The Parksville to Coombs Rail Trail is a perfect way to visit Coombs

 by Keith and Heather Nicol 

On a recent trip to the Parksville area we decided to check out the multi use rail trail that connects these 2 communities. The trail parallels the E and N tracks and is 3 meters wide so you can easily ride 2 abreast. The trail is made of compacted small gravel and we saw many cyclists and a couple of walkers on our trip. The trail is just 7 km long so makes a nice way to visit Coombs which is often very busy in the summer. When we went on July 24 parking was at a premium with all the visitors so we were glad we had our bikes which allowed made parking a breeze. The trail starts in Parksville at Springwood Park or it can be accessed in Coombs at Station Road. There are a few road crossings but other than that you can bike free from cars. Also since it follows the old railway it is mostly level so is suited to a wide range of cyclists or walkers (see picture below.  Check it out on your next trip to this area. 

 Also nearby is Englishman River Prov Park and it has a nice hiking trail loop which is about 1.7 km long and features a nice view of the Englishman River cascading over a rock ledge. The trail is well marked and is shaded so is very pleasant on a hot day. The trail starts from the day use parking area. At the lowest bridge crossing the route has an informal side trail which leads to the river and we saw several people swimming in the river. This is a fun bonus on a hot summer day but use standard cautions when entering water of uncertain depths. See you on the trail.