This week’s walk R, Ryuu-chan, Dragon-kun, and I explored the interesting sights of James Bay.
This week is more of a photo blog.
Weird and wonderful James Bay
Tag: walks
Mt. Douglas Park
This week’s walk was on the Whittaker Trail around Mount Douglas Park.
Being a beautiful warm day, and due to the drive up to the top of the mountain being closed off, parking was a bit difficult to find, however, we (R., Ryuu-chan, Dragon-kun, and I) did find a place by another smaller park on a side street.
The trial is well marked and there are handy maps with information about the flora dotted along the path 4.7km path.
We had a bit of drama on our walk. We came across a woman looking for her wee dog… it was off leash and ran off. She said that it always came back, but not this time. R. was concerned (and rightly so) as we did hear an owl hooting before, and wee dogs don’t fair when it comes to predatory birds. R. And I kept our eyes out for the little Yorkie in a Jean jacket as we continued up along the path. Luckily, the story has a happy ending, as the woman’s partner had found the dog and we got to meet the very cute and excited dog.
The path was interesting as there were wide, relatively even paths and rocky hilly paths… but in terms of seeing something different from all the other walks we’ve been on… not so much.
Well, except for a cave. According to the internet, and we know how reliable that can be, it is a mouth to an old mine… I know that children like climbing into that little space… I wonder how safe it is?
We didn’t climb to the top of the “mountain” but rather stuck to the circular route round the park… it was hilly enough for us.
Swan Lake and Christmas Hill
Again, this walk is based off of John Crouch’s “Walk Victoria” book, however, we did not park where Mr. Crouch suggested, nor did we once look at the map provided…
Therefore, this week I cannot tell you an accurate distance for the walk we undertook as we embarked on a (mis) adventure.
It started out well. We (R, Ryuu-chan, Dragon-kun, and I) parked at the Saanich Municipal Hall and headed to the trail that circles Swan Lake.
We followed the trail clockwise, and on to the bridge like path over the lake where we spotted a Cormorant.
We continue up around to the Nature House (education centre) and through a residential area towards Christmas Hill.
Near the entrance of Christmas Hill there were beautiful flowers in bloom and lots of fern.
We then headed up a number of stairs to the top of the hill and enjoyed a fantastic view.
We headed down the hill and took a “detour” finding ourselves on Quadra Street and to our delight in front of a Filipino cafe and bakery. We obviously could not miss this opportunity for coffee and cakes.
After our little break, we headed back up to Christmas Hill and came across a vernal (seasonal) pond which was formed over 12,000 years ago. Apparently, there are rare and endangered species in this area that cannot be found anywhere else on the hill… or so the faded sign says.
This is the last photo I took… for after this we found ourselves walking in circles… and up and down the hill.
R. was a sport and said it was good training for her Camino trip later this year. But I was starting to panic and thought we would need to call in search and rescue to get us off the dang hill and back to Swan Lake. (We could have stopped and asked any number of people we came across on the hill… but THAT would be cheating!)
In the end we found our way back to Swan Lake walked the remainder of the circular route and ended up back at the car. The walk was around 8 km.
If you are in Victoria/Saanich and want to do this walk, there is parking by the Municipal Hall and there is also parking near the education centre just off of Ralph Road.
Rithet’s Bog
First of all, let me wish you all a Happy Girls’ Day. March 3rd is Girls’ Day (Hanamatsuri) and a Shinto holiday in Japan. It is traditionally a day where a red tiered platform is covered in dolls and a special rice dish is prepared and eaten. If you recall the pilgrim I did last year in Japan, there was a town where they still had the dolls out everywhere on April 3rd. This year, as usual, my mother made me the delicious rice dish. Thank you, mom. ❤️
This week’s walk was to Rithet’s Bog. I was joined by Ryuu-chan, Dragon-Kun, and R. (we are happy to have her back walking with us).
The walk is a 2.76km circular route around the 42-hectare nature sanctuary.
R. P. Rithet was a successful businessman in Victoria in the late 1800s. The bog was part of his farm, Broadmead, which you canny readers will remember from one of the first walks we did this year.
We parked on Dalewood Lane am headed in an anti- clockwise direction around the bog. We passed and we were passed by several dog walkers and families with children on the trail. Even with all the people out, there was enough space make it feel like we were the only ones on the trail.
The bog is home to several bird species and fish, as well as lizards. We mostly saw several ducks and a few cats… which is a bit alarming.
There is a group of volunteers who are apparently restoring part of the bog. We passed by a sign about the volunteers on a cordoned off area. The area had an area dug out and covered with a black tarpaulin like mat which as full of water and a wonderful variety of plant species.
A little further along there was a sign explaining the ecology of a raised bog. The dome of the raised bog is made up of living peat.
Side note: Peat, when healthy, is a great sequester of CO2. However, damage to peatlands around the world is responsible for 5% of global anthropomorphic (human impact) CO2 emissions.
We walked over a small bridge where there were several ducks in the clear water. Dragon-kun pointed out a yellow flower like object on the other side of the stream, and R. with her amazing knowledge of plants told us it was a Skunk Cabbage. Dragon-kun and Ryuu-chan loved the name of the plant.
Although, it was still too early to see the bog in its full boggy glory, it was a pleasant walk. Might have to come back in the summer to see the bog in its verdant splendour.
If you would like to do the walk, there is parking on Dalewood Lane. Or if you don’t mind a bit more of a walk, one could also park at Broadmead Shopping Centre (it is marked by the number 11 and wine glass on the map… the wine glass is where there is a BC Liquor store).
Graves and Memorials
This week’s walk is based off of John Crouch’s walk #3
I say based off as many of his walks take in the same areas.. .and although it is nice to see how spring is arriving little by little each week, it does get repetitive. So this walk is a bit shorter. 3.98km.
We (Dragon-kun, Ryuu-chan, and I) started our walk in Cook Street Village at Moka House (all walks must have coffee). Walked south, past the croquet lawns, the bowling green and the cricket pitch to the Robbie Burns monument (don’t ever say that Victoria, British Columbia was not colonized by the English and Scottish).
We then walked past the Children’s Farm up to the flag pole on top of Beacon Hill.
This was also an important place for the Lekwungen peoples whose unseated territories Victoria is located. (I will be doing a blog on the signs of the Lekwungen people in a future blog).
There is aspindle whorl in each of the important areas. The one here is to mark the place where the Lekwungen played a games similar to field hockey, a village was at the bottom of the hill and camas bulbs were harvested as an important food source.
There is also a place fenced off where there are burial cairns.
Walking along Dallas Road we came across some interesting art and people paragliding.
We then entered Ross Bay Cemetery and visited the grave of Lorne Lewis, a pioneer black policeman, the Kakehashi monument (which honours the 150 Japaneses people buried here), and Emily Carr’s grave. If you visit the cemetery, there is a pamphlet with all the “notable” sites on it that you can pick up at the caretaker’s office.
We then made our way toward Government House. On our way, there was an elderly Asian woman who looked confused and approached us speaking Mandarin or Cantonese. I tried to use Google translate, but it didn’t help. There a young man she also tried to get to help her . I called the police and they also tried to help, but not knowing what language she was speaking made it really hard. In the end, a neighbour of hers recognized her and brought her home.
In the excitement Ryuu-chan lost her tassel. We will see if we can mend Ryuu-chan. Ryuu-chan said not to worry if we can’t as she thought it made her bum look big. Dragon-kun and I decided to ignore this comment.
We walked to Government House, but the flowers weren’t in bloom (the Royals sometimes stay here when they visit).
We then walked to Pioneer Square and saw more graves and memorial.
We then walked back to Cook Street Village exhausted. But did find interesting graffiti on the way back.
If you are interested in this walk (lost elderly woman, not guaranteed) there are several places to park on this circular route:
In front of the cricket pitch, or by the Children’s Farm (both in Beacon Hill Park), along Dallas Road, and at the Fairfield Plaza( in front of Ross Bay Cemetery).
Moss Rock Park
Today’s walk is based off of walk #10 from John Crouch’s Walk Victoria. The walk we (Ryuu-chan, Dragon-Kun, and I) did was a bit longer (4.64km).
The walk Crouch suggested goes in a clockwise direction, making the walker go down a very rocky and steep hill. Going down said hill is not a problem. The problem is going down safely. For those who have bad knees/ankles, I suggest going in the opposite directions or using an alternative route (such as turning around from the view point of Moss Rock and heading East on Fairfield and heading down Memorial to Dallas Rd)
From Moss Rock we headed down to Dallas Rd.
We had a great view of the Olympic Mountains. I think they are called that because they often look like they are floating in clouds… but that is just my guess.
At clover point Ryuu-kun posed by a stone carving in the dog park.
We walked along the coast to the world’s largest totem pole (according to the sign) in Beacon Hill Park. My father says he remembers watching the pole being carved when he was a very young boy.
We then walked to the Children’s Farm where there are goats (with their creepy eyes), llamas, and chickens.
We then walked toward the cricket pavilion , tennis courts, bowling green, and croquet lawns.
Ryu-chan wanted to stay and play Croquet… but it was going on 2pm and Dragon-kun and I didn’t have lunch yet and were getting hungry.
If you want to do this walk there is parking beside and in front of the Children’s Farm in the park.
Butchart Gardens
Today’s adventure is a little different. It is the start of travels with Ryuu-chan, and Dragon-kun.
Usagi-chan may make a few appearances, but she said she will definitely be back in 12 years.
I was so excited about Ryuu and Dragon joining me on my walk around Butchart Gardens that I forgot to set my Fitbit to record the walk…so I’m not sure the distance.
Butchart Gardens is wheelchair and family friendly, there are lots of places to sit and enjoy the gardens… although today being rainy… maybe not so much with the sitting.
The Gardens was a limestone quarry which supplied limestone to the Portland cement plant. (Both quarry and cement plant were owned by the Butchart family). The garden was the idea of Jennie Butchart (wife of cement and quarry owner -Robert Pim Butchart)
In 1904, Jennie Butchart took the abandoned quarry and started turning it into the Sunken Garden. (The Sunken Gardens is signature garden – it is on all the postcards for the Gardens).
Ross Fountain Lookout was a smaller quarry and turned into the fountains in 1964.
The Bog Garden usually has giant ferns in the summer months and it looks prehistoric. Ryuu and Dragon were disappointed not to see the ferns as it reminds them of their dinosaur ancestry, but they were happy to see the moss.
Ryuu-chan and Dragon-kun liked watching the Carousel but didn’t want to ride on something that went round in circles, so opted for a photo on the sculpture of the carousel horse at the base of the building that houses the Carousel.
The Dragon Fountain is a gift from the People’s Republic of China and Victoria’s sister City, Suzhou to Butchart Gardens.
If you read last week’s post you’ll see that Victoria has many sister cities…well okay… maybe just two… I am finding out about these sister cities as I walk.
We walked through the rose garden…again wrong time of year.
The Japanese garden was started in 1906 and designed by the Japanese landscape artist, Isaburo Kishida.
The last bunch of photos are in what is usually the Blue Poppy Restaurant, but at the moment is the Spring Prelude exhibit.
If you are think of visiting the gardens here is some information:
Ticket price: $30.70 (Adult)
22K from downtown Victoria (BC Transit does have buses that go to the Gardens)
James Bay
Today’s walk is based on walk #9 of John Crouch’s ‘Walk Victoria’ (according to my local independent bookshop this book is out of print and the author is in the process of getting it republished…hopefully with distances in Km or miles instead of hours). This walk is 5.13k .
If doing this route and you need a place to park, there are parking spaces on Douglas and in Beacon Hill Park.
According to John Crouch’s book, James Bay was made into a fashionable suburb in the 1800s. The rich land owners then decided that the Rockland area was better and moved their houses there and subdivided their properties in James Bay allowing smaller houses to be built. And there are a lot of cute little cottage-like houses in the James Bay Area…. Did I photograph any of them?Nope.
The walk took R. and I to the main tourist area of the city: in front of the B.C. Parliament Buildings (also known as ‘The Birdcage’ – I might do a blog about it in the future)
As we were passing the cenotaph, a woman was changing the wreaths. R., who is braver than me, asked the woman about it. The woman said she is from the Legion, and every Memorial Day they get more wreaths than they can display, so they spread the wreaths out throughout the year.
From the Parliament building one can see the Empress Hotel. (Apparently, they have a good tea service.)
Continuing our walk along the water there is a path that leads behind Laurel Point Hotel. At the beginning of the path there are two commemorative plaques from Victoria’s sister City: Morioka.
A little further along and there is another tribute to the City of Victoria from the Lebanese community.
Walking around the point, past Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Canadian Coast Guard there was a pole covered in masks. one of the masks looked like another relative to Usagi-chan, but the lighting was wrong and the picture did not turn out. (Usagi-chan was tired today, so stayed at home).
We finished our walk by walking up Government, but along the way there were little signs of spring everywhere.
Return to walking
After my pilgrimage in Japan, I took a bit of an hiatus from walking.
Today with the aid of my friend R. I started walking again.
I hope to continue this trend of weekly walks throughout the year. I will be using different walking/hiking books I have to plan out my walks.
Today’s walk is #5 “Fairfield/Oak Bay” from Walk Victoria by John Crouch. My one criticism of this book is that the hikes are measured in the time it took John Crouch to walk the route and not in actual kilometres. Mr. Crouch wrote that it is a 3 hour walk… it took us 4.5 hours… of course we did stop to have tea and snacks at the coffee shop at Oak Bay Marina… but still.
Trafalgar Park Lookout and McNeil Bay… I think the bear is wondering why it is blue?
Some of the art work that was along the way.
KotsuKotsuLife 