VICTORIA
British Columbia and vacinity
Saanich's Gyro Park, at the end of Sinclair Road, children's
playground area, sandy beach, picnic facilities, washrooms.
Mount Douglas Park, at the end of Shelbourne Street, 25 acres
of natural surroundings with numerous hiking trails, picnic spots, beach and
playground area. Also magnificent city view point.
Uplands Park/Cattle Point, on Beach Drive in the fabulous
Uplands of Oak Bay, has picnic areas, boat launch ramps and scenic views.
A popular stop for tour buses.
Willows Beach, Beach Drive and Dalhousie Road, favorite swimming
and sun tanning location, sheltered sandy beach and grassy park, tea house
(spring & summer).
Island View Park
Located off Highway 17, go east at Island View Road to the water. Great place
for
sunbathing - popular area with artists, photographers and rockhounds. Native
restaurant at north end.
Sidney
Spit Marine Park
400-hectare provincial marine park accessible by passenger ferry from Sidney.
Sandy beaches, extensive tidal flats, salt marshes, grassy meadows and forest
trails make Sidney Spit the perfect sport for hiking, beachcombing, and swimming.
Very busy on summer weekends. Also has a walk-in campground and
docking facilities for boaters. One half-hour ferry crossing in the summer
on a frequent schedule. 656-0525 for more info.
Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park
Haliburton Road and Sayward Road, a 240-hectare freshwater lake rimmed by
four beaches. Picnic grounds and 15 kms of walking & bridle trails, birdwatching,
windsurfing, fishing, canoeing. Concession operation in the summer.
Main beaches at north end (Elk Lake) and southeast (Beaver Lake). Very
popular summer swimming spots for locals.
Thetis Lake Park
Located off Highway 1 about 15 minutes north of Victoria - very popular fresh
water swimming and picnicking area. Great trails around the lake.
To access, take Highway 1a, Colwood turnoff and turn right at the 6 mile pub
and follow the signs.
Witty's Lagoon, 4021 Metchosin Road, Excellent park for beachcombing,
sunbathing, swimming, nature trails. Bird sanctuary lagoon, water fall,
sandy beachs with shallow water. Great for children. Long walk
to beach from parking. Take Witty's Beach Road (limited parking at
the end) and you just have 90 steps down to the beach.
Sooke Potholes
A series of rock pools located along the Sooke River, surrounded by small
waterfalls, boulders and trees. A provincial park. Past the park, a
path leads past a into private
property (currently under development) to the best pools - the
higher you go, the better it gets! Located off Highway 14 just
before the community of Sooke. Access is apparently going to remain
even after the development is finished.
French
Beach Provincial Park
Highway 14, accessed from a large parking lot, a sand and pebble beach with
picnic facilities. One of the most popular spots for families, sun bathers
and beachcombers. Very popular with locals. Get there early (10
am). There is a provincial campground here as well.
China Beach, Highway 14 - a 20 minute hike from the parking
lot leads through old growth rainforests to spectaular water views. Listen
to the thundering crash of the Pacific as you approach
the sandy beach below. Water falling from cliffs at west end.
For details of these and other west coach beachs order Victoria's
Secrets
Mystic Beach, Highway 14 - A few kilometres northwest of
China Beach, this long sandy beach requires a little more effort on a very
steep but well-constructed trail through dense forest. As its
name suggests, this beautiful beach evokes a sense of the mystical. Wear good
footware. For details of these and other west coach beachs order Victoria's
Secrets (Sombrio, Botanical Beach, etc)
ON THE GULF ISLANDS
Salt Spring Island, -popular swimming locations include Weston
Lake and Stowel Lake at the south end of Salt Spring, on the east side of
Beaver Point Road. St. Mary Lake is a large lake at the north end of the island
that can be acessed either from Tripp Road on the west or North End
Road on the east.The ocean is another swimming option, however keep in mind
that the water is warmer on the western shores, making Vesuvius Beach and
Bader's Beach the most popular spots. For more Salt Spring Island beach info
check here.
Princess Margaret Provincial Marine Park, on Portland Island
lies in the rain shadow of the
Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island. Little rain falls during the summer.
Plenty of
walk-in campsites are available.There are trails and lots of beaches. To get
here take the passenger ferry at the foot of Beacon Avenue in Sidney. For
information call 250-391-2300.