April 1 - 3: Bowen Island is a 20 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. This little island with a population of 3680, was once a popular tourist destination in the early 1900s. We spent a lovely girls' weekend the way we like best: hiking, hanging out in our 1920s Victorian House, and checking out the quaint little shops.
At the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal.
Arrived at Smug Bay on Bowen Island an hour too early to check into our house, which was located right by the harbour. So we checked out the picturesque premises. This is part of Crippen Regional Park that stretches to Killarney Lake at the base of Mt. Gardner.
The Union Steamship Co. marina.
This house was built in the 1920s.
Day 2: A morning walk.
This Snug Cafe was right behind our house and beside the ferry lanes. They had delicious lunches!
These remaining few cottages in Davies Orchard are the last reminders of a famous summer resort, first developed by William Davies in 1887. In 1890 Captain John Gates bought the adjoining properties around Smug Cove and quickly constructed the hotel, a tea room, dance hall, tennis courts and cottages. From 1902 - 1919 his ship made Bowen Island the most popular destination for cheap day trips from Vancouver. In 1942 a record of 81,000 passengers sailed to Bowen Island on Union ships. In 1950 car ferries took over, resulting in a decline of visitors to the island.
Throughout the 1920s the Union Steamship Co.(est. 1889), ran at peak capacity, with ships carrying passengers and freight to about 200 locations along the coast. During the 70 years of this company's existence, there was tremendous industrial growth in BC.
Mt. Gardner hike - Stats: 10.5 km / 742m gain / 753m high / 3:40 hours MT
We started out on the Skid trail, doing the loop farther up, clockwise.
Then we turned right onto the shorter more direct but steeper route to the South Peak by way of the Summit trail.
Charlie and Clover were happy to have been included.
Our first look out spot towards Vancouver with Howe Sound to the southeast.
A rock cairn marks South Peak which is 74m higher than North Peak but has no view.
At the North Peak.
There's a mass of technical debris and two helicopter landing pads.
This view is west, towards the Sunshine Coast & northwest towards Gambier Island.
Group shot: Denise, Irene, me, Michelle (thanks for organizing this trip!) + Anne.
The highrises of Vancouver.
The sign says it all. Glad we went down it instead of up.
Keats Island -- west.
Leaving the North Summit we continued on the Mt. Gardner North trail which then turned into the Hikers trail that got us back to the Skid trail, completing the loop.
Orange Gelly fungi.
Back on the Skid trail it took only about half an hour to get to the trailhead.
Love these built-in flower boxes at the Smug Cafe. It being mid-afternoon, we spent the remainder of it browsing through the shops.
Unlike our first evening there, where Charlie and Clover had just too much energy and kept chasing eachother in circles round the room, this second evening they were much quieter. The hike did them in. Irene had to share the couch with them.
Day 3: We drove to the southwest side of the island to the Roger Curtis lighthouse trailhead and did about an hour walk along the coast.
The courtyard by "our" house.
The scent of spring flowers filled the air.
We drove to the southwest side of the island to the Cape Roger Curtis lighthouse trailhead.
It wasn't much of a lighthouse but the Sea Walk trail winding alongside the ocean and between tall trees was well worth doing.
Those metal piers were infront of privately owned homes.
We saw a sea lion here.
Icelandic moss.
I was just beginning to wonder if I'd see any Arbutus trees and voila -- nearing the end of the trail they appeared.
I always feel the urge to run my hands over that smooth orange bark.
Snug Cove is located in the mid-east side of the island. The red lines are trails we have yet to hike. I'm sure we'll be back one day, having thuroughly enjoyed this brief break from the ordinary.
Comments