Visitors can also arrive by way of the Pacific Marine Circle Route, via Port Renfrew, a distance of approximately 55 kilometres.

In Mesachie Lake you will find it’s like stepping back in time, with two peaceful streets lined by old company homes beautifully painted and maintained, several with verandahs overlooking colorful gardens surrounded by picket fences.

At the north end of Forestry Road is a provincial government forestry research station where island conifers are grown and studied in order to produce strong stock from which good seeds can be harvested.

A natural tree museum made up of a variety of heritage trees can be toured in a leisurely walk along the main road and throughout the town area.

Tree locations and varieties can be found using a map on a large sign located on Bear Road.

Amenities include a community hall and ball field – called the Skydome – where the local area firefighters host a huge slo-pitch baseball tournament and dance every Father’s Day weekend, June 20-21 this year, to raise money for muscular dystrophy research.

There is a small boat launch and park at the end of Bear Road, a miniature golf course near the tree identification sign and a tiny post office if you are of mind to send a post card home with an unusual name on the post mark.

For more information about the Pacific Marine Circle Route and local area history, go online to www.mesachielake.ca. – Kathryn Swan;

This year’s Bay Days starts with bingo on the evening of July 31, in Honeymoon Bay Hall.

The Bay Days parade starts on March Road with the marshalling and at 11 a.m. heads down the main street to Honeymoon Bay Hall.

The kids can have a blast after the parade, with the afternoon filled with games and entertainment in and around Honeymoon Bay Hall.

The Coffee Mill’s market on South Shore Road, right across the street from Friesen’s, will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on August 1.

The market sells Honeymoon Bay blackberry products, along with local soaps, herbal products, garden produce, plants, wood furniture and many other unique items.

There is a dance in the hall the evening of August 1.

After the pancake breakfast at the Honeymoon Bay hall first thing on August 2, Beaver Lake Resort just west of Lake Cowichan hosts the Bay Days sand castle competition, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. Then, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. is the regatta on Beaver Lake, with kayak and paddle boat races.

The spectacular fireworks are held at dusk on August 2 at Central Beach.;

The Youbou Regatta starts with the pancake breakfast at the fire hall, starting at 8 a.m., and never lets up until late afternoon.

The Youbou Regatta boasts the shortest parade in the world, starting at 10:30 a.m. from the Youbou Hall to Arbutus Park, but it’s certainly one of the most enthusiastic.

Following the parade, Arbutus Park comes alive with activity.

The first splash hits the water with the Clarence Whittingham Memorial Quarter Mile Swim at 11 a.m. A tugboat owned by Whittingham, an iron vessel for towing logs on the lake, takes the swimmers a quarter mile out and they swim back to the dock.

This is followed by kids and adult swimming races, cannonball and belly flop competitions, watermelon eating, three-on-three volleyball and canoe races.

There is a dance in the Youbou Hall that evening.;

The most notable change for this year is the moving of events on the Saturday, June 13, into Saywell Park, in the middle of town

The festivities begin on June 8 with the Strawberry Tea in Centennial Hall, followed by Opportunity Night on June 10 and the Lady Of the Lake ball on June 12.

The popular Lake Cowichan Idol also runs on the evening of June 12, in Central Park.

Following the high-energy pancake breakfast first thing on June 13, the popular parade, hosted by the Lions Club, rolls down the main street starting at 11 a.m.

From there it’s on to Saywell Park for the two-day Dunk Tank Challenge, kids games, the first ever Lake Days volleyball tournament, plenty of entertainment and the crowning of the Lady Of The Lake.

The Lake Cowichan Fire Department is hosting the logger sports this year as a fundraiser for muscular dystrophy. It will be open to families, with prize money. There will also be some logging displays.

Many merchants are planning a Lake Days sidewalk sale on June 13.

There will also be a live entertainment stage is Saywell Park on June 13-14.

That ’70s Band plays the Lake Days dance in Centennial Hall on June 13.

On June 14 a road hockey tournament runs most of the day in Saywell Park, while right beside it will be the second day of the volleyball tournament.

There’s also the Baby Of The Lake Contest, followed by the kids collection displays hosted by Xi Gamma Kappa. Xi Gamma Kappa will also be announcing the winner of its colouring contest.

The Kin-Ducky Derby begins mid-afternoon on June 14, with the $5 tickets on sale around town.;

The Great Lake Walk and Ultramarathon, with this year’s eighth annual on September 19, attracts hundreds of walkers and runners from across Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and other parts of B.C., Alberta and even parts of the northwest United States, who attempt to walk or run 56 kilometres from Youbou to Lake Cowichan.

It challenges the body, the mind and more often than not has resulted in great triumph.

The communities and people of Cowichan Lake come together to organize and pull off this activity, starting with a pre-dawn breakfast in Youbou, 12 all-service rest stops along the route and a loud welcoming committee at the finish line.

A unique aspect of the Great Lake Walk is that entrants can raise money for their favourite charities. So far close to $500,000 has been raised for worthy causes.

For more information or to register, go to www.greatlakewalk.com;

This Lake Cowichan-owned facility is about a kilometre west of town on South Shore Road.

Drive past the arena and look for a sign on your right.

- Duck Pond, Lake Cowichan

This quaint little park on the Cowichan River in Lake Cowichan is perfect for family outings, with picnic tables, washrooms, a covered area, shady trees, a playground, a sandy beach and a floating dock.

To get there, turn onto North Shore Road and then turn left at River Road. You’ll see the park on the left.

- Little Beach, Lake Cowichan

This is a popular swimming hole on the Cowichan River. Turn onto Greendale Road and follow it for about half a kilometre. It’s located on the right past the houses.

- Spring Beach, Meades Creek

This beach is located at Meades Creek. Follow North Shore Road until you reach a fork in the road. Take the left road named Meades Creek Road and follow it over a small bridge. After approximately 1

This annual festival features the following:

- June 8, Strawberry Tea in Centennial Hall.

- June 10, Lady of the Lake Opportunity Night in Centennial Hall.

- June 12, Lady of the Lake Ball on June 6 in Centennial Hall; Lake Cowichan Idol in Central Park.

- June 13, pancake breakfast at the old fire hall next to town hall; the largest parade at Cowichan Lake; fair in Saywell Park that includes logger sports, a volleyball tournament, carnival events and the crowning of the Lady of the Lake.

- June 14, road hockey tournament in Saywell Park; volleyball tournament, miniature golf, 5-kilometre and 10-kilometre fun runs, Baby of the Lake and kids’ colletable displays in Saywell Park; river races; KinDucky Derby.

MD Slo-Pitch Tournament, June 20-21

This annual event is held at the Sky Dome in Mesachie Lake by the Cowichan Valley fire departments. It is a major fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada.

The weekend includes a ball tournament Saturday and Sunday and a huge auction, which over the years has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for muscular dystrophy.

Honeymoon Bay Days, July 31-August 2

This annual B.C. Day long weekend festival is highlighted by a parade, children’s fair and adult dance on August 2, followed on August 3 by a pancake breakfast at the Honeymoon Bay Hall, the sandcastle building contest at Beaver Lake Resort from 10 a.m. to noon and the Beaver Lake Regatta from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Some of the best fireworks on Vancouver Island are at Central Beach Sunday evening.

Call 250-749-3841 for more information.

Youbou Regatta, August 8

This annual one-day festival starts with the shortest parade in the world that starts at the Youbou Hall and finishes at Arbutus Park.

After that, in Arbutus Park, there’s the Whittington quarter mile swim, swim races, canoe races, three-on-three volleyball, children’s races, a belly flop contest, a cannon ball contest and watermelon eating. Call 250-745-3712 for more information.

Mixed Summer Bonspiel, August 27-30

Bring your shorts for this curling event, one of the largest bonspiels of the year at the lake, with teams coming from across Vancouver Island and other parts of B.C.

Honeymoon Bay Blackberry Festival, Sept. 5

This annual event celebrates the berry that grows abundantly around Cowichan Lake.

There’s a bingo on the evening of August 29 in the hall, then on August 30 there’s a blackberry pancake breakfast and a tea and craft sale. Call 250-749-3841 for more information.

Appollos Slo-pitch Tourney, Sept. 4-7

This Labour Day classic has been attracting slo-pitch teams for close to 30 years, with ball games being held in Lake Cowichan, Honeymoon Bay, Mesachie Lake and Youbou.

The tournament includes a dance on the Saturday night. The playoffs go all day on September 7. Call 250-749-3410 for more information.

Great Lake Walk and Ultramarathon, Sept. 19

This will be the eighth year of this late summer event that has people walking or running 56 kilometres around Cowichan Lake from Youbou to Lake Cowichan, passing through Caycuse, Honeymoon Bay and Mesachie Lake on the way.

The runners have been breaking the five-hour mark the past few years, while most of the walkers seem happy just to finish. Entrants can take pledges for their favourite charities.

Since the Great Lake Walk started in 2002, close to $500,000 has been raised for various charities, from the Lake Cowichan Food Bank to the Cowichan Lake Community Services’ Christmas hampers.;

The newly renovated Info Centre is the log cabin building located in the middle of town at 125C South Shore Rd., beside Saywell Park.

The centre is open every day through the summer, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with staff, student workers and capable volunteers on hand to provide assistance.

The helpful staff will be able to assist you in finding the right accommodations amongst the three motels and hotels or the numerous B&Bs and lodges located around the lake

At your fingertips in this smartly displayed facility are brochures from the various local businesses, maps, historic information, outdoor safety tips and information about the Cowichan Lake area, the Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island and the rest of B.C.

If you’re looking for things to do, the staff is also well versed on local events such as Lake Days, the Youbou Regatta or Bay Days.

Thinking about camping? Well, don’t worry, there are plenty of sites to suite your needs, from the provincial class Gordon Bay Park at Honeymoon Bay to the foraestry campsites west of Youbou.

The Info Centre is managed by the Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Town of Lake Cowichan.

To contact the Info Centre, go to cowichanlake.ca or call 1-250-749-3244.

It can be reached by following South Shore Road for approximately 10 minutes west of Lake Cowichan.

Visitors can also arrive by way of the Pacific Marine Circle Route, via Port Renfrew to Mesachie Lake, a distance of about 55 kilometres.

Honeymooners and the rest of the world’s campers, boaters, golfers, history buffs and nature lovers can find much in and around the town to enjoy.

Central Park stretches north from Honeymoon Bay Hall through a grassy field graced by children’s seasonal artwork banners, past the carved wooden welcome sign across the road to a swimming beach at the waterfront.

Near the hall is Memory Lane, where special trees have been planted to honour lost family and friends.

The hall is the heart of the town and the roadside reader board lists a wide variety of enjoyable local happenings such as movie evenings or bazaars hosted by its active community society. It is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays.

If a visitor is lucky, the coffee pot may be on when you drop in to use the post office, gym, public computer access centre or wireless radio.

There is a meeting room whose walls hold historic murals by an artist of stature, George Jenkins, as well as a large panel painted by old time resident Vince Allen that displays scientific but still beautifully painted diagrams of the wildflowers found in the wildflower reserve west of town.

Popular annual summer events include Bay Days, held July 31-August 2 this year, and the Blackberry Festival on the Sunday of the Labour Day Weekend.

Honeymoon Bay was first established as a logging operation in 1929. Since then, after many ups and downs in the industry, most of the remnants of the logging town have disappeared.

Each Saturday from spring to fall there is an outdoor market on the grounds of the Coffee Mill across from the general store/meat market and fire hall. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

One can enjoy delicious coffee and baked goodies while strolling to each vendor’s table to peruse local arts, crafts, preserves, hand made soap, healing plants, garden offerings and more.

Beyond the Coffee Mill is Walton Road, which leads to beautiful Gordon Bay Provincial Park complete with woodland trails, camping, swimming and a boat launch.

En route to the park visitors will find the Honeymoon Bay Herb and Vegetable Farm. Its charming shop and attractive garden beds marked by old brass bedsteads offer fresh herbs and produce, home made preserves and unique gifts. Its roadside stand sells bundles of campfire wood as well as free range eggs.

Just west of the town is the scenic March Meadows Golf Course, voted the best nine-hole course on Vancouver Island (see story on page 14).

Past the golf course is a Wildflower Flower Reserve, whose bleeding hearts, trilliums, pink fawn lilies and yellow violets are glorious in spring.

Lastly, where the pavement ends, is a complex crossroads nicknamed Chicken Joe’s.

From there it is possible to continue around the lake, but remember it is a logging road, headlights are mandatory and logging trucks have the right of way.

For more information on the Honeymoon Bay Wildflower Reserve and the history of the community, go online to www.honeymoonbay.com.

Area Parks

- Central Park. There is a beach, playground and baseball diamond.

- Lily Beach Park. This nature park has a beach.;