Category: Hikes

SEEKING THE FALLS – DELLA FALLS & LOVE LAKE

Della Falls is arguably the tallest waterfall in Canada, and I trekked there with my family this summer. Our adventure included a water taxi, 15 km hike, and Love Lake.

For the past few summers, since my twins became old enough to carry their own stuff in their backpacks, we’ve gone on some amazing family backpacking trips, and this year was no different.

Della Falls (with a day hike to Love Lake) was our destination, and I couldn’t have been more excited. My excitement was three-fold. First of of all, the thundering power of Della Falls is incredible to witness (although we had a little bit of a surprise on this front. More about that later). Secondly, an upcoming romance novel is set at Della Falls (also more about that later). And finally, fourteen years ago, I had my honeymoon at Della Falls.

This is the story of our adventure.

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Return to Bear Beach. A Romantic Setting That Doesn’t Disappoint

Bear Beach is a beach on the Juan de Fuca Trail on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It features stunning west coast views worthy of inclusion in a romance novel.

Wow! I can’t believe how long it has been since I added a new post to my blog. I must apologize for my absence. I have nothing to offer in the way of an excuse other than that life (and writing) has impeded me from searching out romantic settings for my romance novels.

Even my hiking boots conspired to keep me from adventuring. They fell apart at the most inopportune moment.

But the good news is that I have new boots with sturdier soles, and I am back exploring this beautiful island I live on (Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada, if you’re new).

I just returned from a two-night family backpacking trip to Bear Beach on the Juan de Fuca Trail. My calves haven’t even stopped screaming their displeasure at me, but I wanted to record the adventure for you, because Bear Beach is beyond stunning!

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ROMANTIC HIKE ALONG THE SOOKE FLOWLINE

The Sooke Flowline is a concrete pipe that runs from the Sooke Hill to Victoria, BC, Canada. It used to carry the water supply for the city, but now it is the perfect spot for a romantic hike.

Like most of us, I have been cooped up at home and not getting out to explore as much as I would like—which is great for my word count, but not so great for my blog—however, not too long ago, I managed to get out for a romantic hike with my husband along the Sooke Flowline.

I have known about it for years. I had the vague idea I would like to check it out, but like often happens, the places that are closest to me are the last to be explored. For some reason, local things just don’t seem to hold the same fascination as the far away places. It’s like we get inured to them, and they lose their magic.

I live in a tourist destination, but I don’t always understand what all the fuss is about, until I have a truly wonderous experience, and then I remember. Luckily, through research for my romance novels, I have been focussing on exploring the island I live on—Vancouver Island.

Which is how I ended up on a romantic hike on the Sooke Flowline.

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DISCOVERING A WATERFALL WHEN SEEKING POTHOLES

A hike in the Sooke Hills to look at the popular Sooke Potholes resulted in the surprise discovery of the Mary Vine Creek Waterfall!

My favourite type of adventure is the kind that ends up being completely different from what you were planning. Maybe it’s the creative in me. Or maybe it’s just my desire to break free from the predictability that modern life seems to have. But when I’m expecting one thing, and I find something different, it makes my romantic soul sing!

This is exactly what happened when I headed to Sooke Potholes Provincial Park with my family for a hike. I had gone in search of pictures of the Potholes, and what I discovered was a waterfall!

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YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE MIGHTY TO BE ROMANTIC—SKUTZ FALLS

Skutz Falls might not be mighty, but even mini-waterfalls have the power to enchant!

I had never been to Skutz Falls before, but there are a few scenes in West Coast Romance Book 3 that take place there, so I figured I better get my boots on the ground and check these falls out.

I enlisted the help of my friend, who lives in the Cowichan Valley, loaded my kids in the car, and headed up island on a waterfall hunting adventure. If you don’t already, waterfalls (and hot springs) are one of my favourite things.

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THE ROMANCE OF CAPE SCOTT PROVINCIAL PARK

Cape Scott is at the northern tip of Vancouver Island and is a little slice of paradise for those who can conquer the trail.

I’ve been training for it, and it finally came. This past week, my family and I conquered the Cape Scott Trail and spent two glorious days on some of the most beautiful and wild beaches on Vancouver Island (that’s right Tofino, you’ve got competition).

I fell in love with the stunning beaches at the end of the Cape Scott Trail, the first time I hiked it approximately 15 years ago (and then again about 12 years ago), and I’ve been trying to get back there ever since.

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ROMANCE AND A WATERFALL ON BEAR BEACH

There is nothing like a surprise waterfall after an intense hike to make a day perfect.

Bear Beach is the second beach on the Juan de Fuca trail—a multi-day coastal, wilderness trail that runs along the south coast of Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada, from China Beach near Jordan River to Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew.

But there is some unexpected romance that goes beyond the hike through an old growth forest and the stunning ocean views. The Beach has a waterfall that cascades down the side of the cliff face, making the hike all the more worth it.

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MYSTIC BEACH

Mystic Beach is one of my favourite places. It is a short hike to a stunning beach that features a waterfall and sea caves!

For the first camping trip of 2020, we headed to Mystic Beach to do some beach camping. We’d been feeling cooped up with all the COVID 19 measures, but the BC provincial parks had opened up, and we decided to go for an adventure.

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LITTLE MOUNT DOUG

Mount Doug Park is just a stone’s throw from my door. And after a short hike, it provides some of the most stunning views of the city of Victoria!

At the peak of Mount Doug, there is an amazing lookout, but there is a second “peak” in Mount Doug Park known as Little Mount Doug. It’s not quite as high, but it does feature the same kind of stunning views, if only on three sides—being blocked on the fourth by the summit proper.

And, unlike the main summit, which can be accessed by road (although the road has been closed for traffic due to COVID 19 and even during regular times is closed to to traffic until noon everyday), Little Mount Doug has to be completely done on foot—and the last bit is a scramble, which my children LOVE!

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KINSOL TRESTLE

A quick hike along the Great Trail (Trans Canada Trail) to the historic and incredible Kinsol Trestle.

When I looked outside this morning and saw that the sky was a little cloudy, I knew today was going to be a hiking day. However, it needed to be something on the easier side, because my legs still haven’t quite recovered from our backpacking adventure to Kwai Lake.

And for some reason, the more I thought about going hiking, the more I thought about the Kinsol Trestle. And so, my twins and I jumped in the car and headed to the Shawnigan Lake area for a hiking adventure.

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