Sampling some scenic and easy mountain bike trails in the Columbia Valley

 by Keith and Heather Nicol

We just returned from a great trip to the Columbia Valley in BC where we visited friends and family for a weekend. Since the weather forecast was stellar we I decided to bring my mountain bike to check out the trails in the area. Mountain biking can mean many things to different people from the you tube videos of mountain bikers flying over trains or huge water gaps in Red Bull sponsored event to easy single track over gently rolling terrain. I lean toward the latter and we came across some very scenic trails near Radium and Fairmont Hot Springs that people might be interested in checking out if they lean to that sort of easier style of trail. Near Radium look for the Old Coach Trail which is just south of town. It has a wide easy to follow walking/biking trail but what I really liked was the side trails that went out to the valley edge which gave great vistas of the Columbia Valley wetlands. These trails were generally root and rock free with small elevation changes and they snaked along the terrace edge. And you would be fine with a front shock bike and I even saw people riding gravel bikes with no shock on these trails. 

                             Columbia Valley Wetlands in the background along the trails branching off the Old Coach Trail

Also near Fairmont is another set of trails which are very similar to these just mentioned but they start at Columbia Lake Prov Park and wind along over looking Columbia Lake. A friend from Golden who was visiting in Fairmont showed me these trails and they were also stunning . These trails had more abrupt up and down but again very few rocks and roots to contend with. Rocks and roots are of course standard for trails here in the Comox Valley. So if you are in the Columbia Valley check out these trails and I know we have just touched the surface of some of the fine biking in this area. See you on the trail. 

Columbia Lake in the background 

 

 

Fall is a great time to visit Hornby Island

 by Keith and Heather Nicol

We recently returned from 3 days on Hornby Island visiting a friend from university days. Reunions are great especially when you have a location like Hornby where there is lots to do. Hornby has great hiking, mountain biking and we even got in some fun paddle boarding at Whaling Station Beach and Tribune Beach. Hornby has some beaches facing south (like Tribune Bay) which is nice if there is a north wind and also Whaling Station beach faces north which works well if the wind is from the south. We always love hiking the super scenic Helliwell Trail and the mountain biking on Hornby is by far the best Gulf Island for this activity. Be sure to pick up a trail map of the bike trails (which also double as hiking trails) at the Coop or bike shop on Hornby Island.  Of course you can also simply relax and visit the many craft people that make Hornby Island home. Below are some of the pictures from our recent trip. Check it out while the weather is still good. 

  

Lots of Seal and Salmon action in the Puntledge River these days

 by Keith and Heather Nicol

 Yesterday we put our paddle boards in at Lewis Park in Courtenay and paddled upstream to investigate the seal and salmon interactions which occur this time of year. We certainly were not disappointed ..we saw 3 seals chasing another one with a salmon in its mouth. The water depth varies in the river in this area but often it is just 6 to 8 feet deep so you can see all the action below the surface due to the clear water. We put in at the swimming steps in Lewis Park and you want to go at a tide of 4 meters or more ideally. Check it out over the next few days while the weather is still very pleasant for this sort of outing. See you on the water. 

 

Plenty to see at the 24th Artisan's Festival at the Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens- Sept 5-7, 2026

 

By Keith and Heather Nicol

We have attended the Artisan’s Festival at the Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens in the past and were very impressed by the range of artisans which presented their wares in this relaxed woodland setting. We attended on Saturday,  Sept 5 and there were close to 70 exhibitors featuring jewellery, pottery, paintings, wood work and everything in between so there is alot to choose from. The event is pet friendly and there is an ATM and food trucks on site.  The 24 acre Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens offers a tranquil setting to enjoy nature and this weekend there is an added bonus of the artisans’ festival.                          Pottery is just one of the many handicrafts that you can see at the Artisan's Festival  From the map we picked up at the entry gate we could see that there are many trails that wind through the forest and so we will have to return for another visit to fully explore the gardens. We did take one side trail to the labyrinth which is a special spot worth investigating.  We also appreciated the musicians who were playing music along the way at Artists Glade and on the Main Stage in Sunset Gardens.                                                               Many booths are in open fields  We are looking forward on coming back to see the gardens when the rhododendrons are in full bloom since they have one of the largest collections of rhodos on the Island.  The gardens are located about 15 minutes north of Courtenay off the North Island Highway. This year the festival runs from Saturday, September 5 to Monday, September 7 so you have a couple more days to catch this Labour Day Long weekend event.  For more information see:  http://woodlandgardens.ca/                                  Other booths are along some of the many paths that criss cross the gardens