Explore beautiful British Columbia this reading week
Photo by Ali Kazal via Pexels.
Reading break at UVic runs from Nov. 11 to 13, but because Nov. 11 is Remembrance Day, students technically have just two official scheduled days off. I would advocate for a longer reading break that allows students to fully reset, take a breath, and return home for a worthwhile amount of time, especially considering getting onto or off of the Island is always book-ended with travel. But that’s an argument for another time.
For now, let’s enjoy our reading break, however short it may be. Here are five outdoorsy trips to take in a day or less for those staying (somewhat) local this reading break.
Disclaimer: these will all require a vehicle.
Sunset at Moses Point in North Saanich
Known by locals to be one of the best spots to catch the sunset, Moses Point is a hidden gem beach in North Saanich located off Chalet Road and Lands End Road.
Rugged rock spreads into the emerald shallows, and a stretch of sandy-pebbled beach allows enough room to find your own spot. But the main attraction here is the unobstructed view the point offers for taking in sunsets, so make sure to head out on a clear evening. Pro tip: grab a couple drinks at Small Gods Brewing Co. in Sidney on the way out.
Night hike on Mount Douglas
Outdoorsy folk in Victoria may scoff at this idea as being “adventurous,” but a night hike, even within the urban limits of Victoria, is enough to give me a little pinch of exhilaration. The same forested trail during the day feels and sounds different in the dark when it’s only lit ahead by flashlight. Just make sure to go with friends, and bring lights with fresh batteries.
The views at Stoney Hill Regional Park
This is one of my favorite half–day trips. Located about an hour from Victoria in North Cowichan, Stoney Hill Regional Park includes an easy 3.2 km looped trail that offers sweeping, spectacular views of the Saanich Inlet and Saltspring Island. Along the easily accessible trail sit several rock bluffs — hundreds of feet above the ocean below — that give way to unmatched panoramic views that’re hard to beat almost anywhere else on the Island.
Shipyard Restaurant & Pub, Genoa Bay Cafe, and The Lion Rampant Scottish Pub are all undercover, funky little spots within minutes of Stoney Hill that are worth checking out on the way back.
Pacific Marine Circle Route
This one is definitely a full day excursion — coming in under 300 km round trip — but it’s one of the best driving routes to capture everything Vancouver Island’s landscape has to offer. The drive includes multiple beach pullouts, broad ocean views, and a stretch of road that takes you through majestic old growth forests. Make sure to leave early enough in the morning to have time for the “must stops” along the way.
I recommend stopping at Shirley Delicious for coffee and sandwiches during the first leg of the drive before pit stops at French Beach, Sandcut Beach, and Sombrio Beach, where there’s a hidden waterfall in a mossy canyon. Down the road, Botanical Beach also showcases the powerful ecological connection between land and sea.
If you’re hungry again by Port Renfrew, pop into Renfrew Pub which overlooks the Port of San Juan.
Stops after Renfrew include picturesque Fairy Lake and pullouts overlooking the pools and rushing waters of Harris Creek. Eventually, the winding forest road will deliver you to Lake Cowichan, then Duncan before completing the loop in Victoria.
Happy day-tripping!
