On the Island
It’s hard to believe that after two and a half years in BC that I’ve never made it over to Vancouver Island. But yesterday I met with a client in Port Alberni and took the opportunity to take in some of the great scenery on offer. I would have liked to visit Tofino, but that will have to wait for a future trip.
Cathedral Grove
MacMillan provincial parkstraddles the #4 near Cameron Lake on the way to Port Alberni. It’s a fantastic spot with some short trails that wind past towering Douglas fir and red cedars. I was practically alone for most of my stay, which is just the way I like it. (although a person or two would have been nice, if only as a reference for scale)
This is a really accessible park, perfect for bringing the whole family. The trails are short and smooth enough to accomodate a wheelchair. While my preference is for more rugged, isolated parks, I think we need more places like Cathedral Grove. People need some exposure to wild, natural places so that they have a greater appreciation of the natural beauty of this planet and the impact that our way of life has on it.
Qualicum Beach
At the eastern end of the #4 is the town of Qualicum Beach, with a view across the Straight of Georgia. The grey clouds that had dogged me since I broke out my camera in Port Alberni finally began to break up a bit. A scene this expansive is hard to capture, so you’ll have to imagine what it was really like.
Rathtrevor Beach
Another provincial park south of Parksville, Rathtrevor is your basic campground-on-a-waterfront. With the tide low, the exposed beach stretched far into the straight, and there was even more driftwood washed up here. Still in my steel-toed shoes, I chose to stay out of the sand and just enjoy the fading sunlight from further back up the shore.