Sooke Regional Park - 3 day hikes
- Jocelyn Timmermans
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
April 3-6, 2025 -- southwest Vancouver Island
Hey! The forecast calls for three consecutive days of sunshine! An unusual thing at this time of year, so we jumped on it. Irene booked us an Airbnb in Sooke and I reserved the ferries...
We caught the 11:00am ferry and then drove to Sooke.
April 3 - Mount Quimper in Sea to Sea Regional Park
Stats: 11 km / 555m gain / 575m high / hours MT
Daisies.
We did the loop counter-clockwise: Quimper Summit trail to Sooke Mountain trail to Kinniknnick trail to Sooke Mountain trail.
We soon ran into a lady on the trail who was searching for people to interview regarding hiking their local trails for her new Sooke radio station. We all chose Irene to be our spokes person. She did a fine job.
Victoria in the distance.
At the summit.
It felt so good to sit in the warm sun, gazing at the ocean.
Fawn Lilies
We did an after dinner sunset stroll at Wiffin Spit Park, that was very close to our townhouse.
Oyster Catchers.
April 4 - Anderson Cove, Mount Maguire, Pike Point, Coast and Parkheights Loop
in East Sooke Regional Park
Stats: 17.7 km / 974m gain / 295m high point / 6 hours MT
These next two hikes involved a lot of ups & downs along the coast that required stepping over roots & rocks and doing some high body-hoisting steps.
We started out on the Anderson Cove trail.
At the treed Mt. Maguire summit.
Then we backtracked a bit to the fork and stayed left to get to this viewpoint overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Back on the Anderson Cove trail of which the last section turned into the Pike Road trail, before reaching Pike Point. The bush is a Red-flowering Currant.
Skunk Cabbage
On Pike Point. Group shot of Irene H, Sue A, Brigitte G, Denise D & me.
Basking in the warm sun during lunch break.
On the Coastal trail.
Wild Strawberry
Shortspur Seabush Oregon Grape
The Coastal trail did numerous curves round inlets.
Trillium
Dog Lichen Violets
April 5 - Aylard Farm, Cabin Point, Parkheights, Babbington Hill and Interior Trail Loop
Stats: 15.40 km / 885mn gain / 5:10 hours MT
This day we did the other southeastern half of the loop. We parked at Aylard Farm and did the loop clock-wise, following along the Coastal trail.
There were a lot more large Arbutus trees on this stretch of the coast.
A petroglyph of a seal.
Broom
Shooting Stars
We just had to stop and ask these two young men what they were going to go diving for? He explained how they were free diving, just to see what's down there. He showed us their outfits and photos of the King crabs they've caught in the past.
Stonecrop
The Beechy Head reference mark reads: Turning point of the Canadian and US boundary between the 49th Parallel & Pacific Ocean is 8474 meters southwest of this monument. Treaty 1908
Sea Urchins - natures's perfect art
Reindeer Lichen
We had a break at the trap shack in the center of this photo. Fish traps were in operation from the early 1900s to 1958. In July 1918, about 70,000 spring salmon were taken from the Otter Point trap (which was 1 of about 35 traps along this stretch of the coast).
The Olympic Mountain Range.
Our last stop was on Babbington Hill. We took the Parksheight trail that we'd done the day before and then turned right onto the Interior trail.
The sign reads: SAVE OLD GROWTH
Blueberry
Both day hikes (turquoise line).
April 6 - We drove to Victoria, making a few stops along the way.
St. Mary the Virgin Church was the first church in the small community of Metchosin, built in 1873 on land donated by John Witty.
A mass of Fawn Lilies surrounded historic grave sites.
Then we stopped at Witty's Lagoon and descended 78 steps on metal stairs to the beach. These detailed sculpttures in the clay cliffs were amazing!
This one's for you, John McClellan.
Don't you think it's a bit too chilly yet, Brigitte?
Driving along the old Island Highway.
Views of the Inner Harbour.
In Victoria we visited Chinatown. During this district's boom 1881-1884, 16,000 Chinese settled in an area of six blocks.
The Chinese museum.
This was the first public Chinese school, built in Canada in 1909.
Then we strolled through the Inner Harbour.
One of my favorite Victorian houses. They only serve high tea now.
Seeking shelter from the rain.
Inside the Fairmont Empress Hotel.
We took the 5:00pm ferry home.
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