Men's walking group

Thanks Larry for an interesting walk yesterday and right on time. 10 of us round up our last organized walk for the summer by walking around the area of heritage houses in the Cook and Dalas Rd area then having lunch in Cook St Village. There will still be walking through the summer but each Monday morning meet at the Legion 8:30 and decide where to walk. I would like to wish you all a great summer and we will be back to our organized walking on September 21st. I hope to see you through the summer when I'm home and able to join you in the walks.

Men's Walking Group

Great day  -  Great company  -   Great walk  -  and a bit of history.  Took about 75 photos of heritage houses - just a fraction of the total in Victoria.  Below is a small sample.  Caution, I may not have some of the facts straight.  HAVE A GREAT SUMMER.   ---   DeNNis.

Walked counter-clockwise from where we parked the cars, around the loop as shown, and then onto the Beagle Pub.  Then we worked off some lunch on the way back to the cars.

 Heritage houses should be in Heritage colors - B&W.

Apparently this used to be a bordello.

 Don't remember dates, but most of these were
built between 1910 and 1920.

Hampton Court

First apartment block in Victoria -
even comes with parking.

Victoria Lawn Bowling Club.

First apartment unit with Penthouse suite.

Notice the "eyebrow" dormer.

This little garage needed an extension as cars
became longer.

Note the rounded porch.

Used to be a small store in the ground floor of
this building.

So many houses, almost forgot to smell the flowers.

Looking out over Juan de Fuca Straight.

Men's walking group

Hi All Well 12 0f us did 6 enjoyable kilometers on Briarwood and Carlton. Lots of great hobby farms along the route. Thanks to the drivers and NN for his pictures and comments, good stuff. Next week will be our last organized walk until September 21st but I hope all those that wish to get their excercise during the summer will still meet 8:30 at the Legion and decide where you want to walk that morning, I will be there when I'm home and available. Next Monday we will head for Victoria where Larry will lead us around some heritage houses and the for lunch at Cook St Village getting home back to the Legion by 2 pm.Thanks and I hope to see you all next week.If you can't make it, Have a great sommer.

Great walk today around Briarwood and Carlton Rds - and enjoyed the coffee later.  My impressions are shown below.    ---    DeNNis.

My GPS records every time I go to or from the Legion, hence the thick-purplish line.
We parked alongside Shawnigan-Mill Bay Rd aways above Briarwood - did the Briarwood loop - took some photos by Hollings Ck  -  up Cameron-Taggart to Carlton - past "Cougar Country" - down past the Hydro grid to the cars.

Very little water in Hollings Creek.

Enough to keep the ferns green.

Good tree for climbing.

A few tough hills to climb.

Usually a very noisy waterfall - now a trickle.

Keith has him under control.

BC Hydro grid for the Shawnigan-Mill Bay-Cobble Hill area.

Men's walking group

Well we had an interesting walk today,We parked on south Shawnigan Lake Rd and walked up Stebbings Rd.where we ran into some protesters on the contaminated soil dump. It was quite hot on the road so we watched for a while then walked back to our cars. Went to Shawnigan for our coffee .Good walk. Next week we can check out Briarwood, normal time. Remember the next week, the 29th we go to Victoria for a tour of some heritage houses and wind up our organized walks for the summer by having lunch at Cook st Village, getting back home by 2pm.okay? Tks

Men's Walking Group

Well, yesterday we had a warm but enjoyable stroll up to Rat Lake and back.  Got a few shots which are below.  Started below the water tower at the end of Fern Ridge Rd.  Finished off with coffee at the Shawnigan Coffee House.  --  DeNNis.

The usual Yellow Brick Road. The green & white  is ATV-Dirt Bike trails.

Had to add this photo from a few weeks ago. The water lilies
are all yellow.  This time, a lot of them are white.  Is this normal?

Quite a contrast from earlier.

We did see some yellow ones, and from the other side of the
lake more yellow ones were evident.

A wider view.

Gathered on the bridge over Handysen Creek.  Barely a trickle
of water to be seen.

Some interesting fungi.

Taking this photo was ALMOST as easy as falling off of a log.
On the Viewing Platform.

Across from the water tower on the way back.
This guy was way up, limbing the tree with a chainsaw
before felling it.  Taken with about 15X zoom.

Men's walking group

Hi Well that was a good walk this morning, good thing we start early so we get off the haul road and into the treed trail and cool shade. It was hot on the way back but eh it was all down hill. Thanks to the drivers. DeNNis said he would get his report in later. Next week we can try our Briarwood walk its been a while since we did it.Tks

Men's walking group

Hi Gang Yes I am still here, I know I'm late with my report but Monday was such a nice walking day and with such great company, what else can I say. I can't even thank the drivers as we walked right from the Legion, Good stuff. Next week we can do Rat Lake. Anyone out there that read this, you're welcome to join us and get some great exercise. We leave the Shawnigan Legion every Monday at 8:30. Tks

Women's Walking Group

Seven walkers saw many interesting displays in the Nature House at Eves Park. Specimens of plants, butterflies, bird's nests, a Heron , and Owls.We listened to some history of the park, being taught to groups of young children. The size and the height of the trees in the old growth forest, was amazing. Many different types of fungus was on the dead wood. Next monday the 8th. we will meet at the Legion at 9:30 am. to decide on a walk. Bring some suggestions.   VM

Men's Walking Group

Pleasant, familiar walk behind Legion and up Bamberton-Haul Rd, then Cobble Hill Rd and back to Legion.  The "Google Earth" map version is probably the best.  Below are my few photos.  ---  DeNNis.

Follow the trace counter-clockwise from the Legion. 

"Battle of the buds" - Wild Rose and Broom.

Meeting ourselves enroute.

Daisies are doing okay.

Big-leaf maple - not so good.

Lamalpacaville.

Unique sign we have seen before.

Wouldn't want to try biking over this even before it deteriorated.

Mother Nature at work again.

Doing our bending exercises.

Arbutus - dead leaves and new growth attached to the
same branch ends.  Is this due to the long dry spell?

Why did we walk - lots of bikes available - and nourishment.

Reflections at the little park near Masons Beach.