Hiking, Link Ups, Vancouver Island

What’s Been on Your Calendar? 14 Central Vancouver Island Hikes.

Retirement Reflections

This coming autumn, Richard and I will embark on our fifth Camino (sixth, if you include the one we did last year in P.E.I.). This time, we will hike the Caminho Do Mar to Fatima, Portugal. We will begin walking from Lisbon instead of Estoril, thus adding on 26 km (total walk 230+ km). In preparation, this past month, I have been testing out my gear (not to mention my legs) and have taken part in 14 local hikes (plus a variety of shorter walks). Vancouver Island is spoiled for choices of trails. What is your favourite hike below?

1. Parksville to Qualicum Beach, 16 km, flat hike, mixed terrain. We ate lunch at the newly renamed French Creek Social Hall. To make this hike more interesting, we walked to Qualicum Beach and took the bus back home.

2. Enos Lake (Nanoose Bay), 8 km, (659 ft) elevation gain. Stunning views.

3. Westwood Lake (Nanaimo), 7 km, mostly flat, with gorgeous wildlife and a great little bistro along the path. Just before seeing this delightful juvenille owl, we spied a beautiful old turtle basking in the sun. This walk never disappoints.

4. Rathtrevor Beach to Top Bridge (to join our walking group) and then back to Rathtrevor, 10 km.

5. Greenway Loop (Campbell River), 22 km (it was supposed to be 28 km, but somehow we accidentally took a shortcut – honest)! This long but easy F.R.O.G. trail (forest, rivers, ocean, greenway) can be hiked or biked (and shortened if you like).




6. Notch Hill (Nanoose Bay), 3.25 km, 203 m elevation gain.
Me: I have good news and bad news. The good news is I made breakfast.
Richard: What’s the bad news?
Me: You need to climb to the top of Notch Hill to get it.
Richard: Sighs, rolls over and tries to go back to sleep.

7. Linley Valley – Cottle Lake Trail (Nanaimo), 10 km. A multi-length hike that was super easy…until we decided to go off-trail and started climbing straight uphill. Other than that, Cottle Lake is a wonderful place for an easy, peaceful stroll or an off-leash dog walk. Tons of shade

8. Beban Park (Nanaimo). 4km. Short, sweet with a bunch of cool exercise stations to explore, including pushups, sit-ups, rope course and pole climbing (the last activity was flatly declined by both Richard and me)!

9. Qualicum Beach F.O.C.S. Walk (Forest, Ocean, Creekside, Stairs). 10 km. We started with Farmer’s Market Pancake Breakfast…just to give us energy, of course!

10. Kinsol Trestle. Shawnigan Lake, 4.5 km. What was once a ‘bloggers meetup’ has now become simply a ‘friend’s meetup.’ I highly recommend this relatively easy trail, as well as lunch at Merridale Cidery. Hiked with bloggers, The Widow Badass and Erica from Behind the Scenery.

11. Muttley Crew Dog Walking Group. On top of our other hikes, Richard and I usually join our friends on Thursday and Sunday mornings for a 5 km-ish dog walk (usually at Pheasant Glen, Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery, Top Bridge or Shelley Creek). This hike was from Shelley Creek to Top Bridge and back. It’s my favourite Parksville hike.

12. Parksville- Coombs Trail,
Making good on my Father’s Day gift to Richard, I put on my Camino hiking dress, and we walked from our home to Cuckoo’s Restaurant in Coombs. It was 20 km round trip and a delightful way to spend a summer evening!

13. Bowser’s Secret Trail.
Cassidy, BC. 4.5 km (I forgot to turn All Trails on when we first started). In the “lucky 13” spot, Bowser gets to hike this area five days per week (with his Oma). They both find something new to see each time.

14. Englishman River Regional Park via Middlegate Road Entrance, Errington. This is a beautiful hiking spot all year long. It is especially cool and shady during warm summer days. With endless intersecting (well-marked) trails, your hike can be as long or as short as you like.

Apart from putting it on each morning and taking it off each evening, I don’t usually pay much attention to my Fitbit. Apparently, it has been noticing the extra hiking!

Have you been hiking recently? Please share your favourite trails, regardless of where in the world they are located. I look forward to the inspiration!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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We invite you to join us in the comments, or the linkup below, to tell us about what’s been on your calendar lately. To stay true to the purpose of this linkup, please ensure that your linked post is focused on what’s been happening for you this past month. We look forward to seeing you here. Donna, Deb, Jo & Sue.

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.

101 thoughts on “What’s Been on Your Calendar? 14 Central Vancouver Island Hikes.”

  1. Now we have more hikes to enjoy when we arrive the end of July. I especially enjoyed the Englishman River hike last summer, and we did Westwood Lake twice during the month we were in Nanaimo. We did the Linley Valley/Cottle Lake hike and lost the trail and ended up climbing up a large rock outcropping.

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    1. Hi, Sheila – I am delighted that you are coming out this way again this summer for more hiking. If you have any hiking/Central Vancouver Island questions that I can help answer for you, please don’t hesitate to give me a shout. How long will you be here?

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    1. Hi, Barbara -I am so sad that you had such an off-putting hiking experience. Hiking is truly one of my favourite things to do. But you do have your beautiful garden which provides much of the soothing outdoors. I am off to check out your post now.

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      2. Hi, Barbara – Fair enough about hill walking. And yes, please join me virtually on my hikes. I regularly visit your garden, and stay for dinner, (virtually of course). It is one of my blogging highlights! 😀

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  3. These are all very nice hikes, but I can’t wait for your Camino! Love your energy and spirit

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  4. These are great photos, Donna! Richard’s face in the picture next to you wearing the pink shirt cracked me up. I loved following your Caminos in the past, so I’ll look forward to it.

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    1. Hi, Jill – Yup, that face definitely says “hurry up and take that dang photo so I can eat my spaghetti while it’s still hot!’ Richard has certainly been patient with my blogging (and other) antics.
      Thank you for your kind words on folloiwng our Caminos. Richard and I are greatly looking forward to this next adventure.

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  5. Hi Donna, I’ve loved seeing your various hikes pop up on my FB feed. I always admire all the walking you do – and all the beautiful hiking trails that you have nearby. I continue my morning walks (pain free! Yay!) but I’d certainly never compare them to your adventures. I’m looking forward to ‘virtually accompanying you’ on your next Camino – I don’t even get a blister!

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  6. Hi Donna, You and Richard are always an inspiration! It is fun to read about your Island hikes and see your amazing photos here and on social media. I am excited to follow along virtually on your next Camino. It was wonderful to see you and Deb recently. 💕 I love how you indicated a ‘friend’s meetup.’ Looking forward to our next one…sooner than later. xo Erica

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  9. I’m feeling very excited for you, heading off on the Portugese Camino. I’m really looking forward to reading about it and seeing the photos. If I’m fortunate enough to do another Camino, it will be the Portugese. The hikes you’ve featured here all look wonderful and great training.

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  10. So happy to be a part of not one but two of your hikes this month! Lovely to see Erica again too. Also happy to help you train for your camino the rest of this summer, when it works out for us both!

    Deb

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  11. Gorgeous photos Donna! That’s very exciting re the upcoming Camino – I look forward to reading about it. Haven’t done much walking lately – too much rain, but the weather’s improved a lot, so I’ve got some in.

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    1. Thanks, Denyse – Ironically, thirteen years ago when I suggested our first Camino, my husband (gently) suggested that he wasn’t sure I could take the relentless physical demands. He learned never to say that again!

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  13. Hi Donna – I love the idea of your 14 hikes … I think I’ll build in 14 gentle ones around here … I have no commitments after today for two months – which means I can settle and get life sorted out. Wonderful you’re going to walk the Portuguese Camino – Mum and I went to Porto and into the hinterland for a week – we didn’t do much walking, but we saw the countryside and loved it. I enjoyed seeing the Kinsol Trestle – one of my local VI walks … memories: and as you say VI has some amazing places to visit. Enjoy the rest of your preparations for the Camino … cheers Hilary (PS another post going up today – saves me an email!)

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  14. Aside from racking up 10K steps every day, my routines are boring compared to your trips. It’s been so wonderful to be outside and my area is wooded so there is that. I’m looking forward to your fall trip. You are amazing!

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  16. Hi Donna, I love all the hikes that you shared in this post. Wish I was there to hike, too. In Toronto, I like to hike in the Don Valley and High Park, especially in the summer, lots of tall trees, beautiful shades, creeks, urban wildlife, etc. I look forward to following along your Portuguese Camino. Thank you for hosting the WBOYC linkup with Sue, Deb and Jo. I added my link.

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  18. Pictures of Vancouver Island & particularly the Nanaimo area always stir the embers. One of my friends’ daughter worked at Cuckoo’s Restaurant. When I visit friends who live on the island It’s like going to another country from landlocked Alberta. I haven’t been doing any hiking but there’ve been lots of steps gardening. Five inches of rain perked up everything. I feel like we’ve had summer with the heat in June. I have to remind myself that it’s just beginning. A visit to Metis Crossing on the North Saskatchewan River west of home was a highlight this month as well as the Beaumont Blues & Roots music festival where my friends’ daughter & her band performed. And guess what? It rained both days.

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    1. Hi, Mona – Despite all of the rain, it sounds like you have had an awesome start to summer. The next time that you are on Vancouver Island, please let me know. I’d love to meet up. I am sure that Deb (Widow Badass) would also like to join in!

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  20. You have such a wonderful variety of fabulous hikes where you live and I’m happy to have been on several of them in the past. We walked a ton while in Europe but, back home now, my walks usually are of the neighborhood type. Hills and some views, but mostly boring.

    I’m so envious of your trip to Portugal. It looks like you’ll be hiking through many of the areas we visited. I hope you get to see some wild flamingoes.

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    1. Hi, Janis – I’m so glad that the subscription finally worked. I look forward to seeing more photos of your recent trip. I hope that you have many more posts in store for us. Seeing wild flamingos would be seriously cool!

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  27. I enjoy seeing your hiking adventures, Donna! July sure was full of fun hikes for you. I’m excited you’re going to the Camino again. My hiking was derailed with a (probably) fractured little toe during the cool spring weather. It’s healed now but we have 90F temps (32C) for the foreseeable future. I would have to walk/hike at 7am to avoid the heat. Maybe after my coffee.

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  29. You really are spoiled with all those wonderful trails, Donna. I’ve enjoyed following your hikes on social media. Good luck with the Camino!

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  31. You inspire me to explore hikes around the Washington DC area, Donna. And you encourage me as well, by giving prominence (and affection) to the short as well as long hikes. I can’t wait to “follow” your upcoming Camino!

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  32. You are fabulous Donna!! What lovely walks you and Richard are doing as part of your training for another Camino, I’m so happy for you! Can’t wait to ‘walk’ with you 🙂

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  33. What a lovely place to practice for your next Camino. Hope you’ll find some time to blog again. It was fun following you. I still keep safety pins in my toiletry kit based on your packing tips.

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  34. Gorgeous pics – no wonder you like to hike, Scooter boy (@Unikick) who scootered from Melbourne to Cairns, last year actually scootered the whole length of Japan! His Insta is so fab….so maybe you can do it in real life too! That would be an adventure…#WBOYC

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  35. My favourite here in the Comox Valley is the Comox Dam which runs along the Puntlage River, you can walk all the way to Nymphs Falls, ( but I haven’t), there is lots of shade and not too much elevation. You can also swim there!

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  36. I greatly enjoyed reading about all your hikes. Here due to extreme heat until spring hiking is not in my plans with temps around 100F and high humidity. Activities tend to be early morning or at night, but I do look forward to hiking more. We’ve been exploring our property some, camping in our wall tent, and want to put in some trails to the creek. Enjoy retirement! I’m counting down the years myself!

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    1. Hi, Sue – Thank you for your kind words. We definitely are spoiled with so many great trail near by. I have never counted them all (its hard to do because many of the trails have multiple off-shoot options). But when Richard and I did our ’52 hikes in 52 days’ we didn’t come close to scratching the surface! 😀

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  41. Vous habitez une bien belle région où les opportunités de randonnées sont nombreuses. Profitez-en bien et MERCI de partager vos aventures pédestres!
    La randonnée permet de réunir le plaisir de bouger, de s’instruire et de s’émerveiller dans la nature.
    J’ai hâte d’être à la retraite pour profiter de la bipédie, tant que ce sera possible.
    Nos dernières randonnées étaient autour de la ville de Toulon, dans le département du Var (sud de la France). Le premier choc visuel fut la découverte des Calanques de Cassis et Marseille. Nous continuons l’exploration des îles et de la côte, là où notre fille a récemment élu domicile.

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    1. Merci d’avoir lu et commenté. Mon mari et moi avons fait une petite randonnée en France. En 2013, nous avons eu un échange de maison à Six-Fours-les-Plagues. En 2016, nous avons commencé notre deuxième Camino à St. Jean Pied de Port. De très bons souvenirs !

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      1. Votre maitrise de la langue française est excellente.
        Nous habitions près du port du Brusc, un quartier de la commune de Six Fours les Plages. Quelle coïncidence !

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      2. C’est une incroyable coïncidence ! C’est vraiment un petit monde.
        Je vous remercie pour vos aimables paroles. Bien que je puisse lire vos commentaires, j’ai utilisé l’IA pour m’aider à rédiger mes réponses !

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  42. Hi Donna – you guys are so awesome – very impressive! Your experience shows you know what to do to prepare for your trip this fall. How exciting – I’m looking forward to your blog posts about your hiking adventures 🙂

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