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Wilderness and adventure
Thursday, April 30th, 2009 by GetawayBC.com
You can literally soar with the eagles and swim with the salmon in a single day in Cowichan.
The stunning region boasts old-growth forest and farmland, mountains and valleys, lakes and rivers, and offers virtually any outdoor activity you can think of.
Skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and dog sledding? Check.
Canoeing, kayaking, scuba diving and wakeboarding? Check.
Hiking, cycling, ATVing, camping, golfing, swimming, fishing, hang-gliding, snorkeling, sailing and tubing. Check, check and check.
Recreational opportunities in the Cowichan Valley are endless for even the most avid outdoor enthusiast, but also appeal to those just looking to spend a little time reconnecting with the wilderness.
No matter how tight your bond with Mother Nature, if simple exploration is your aim there’s no better place to start than a hike through one of the valley’s myriad parks and trails.
The Cowichan River Provincial Park boasts the historic, 20-kilometre Cowichan River Footpath, with picturesque landscapes and a dense forest of Douglas fir and Western Hemlock.
The hike up Mount Tzouhalem is suitable year-round and concludes with stunning views at a 525-metre elevation, while the Trans-Canada Trail, which follows the abandoned Canadian National Railway track between Shawnigan Lake and Glenora, is the gateway to the Kinsol Trestle. The historic structure was completed in 1920 and remains the largest wooden trestle in the British Commonwealth.
For mountain views, sandy beaches and a second-growth forest boasting Arbutus trees, Bamberton Provincial Park is a good bet. The Mill Bay-area park meets the Saanich Inlet and offers spectacular sights of the Gulf Islands and Mount Baker.
If it flies, walks or swims, it can likely be seen at Bright Angel Park on the bank of the Koksilah River. Trails, a suspension bridge and a vast mix of trees can also be found at the regionally run park.
Family picnics abound at the West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park, where fishing, boating and water-skiing are paired with cycling and swimming.
In Lake Cowichan – which sits on bi, beautiful Cowichan Lake – locals blend small-town charm with outdoor opportunities aplenty.
One of the largest bodies of fresh water on Vancouver Island, Cowichan Lake is also the second-largest lake on the island at 42-kilometres long.
The water offers trout, steelhead and salmon fishing, while the land around it grows a variety of berries as well as edible mushrooms.
And the lake is the headwater of the valley’s version of a Slip ‘n Slide, the Cowichan River.
Tubing is a favoured pastime every summer as Cowichanians of all ages head up-river carrying inflatable tubes and head down lolling comfortably on them.
And while Cowichan – known as the Warm Land for good reason – offers enough to make calling it the “great” outdoors an understatement, it also has activities for those who don’t mind zipping up their coats and pulling on some gloves.
The snowdrifts at Mount Brenton have been used for everything from cross-country skiing and snowboarding to snowmobiling and dog sledding.
But whether the sun is shining or the snow is falling, the Somenos Marsh near downtown Duncan is a peaceful spot to take in a variety of fauna and flora.
Two-hundred hectares in size, the marsh includes Somenos Lake, four creeks and a new trail, the Somenos Open Air Classroom.
Flora includes the Vancouver Island ringlet, prairie lupine, yellow montane violet and Garry aaks, and the marsh is also a wildlife refuge.
Every winter trumpeter swans flock to the marsh, which also sees the great blue heron, barn owls and plenty of waterfowl on-wing.
In fact, 219 bird species have been recorded in the refuge, including rarities like the tufted duck, Eurasian wigeon, black-crowned night-heron, white-faced ibis, great egret and black-throated sparrow.
If you’re more into beaches than birds, Maple Bay Beach is a hotspot for picnicking on the ocean, while Mason’s Beach on Shawnigan Lake provides warm water for swimming. Mill Bay Beach is known for beautiful views and offers great ground for long walks and wildlife watching.
And if the on-land opportunities don’t quite quench your outdoor thirst, take to the sky in a hang-glider, or sink into the sea and discover what Cowichan has to offer underwater.
That should whet your outdoor appetite.