As with all the beaches in this part of the world, China Beach, Vancouver Island has it’s own features and characteristics that make it an easy favourite for many. I have a pretty long shortlist of the best beaches on Vancouver Island, and China Beach is one of them.

How to Get to China Beach

China Beach falls approximately at the midway point of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail between Jordan River and Port Renfrew on BC Highway 14. You’ll see signage for a campground and a little ways past that, you’ll see the day use parking lot entrance. The beach is about a 10 minute walk from parking lot on a clear and easy walking path.

Three Things I Love About China Beach

1. The Sand!
   China Beach is a gorgeous long sandy beach with large rocks at either end. The sand is soft and clean with very few shells or rocks to hurt your feet on when walking barefoot. It’s a great place for kids to build sandcastles while parents enjoy a picnic basket and an adult beverage.
2. The Waterfall!
   If you hike over the rocks on the west side of the beach at low tide between fall and spring, you’ll find a river flowing out into the ocean. If you follow the stream up, you will come to a beautiful waterfall flowing over the rocks into a small pool that could be used as a swimming hole on warmer days.
3. It’s Dog Friendly!
   We usually bring two of our three dogs with us on our day trip adventures and China beach was no exception. I love that the beach is dog friendly and the dogs had such an incredible time digging holes, chasing sticks and playing in the water.

 Tips For A Day Trip To China Beach

There are a few things to keep in mind when visiting any beach along Vancouver Island’s west coast:

1. Do not leave valuables in your vehicle. Thieves are active in the area and are not shy to break into cars. Be sure to take your valuables with you and to securely lock your vehicle.
2. Protect yourself from the sun. Always wear sunscreen and a hat. Even on cool cloudy days, the sun can still treat you to a burn. Everyone hates dealing with a sunburn. Be sun smart!
3. Respect the wildlife. Vancouver Island’s west coast is home to all kinds of wildlife, including deer, bears, cougars, wolves and raccoons. Be aware of your surroundings and if you happen to come across any local wildlife, do NOT feed it, do not approach it, and give it lots of space. Animals become dangerous if they feel cornered or if they have young with them. Steer clear, even if it means that you need to leave the beach for your and your family’s safety. We sometimes attach bear bells to our dogs’ collars to help alert any wildlife of our presence.
4. Pack it in, pack it out. If you pack food down to the beach, please be sure you pack out ALL of your garbage (even the compostables) and dispose of it responsibly. Don’t be a litterbug. Please keep our parks and beaches clean.
5. Bring a camera! The views and the waterfall at China Beach provide beautiful photo ops. We all have our camera phones with us these days, but it’s well worth the effort to carry your DSLR camera with you, you may even be lucky enough to see whales just off the beach!

Have you visited China Beach on Vancouver Island?

Please share your favourite part in the comments below.

Get ready for a weekend of rad riding at Bear Mountain Canada Cup XC Race!

WHEN: Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PST) – Add to Calendar
WHERE: The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa, Victoria – View Map

The Canada Cup series is designed to provide competitive opportunities to the next generation of cyclists, transitioning from provincial race series to international competitions. The 12 km Canada Cup Trail is not for the faint of heart. Developed in partnership with The Southern Vancouver Island Nature Trails Society (NTS), the Canada Cup Trail is designed as a single track trail for advanced mountain bike skills.

Anyone can compete with categories ranging from Elite Men and Women to Masters 50+ Men and Women. Registration closes on Friday march 4th at 5pm. Register here. Come Ride the Bear or just come watch and cheer on the national team athletes as they compete for a spot on their Road to Rio!

The Bear Mountain Canada Cup XC Race Course

The course will be open for designated training times as follows:

Thursday March 3rd: 12pm – 7pm
Friday March 4th: 9am – 7pm
Saturday March 5th: 7am – 8:15am

The 2016 Canada Cup XC Race on Bear Mountain racing schedule and fees are as follows. Online registration has ended but you can still register on site until Friday March 4th at 5pm.

For more information about the race, download Cycling Canada’s Canada Cup Technical Guide.

“Road to Rio” Fundraising Gala

After the race, put on your party shoes and join us for the “Road to Rio” Gala. Bear Mountain Resort will be hosting the gala to raise funds for the national team’s trip to the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio, Brazil this summer. The inaugural “Road to Rio” fundraising event will feature a gourmet dinner, live and silent auctions and exclusive opportunities to engage and interact with Canada’s national team and development level mountain bike athletes.

WHAT: Cycling Canada “Road to Rio” Fundraising Gala
WHERE: The Westin Bear Mountain Resort, Victoria, BC
WHEN: Saturday, March 5th — 6:00pm to 10:00pm
WHO: Canada’s National Mountain Bike Team
TICKETS: $250 per ticket or $1,800 per table (tax receipts available for allowable portion)

I’m excited to be attending the gala for the 2016 Olympic Spirit Project, I hope to see you there in support of our Olympic Mountain Biking Team!

Mountain Biking at Bear Mountain Resort

Canada’s top mountain bike riders, including Rio-bound Catharine Pendrel, have been training regularly at Bear Mountain Resort this fall and winter. The Resort, which uniquely offers year-round training opportunities on Canadian soil, is playing a key part in Cycling Canada’s long-term athlete development plans.

As an outdoor adventure destination for the entire region, the Bear Mountain Trail System offers people of all ages and abilities access to nature and the marvelous recreational opportunities it has to offer. The resort is host to an expanding trail network, jump park, national team training centre and the annual BearTrax competition. The resort also offers bike rentals, coaching and guided rides through the Hub.

For more information about mountain biking at Bear Mountain Resort, visit the website.

Ride the Bear!

You’ll find Middle Beach Lodge at the end of Mackenzie Beach Road in Tofino, BC on Vancouver Island. I headed here a few weeks ago with a group of girlfriends for a much needed weekend of beach walks, food, wine, and relaxation. Tofino is always a perfect weekend getaway destination for friends, a girls getaway or a romantic retreat.

Getting to Tofino

The Pacific Rim Highway to Tofino is twisty and windy and on this particular Friday afternoon, it was raining so hard that I literally drove through waterfalls cascading off the rock walls along the roadside. So depending what time of year you plan to travel to Tofino, be prepared for crazy road and weather conditions.

Coming from downtown Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, the trip took about 4.5 hours. My friends came over on the ferry from Vancouver (a 1.5 hour boat ride), the drive from Departure Bay in Nanaimo taking them approximately 3 hours.

Middle Beach Lodge in Tofino

When I arrived, my friends had already staked their claim to the two couches in the lounge in front of the giant fireplace of the Middle Beach Lodge public lounge. It was cozy and comfortable and when we weren’t out exploring the beach or the town of Tofino, this is where we spent the majority of our time catching up over tea or wine and relaxing. There were several couples at the Lodge, enjoying a romantic storm-watching weekend getaway.

Our rooms at Middle Beach Lodge were small but comfortable. Our adjoining rooms both included a queen bed, in-room sink and vanity and a bathroom with toilet, tub and shower. Perfectly simple with everything we needed. But what really made the room was the view of the ocean and the sound of the crashing waves just outside the window!

Hello Tofino! I’m so looking forward to spending the long weekend with you!

A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Feb 5, 2016 at 5:08pm PST

Our stay at the Lodge included a continental breakfast, including croissants, cinnamon buns, toast, meat and cheese plate, hard boiled eggs, cereals, yogurt, fruit and more. Plus, of course, your standard coffee and tea. My favourite food part about our stay was the fresh cookies they bake mid-afternoon each day. Deeeelicious! We had a mix of weather conditions from stormy wind and rain to clear sunny skies. I highly recommend bringing your rain gear to Tofino any time of year, as it is on the edge of a rainforest on one side and the open ocean on the other. This combination makes the weather unpredictable and susceptible to quick change. If you plan to stay at Middle Beach Lodge, they have a healthy supply of bright yellow rain coats and rubber boots for guests to use during their stay. When we saw this, of course we HAD to wear them! So the four of us traipsed down to the beach in our yellows for a photoshoot!

Oh #Tofino! You impress me! A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Feb 6, 2016 at 4:32pm PST

For more information or to make your reservation visit the Middle Beach Lodge website or contact them at 250 725 2900 or toll free 1 866 725 2900 or by email at info(at)middlebeach.com

See more photos of Middle Beach Lodge here and more Middle Beach Photoshoot pics here.

A while back, we were invited to stay at Wits End Retreat for our first bed and breakfast getaway together. Every aspect of our stay exceeded our expectations! From the location, to the grounds and accommodation to the food, our experience was outstanding!

The grounds of the B&B are absolutely stunning with perfectly manicured lawns, huge trees, beautiful flower gardens, herb gardens, an organic vegetable garden, fruit trees, a cozy gazebo, fountains and several several garden seating areas throughout the property.

The open concept, garden-view room has a cabin feel with a queen size bed and fireplace on one end and a living space with love seat, comfy chair and coffee table on the other.

Included with the room was a bottle of wine and cheese plate with crackers, a mini fridge stocked with cold drinks, and the best part: pastries!

Not far from the B&B we discovered a gorgeous white sand beach at Witty’s Lagoon, which completed the vacation feel for us! We were so fortunate with the warm sunny weather during tour stay that it almost felt tropical on the beach.

Our morning breakfast was insanely delicious! Prepared by the chefs of Wits End Catering, we enjoyed poached pears to start followed by eggs benny with incredible local Metchosin sausage. Oh my DELICIOUS!

Even though this B&B is only about a twenty minute drive from our home, we felt like we were far far away on a beautiful romantic vacation getaway. It was absolutely perfect!

Thank you to Sandy and Heather for your kindness and generosity and for sharing your little piece of paradise with us! We will most definitely be back for another romantic escape in the future!

I had read some of the glowing TripAdvisor reviews prior to the weekend and our experience fully exceeded my expectations!

You’ll find Wits End Retreat at 517 Witty’s Beach Road, Victoria BC. Make your reservation online or contact them by phone (1 250.474.1066) or email (witsendretreat@shaw.ca).

This weekend (July 31 to August 2, 2015) I will be up at Bear Mountain Resort for the BearTrax Freeride Mountain Biking Festival contributing social media and photography services to the event. BearTrax at Bear Mountain is the biggest biking event (so far) that the resort hosts annually. BearTrax (formerly known as Jumpship) will showcase some of the world’s best freeride mountain bikers, most of whom will move on to compete at Crankworx in Whistler, BC next weekend.

A video posted by Jordie Lunn (@jordielunn) on Jul 27, 2015 at 9:07pm PDT

This FREE family-friendly event includes a kid-zone with bouncy castle for the kids, a beer garden by Vancouver Island Brewery for the big kids, iRide clinics for the kids from CyclingBC, air bag for amateur riders, and all kinds of vendors, food trucks and DJ Bellyfish to keep the tunes pumping.

Instagram Contest

You will also have a chance to win a Rocky Mountain Soul 27.5 mountain bike over the course of the weekend by getting your Instagram on! All you need to do it follow @RockyMountainBicycles and @BearMountainBikePark on Instagram and tag your best #BearTrax shots from the weekend with #RideTheBear to enter. The winner will be announced on Sunday, August 2nd 2015 by North Vancouver mountain biker, Brett Tippie at the awards ceremony.

A photo posted by Bear Mountain Bike Park (@bearmountainbikepark) on Jul 30, 2015 at 11:08am PDT

The BearTrax Event Schedule

Friday, July 31st

• 3:00pm – 6:00pm | Rider Practice
• 6:00pm – 7:00pm | Rider Meet & Greet – Masters Lounge
• 7:00pm – 8:00pm | Rider Long Putt Event – Putting Green

Saturday, August 1st

• 10:00am – 1:00pm | Rider Practice
• 10:00am – 6:00pm | Expo & Airbag opens to public
• 12:00pm – 6:00pm | Beer Garden Open
• 1:00pm – 2:30pm | Amateur AirBag Competition (Kids)
• 3:00pm – 3:30pm | Rider Introductions
• 3:30pm – 6:30pm | Competition Session
• 6:30pm – 7:00pm | Award Ceremony
• 7:00pm – 9:30pm | Bill Johnson Blues Band – Main Stage

Sunday, August 2nd

• 10:00am – 12:00pm | Rider Practice
• 10:00am – 6:00pm | Expo & Airbag opens to public
• 12:00pm – 6:00pm | Beer Garden Open
• 1:00pm – 2:30pm | Amateur AirBag Competition (Celebrity)
• 3:30pm – 6:30pm | Best Trick & Whip Competition
• 6:30pm – 7:00pm | Awards Ceremony

For more information about the riders who will be participating, visit the BearTrax page on the Bear Mountain Resort website.

So come and #RideTheBear at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria this weekend!

And if you see me up there, don’t be shy! Come on over and say hello!

I went for an autumn hike up the mountain behind my house on Vancouver Island yesterday and came across tons of different kinds of mushrooms and fungi. I posted the following photos of Vancouver Island Mushrooms to Instagram and they’ve been getting a lot of attention (yay!) I’ve even had one person request prints of a couple of the images, so I thought I would share them here as well.

Do you know which mushrooms are which?

I have no idea what kind of mushrooms these are or whether they are edible or not, but they are beautiful and they have me imagining a little gnome community hiding out in the woods behind my house and that makes me smile. If you know what they are, I’d love for you to share your insight in the comments below?

Have a look and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for more great daily Vancouver Island and travel photos!

I’ve walked this path a thousand times and I still love every step of it. #homesweethome #cowichan #islandlife #lovingislandliving #vancouverisland #autumn #fall #seasons #explorebc

A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:20pm PDT

I found lots of autumn shroomies on my hike with @Roxidoo today. #mushrooms #shrooms #autumn #fall #forest A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Oct 10, 2014 at 5:48pm PDT

More autumn mushrooms. #mushroom #fungi #autumn #explorebc #cowichan #fall #forest

A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Oct 10, 2014 at 7:11pm PDT

I have no idea what’s what when it comes to the local wild mushrooms, but I thought these little guys were pretty cute. There are so many different varieties! #mushroom #fungi #shrooms #cowichan #vancouverisland #islandlife #explorebc A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Oct 10, 2014 at 7:15pm PDT

More fungi! #mushrooms #fungi #vancouverisland #cowichan #autumn #forest #woods #fall #shrooms

A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Oct 10, 2014 at 8:53pm PDT

Another unknown mushroom from my woodsy wanders today. I love this time of year! #autumn #mushrooms #shrooms #fungi #fall #vancouverisland #explorebc #cowichan A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:05pm PDT

Can’t you just picture a little gnome sitting under this one? #mushrooms #HomesForGnomes #shrooms #fungi #vancouverisland #cowichan #autumn #fall #explorebc

A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:08pm PDT

These are the ones that go “poof” when they dry out and you step on them, sending a tiny cloud of spores into the air. #ilovenature #mushrooms #shrooms #fungi #vancouverisland #cowichan A photo posted by Mariska Richters (@mariskar) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:12pm PDT

As I drove home from the gym one morning last week I decided to take a new route and was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful fall colors at the Abby Lane Farm Stand. As I came around the corner I was faced with hundreds of pumpkins in all shapes and sizes.

There were pumpkins in buckets, in bathtubs, pumpkins in wheelbarrows, pumpkins in the back of a truck, pumpkins on tables, pumpkins under tables, pumpkins on chairs, pumpkins in barrels, pumpkins on shelves, and pumpkins strewn all over the grass.

There were regular pumpkins, warted pumpkins, gourds, acorn squash, hubbard squash (warted green, red and blue), kabocha squash, buttercup squash, and spaghetti squash. I had never seen so many different varieties of squash and pumpkins all in one place!

About Abby Lane Farm

Abby Lane Farm consists of 56 acres of rich farmland located at 7233 Mays Road in Duncan, BC and has been owned by the same family since the 1960’s. In 1982, the farm was named after a combination of the family dog (Abby) and the Beatles song, Penny Lane, to become Abby Lane Farm. The farm was mostly used for cattle and growing hay over the years but in 2007 they started growing pumpkins. The largest pumpkin that they’ve grown to date weighed in at 1,689 lbs! 

Abby Lane Farmers pride themselves on following organic farming practices with absolutely zero pesticides and herbicides used on the farm.

With Thanksgiving and Halloween happening this month, it’s the perfect time to head out to Abby Lane Farm for a horse wagon ride and to choose your perfect pumpkin! Be sure to visit a bank machine before you go, as they are a cash only farm stand. And please leave Fido at home, there are no dogs allowed at Abby Lane Farm.

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

When you get your pumpkin home, try roasting the seeds for a nice healthy snack.

• Remove the seeds from the pumpkin cavity
• Wipe them off with a paper towel if needed to remove excess pulp that may have stuck to them
• Spread them out evenly on a paper bag and let them dry out overnight
• Place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and light roast them in a 160-170ºF (about 75ºC) oven for 15-20 minutes *Roasting them for a short time at a low temperature helps to preserve their healthy oils.
• After letting them cool down, sprinkle them with salt, or cinnamon sugar.

Enjoy! 

How To Get To Abby Lane Farm

This past weekend marked the beginning of the Savour Cowichan Festival in Vancouver Island’s beautiful Cowichan Valley. With 40 artisan food and beverage producers participating it will be an incredible 10 days of  tastings and special events in the Cowichan Valley. Savour Cowichan runs from September 26 to October 5, 2014, be sure to check it out!

After visiting Cherry Point Estate Wines, we moved on to the Creamery at Cheese Pointe Farm.

The Creamery at Cheese Point Farm

Anybody who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of cheese. And wine tastes best when accompanied by cheese. So naturally after visiting Cherry Point Vineyard, our next stop was the Creamery at Cheese Pointe Farm.

Cheese Pointe Farm is family run by Hilary and Patty Abbott and features handcrafted cheese, artisan local treats and cheese tours.

I just loved the artwork on their signage and the sign at the driveway made me giggle,

“Drive Slow, we have lots of animals and a deaf cat.”

Unfortunately the cheese maker was away at the local Farmer’s Market, so we were unable to take a tour of the cheese making process, but I’ll be sure to go back soon to check that out. We did get a chance to sample some of the delicious local cheeses: camembert, blue cheese, squeaky cheese curds and a selection of flavoured cream cheeses. They were all simply delicious, the camembert was my favourite!

Not only was the cheese delicious, the Cheese Pointe Farm itself was lovely.

Cheese Pointe Farm is located at 1282 Cherry Point Road in Cowichan Bay, BC. They are openFriday to Sunday 11am to 5pm. Follow The Creamery at Cheese Pointe Farm on Facebook.

What’s your favourite cheese?

Update: We’ve been notified that the farm at the Creamery at Cheese Pointe has been sold and will no longer be making cheese at this location. The nearest option would be Hilary’s Cheese in Cowichan Bay.

This past weekend marked the beginning of the Savour Cowichan Festival in Vancouver Island’s beautiful Cowichan Valley. With 40 artisan food and beverage producers participating it will be an incredible 10 days of  tastings and special events in the Cowichan Valley. The event runs from September 26 to October 5, 2014.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting some of the participants, one of which was Cherry Point Estate Winery.

Cherry Point Estate Winery – About the Winery

Cherry Point Estate Winery is located in Cobble Hill, BC on Cherry Point Road (see map below). Tours are available year round but must be booked at least 48 hours in advance, and take about 45 min to complete. The tasting room is open every day from 10am to 5pm giving you an opportunity to sample their award winning wines.

Cherry Point Estate Winery – Savour Cowichan

Cherry Point Vineyard and the Amuse Bistro served Spanish Paella and Sangria to celebrate the wine and culinary festival to thank the community for their continuous support. After indulging in a wine tastings by the wine maker (the whites were my favourite), we sat and enjoyed our paella and sangria on the beautiful garden patio followed by a wander through the vineyard to sample some juicy grapes. (shhh!)

Cherry Point Estate Winery – The Wines

2009 Pinot Noir

2009 Pinot Noir

Sweetness: 0
Price: $24.00

This 2009 Pinot Noir is produced from a single vineyard block that was carefully tended to during the spring to ensure early ripeness. This wine was aged in old oak barrels for 10 months and has big cherry aromas with hints of raspberry and undertones of clean cedar. A silky mouth-feel is brimming with cherry, strawberry and raspberry flavour notes. A perfect wine to pair with smoked salmon, roast beef or any favourite west coast dinner.

2009 Coastal Red

2009 Coastal Red

Silver Medal, North West Summit Competition
Sweetness: 0
Price: $16.95

A delicious blend with aromas of orange blossom, wild blackberry and spice. Juicy dark cherry and black current flavor notes with a kiss of oak are followed by a peppery, berry finish. Food friendly wine, ideal while picnicking al fresco, barbecuing or just sipping on the patio.

Bête Noire

Bête Noire

Our Bête Noire is a cross varietal, cross-vintage blend of our better vintages and a wine representative of soils and climate which are unique to Cherry Point. Pinot Noir 2007, Agria 2009 (the true black beast) and Castell 2009 have been crafted together to create a wine reminiscent of the Rioja region in Spain. Rich red in colour, an earthy nearly dusty aroma introduces the wine followed by plum and spice with a savory oak finish. ThisBête Noire has a great backbone; perfect pairing with steaks and mature cheeses.

2009 Forté

2009 Forté

Sweetness: 0
Price: $25.80

Cherry Point Estate Wines premium red wine is made with the best performing Castel, Agria and Zweigelt grapes. Forte is aged in old French oak barrels for 18 months giving the wine a supple velvety texture. This wine is dominated by a cherry aroma, with hints of plum and raspberry. The full-bodied fruity taste is suitable for pairing with all red meat dishes.

2011 Pinot Gris Reserve

2011 Pinot Gris Reserve

Sweetness: 0
Price: $19.75

Pale yellow with a lovely citrus fruit and spicy bouquet, juicy pineapple, mandarin orange and pink grapefruit flavor notes on the palate, with a long honeyed finish; Delightful with poached salmon and white sauce, pasta primavera and crisp shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano from Italy.

2010 Coastal White

2010 Coastal White

Bronze Medal, Northwest Summit Competition.
Sweetness: 1.
Price: $16.95

This Germanic style blend of Pinot Gris, Siegerrebe and Sylvaner has a light straw hue and aromas of honeysuckle and fresh citrus fruit, pear and orange flavor notes are followed by a long crisp finish. Ideal for summer sipping or as an aperitif. Great with seafood, poultry and Asian dishes.

2011 Gewürztraminer

2011 Gewürztraminer

Bronze Medal, Northwest Summit Competition.
Price: $23.20

This stylish aromatic white has subtle tones of lychee and peach on the nose with floral undertones and a crisp grapefruit finish typical of our terroir.

2011 Ortega

2011 Ortega

Double Gold, All Canadian Wine Competition
Silver Medal, North West Summit Competition
Sweetness: 0

This Cherry Point classic is pale straw in colour and displays aromas of grapefruit and apricot with underlying floral notes, typical of the varietal. A full palate of ripe peach lingers with balanced acidity. Pairs well with risotto, pasta and chicken.

Cherry Point Estate Winery – Wine Tour Photos

(click for larger image)

 Cherry Point Estate Winery – Location

The winery is located at 840 Cherry Point Road in Cobble Hill, BC. For more information visit the Cherry Point Estate Winery website and/or follow them on Facebook.

Nitinat Lake is considered to be the jewel of Vancouver Island for kiteboarding. It is an ideal place for both novice and expert kiteboarders to practice their skills.

Nitinat Lake is a tidal, saltwater fjord, 23 km long and 1.2 km wide. The southern end of the lake lies in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, which also includes Nitinat Hill on the lake’s northern shore and Nitinat Cone on the southern shore.

Kiteboarding Conditions

The wind on the lake picks up around 11am – 12 noon and brings great conditions for both kiteboarding and wind surfing throughout the day. The windy season at Nitinat (also known as Nitnat) Lake runs from May through September with the windiest months being July and August. During these months a normal day will deliver thermal winds in the perfect 18-20 knot range, and then slowly dies off in the evening. For weather and wind forecasts, visit Windfinder.com.

Every summer Nitinal Lake hosts the Windfest kiteboarding competition which attracts kiters from the USA, and more recently the world. For more information visit Windfest.ca.

(For more photos of the kiteboarding and scenery at Nitinat Lake, please visit the set on Flickr.)

How to Get to Nitinat Lake

Access to Nitinat Lake is by gravel logging road via Lake Cowichan/Youbou. It’s approximately 3.5 hours from Victoria and 3 hours from Nanaimo, and 2.5 hours from Duncan. Make sure your vehicle is equipped to handle the dirt roads, as they can be slippery and riddled with potholes.

Where to Stay at Nitinat Lake

The Nitinat Lake Recreation Site provides rustic camping, managed by the Ditidaht First Nation.  If you’re lucky, you’ll get a spot right on the lake.

The campground provides picnic tables and fire pits at $12.00 – 14.00/night – although no one came around to collect fees when I was there. 

A Few Camping Tips…

• There is no cell service, no running water and no power at the campground.
• Nitinat is bear country –  be ‘Bear Aware.’
• Pack out your garbage when you leave, there is no disposal services.
• There are outhouse facilities, but it’s a good idea to supply your own toilet paper, as they tend to run out.
• Evening temperatures can vary during the summer from cool to tropically warm. Be sure to bring enough blankets for those cooler nights.
• During the summer months, there is a good chance that there will be a campfire bans in effect.

The alternative to camping is the Nitinat Lake Motel. Room prices ranging from $65 – $100/night. For information and reservations, call 250-745 -3844.

For more photos from my time at Nitinat Lake, please visit the set on Flickr.