely that you and your husband both enjoy walking and hiking. Thanks for taking us along virtually!

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  22. Sounds like a lovely week of hiking trails, Donna. So many lovely views from high up and low, water to sky. Beautiful weather too. Faye’s Point has such an insightful story behind it, and Faye seemed very determined to do good for our environment. At the moment here where I live in Australia we are in lockdown, so hiking trails isn’t possible right now. Maybe soon after all this. Hope your upcoming travels will be as scenic and fun. Take care.

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    1. Hi, Jacqui – Thank you so much for stopping by — especially since I know how busy you are. You are absolutely right — the amount of trails in our area is truly incredible. I have vowed never to take this for granted!

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  24. So much wonderful information in your post and so much beauty to feast my eyes upon. I just returned from a trip to Texas to visit my daughter and her new home. While I was in Texas Hill Country, I got to do only one 4 mile hike at the Kreutzberg Canyon Natural Area. Although my daughter and husband are avid hikers and love exploring their local treasures, we revolved our days around my 13 granddaughter Riley who was in a leg cast up to her thigh – thanks to a dirt bike riding mishap! 😦 As I told my daughter, I’ll be out there again and we’ll have plenty of future opportunities to explore her area on foot, when Riley is healed and back on two feet!

    Thanks for sharing all your adventures! I love the story about Faye Smith and Her “humbleness and grace” and “gentle, persistent and persuasive nature” – such beautiful qualities to contemplate and aspire to.

    Hugs,
    Susan Grace

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    1. Hi, Susan – I always enjoy your thoughtful comments. I also love how your priorities are always in the right place. I hope that Riley is feeling better soon. You are absolutely correct — the hikes will be waiting for you when you get back there next time.
      I look forward to your next post!

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      1. You always write the nicest things! I should probably write about flying my granddaughter with broken leg from California to Texas so she could get safely home to her mom. (she had been spending time in CA with my ex son-in-law). Life always asks us to rise to the occasion – it’s up to us how we answer!

        Susan

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  25. I am glad you like the new editor. I switched when it started up and hated it at first but within three weeks, could not go back as I found it much more versatile. I do hope you like it as much as I do. I love how it is easy to move images and paragraphs around.
    You really have a wonderful life sharing hiking with your husband! I am so impressed by the places you have been and such gorgeous photos of the varying landscapes. I think it was Clint Eastwood or some aging Hollywood celebrity who suggested the elixir as we age is to just, “keep moving.” You have certainly done that.

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    1. Hi, Forestwood – Thank you for your thoughtful comment. So far, so good with the New Editor. I am currently using just the basic features — baby steps!
      When I can’t figure something out (e.g. sometimes I am unable to add a feature photo), I simply switch to the Classic Editor to do that piece and then switch back again. Easy-peasy!

      I definitely agree with the motto – ‘Use it or lose it”!

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      1. Hi Donna,
        I am glad you are progressing with the new editor. Adding a featured image is easy if you are using a desktop or tablet. Adding one on your phone is a little trickier. If you scroll down on the sidebar under post or post settings you should see a featured image block under tags and other settings. Add your image by clicking here. I have recently had trouble adding images only due to wifi issues I think, and have had to click on add several times waiting a little while for the library of images on wordpress to load. Could that be your issue?
        Amanda ( Forestwood )

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      2. HI, Amanda – Thank you for this kind reply. When I first switched to Guttenberg, I was still using the WP 2017 theme. On the sidebar, I could see where Feature Image was listed, but nothing was clickable. I upgraded to WP 2020 and that seemed to do the trick…for a little while. On this past post, I could again see where Feature Image was listed, but again it was not clickable. To remedy this, I simply switched to Classic Editor, inserted my Feature Image, and switched back to Guttenberg. Not a perfect solution, but better than nothing!

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  26. Donna, you continue to amaze me with all the local hikes you have discovered. You must do a lot of research to find these hikes and the trailheads. Do you have a favourite source that describes local trails? I haven’t done any of the hikes you wrote about in this post — except for Notch Hill — a frequent favourite for obvious reasons.

    Jude

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    1. Thanks, Jude – I kinda used a haphazard system of trail discovery. My favourite source was recommendation from others. I also used Alltrails, Wikiloc and Google. When all of that failed, we drove around and looked for anything that looked like a trail. That worked too! 😀

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