Tag: #DepartureBay

DO Go Chasing Waterfalls

On By Widow BadassIn Good Times, Move to Vancouver Island, See the Beauty, The Great Outdoors59 Comments

I am fed up to the gills with all things moving. Packing for a move, unpacking from a move, organizing new space, buying things for the new place, building furniture and storage solutions for the new place etc., etc. I still have a lot to do, but they are mostly little jobs (curtains, art etc.). All the big stuff is done and I am down to the little tweaks that will make my place more liveable. Hoorah!

And coincidental to my fed-up mood, the weather is fabulous. So you know what that means, right?

Time to explore my new neighbourhood!!! Specifically, the out of doors.

Yesterday I took the afternoon off to stroll down to the Departure Bay Beach area (check out my Instagram for those photos), and today was spent in search of a trail I could walk to.

One of the residents in my apartment complex tantalized me last week with a tale of going for a walk through the neighbourhood and ending up on a trail which included a waterfall! And today, I made it my mission to find out what she was talking about.

I had looked up local trails on my AllTrails app, and the Beach Estates Trail seemed to fit the description she had given me. It said I could access it from Departure Bay Road but I wanted to walk through my neighbourhood, like my neighbour did.

A short walk later, passing by many lovely homes, and I was on a public access trail that took me down to the shore of Departure Bay.

Emerging onto the shore, close to the ferry docks.
One of the large weathered logs often found on the shorelines of BC

I walked along the rocky shore for a bit, looking for access to the trail. Which was easily found. Or so I thought. Immediately I entered a lush paradise.

Do you know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baby!

Well-maintained cliffside steps and stairs
Cool tree trunk

It was a beautiful walk, but where was the waterfall? I decided to check AllTrails to see where I was on the trail.

I’m the blue dot. Not even on the trail yet!!! Could this be right?

I persevered. Onwards!

Continuing my climb up the cliffside. Not a difficult trail at all. Good thing ‘cos I only had Birkenstocks on my feet.

And then suddenly….

There it was! THE WATERFALL.

I had to be on the trail now, right?

Yup, on the trail now!
Not too shabby, for being right in town.

I continued on the trail and within moments I was out on the street, and at the beginning of it all.

Trail Head

And an hour and twenty minutes later, I was back home. I’m so thrilled to have such easy access to all this gorgeous nature, without even having to get in my car. Walking to a local trail on the regular was a big part of my former life in Ontario and I am so happy and grateful to have a similar experience here, at my new Vancouver Island home.

Do you have a local trail you can access easily for a quick dose of Vitamin Nature?

Rock on,

The WB