I moved to Victoria, BC (well Colwood to be exact) for work at the start of the year. Here are some impressions so far, told mainly through some of the many pictures I’ve taken since I’ve been here.

Hiking trails

Vancouver Island is famous for its abundance of stunningly beautiful hiking and mountain biking trails. Owing to issues in getting a full drivers licence, I spent most of my time on trails that I could easily access on foot from my home (with some help from a few Uber drivers :)).

The following pics were all taken on my version of the 7 peaks trail (for those interested, I added in Mill Hill and didn’t do Seymour Hill) which was by far my favorite training run for the ultra races I did this year.

On the recommendation of many, I rode out to East Sooke Regional Park to explore some of the many trails on offer. It was easy to see why they had insisted that I go.

I spent most of my time at East Sooke on the Coastal trail, a quite technical and at times challenging trail that, you guessed it, runs close to the waters edge.

Road trips

Inspired by a visit from a cousin from Australia, I finally got around to hiring a car and going on a road trip. With an itinerary provided by a couple of wonderful work colleagues, we headed out early on a beautiful autumn day, stopping and exploring the beautiful coastal towns of Shirley, Jordan River and Port Renfrew. Some selected highlights below.

Some valuable trip notes: Go to Shirley Delicious for a beautiful sweet treat, enjoy some exceptional wood fired pizza from Stoked Pizza, have a hearty bowl of chowder from the Port Renfrew Pub, and stay (especially if you don’t like real camping), at Cloud 9 Glamping.

My other major “road trip” was to Salt Spring Island, which is only a 35 minute ferry ride from Swartz Bay, It was easy to see why many who work in Victoria choose to call Salt Spring home. The pictures below were all taken on an early morning hike a short walk from my accommodation at Armand Heights Bed and Breakfast.

Cafe culture

Especially in downtown Victoria, one is spoiled for choice for cool and hip cafes, with my favorite being Cafe Fantastico in Quadra Village. As a friend of mine commented, “Fantastico just feels like community”. Other favorites include Habit Coffee and the Esquimalt Roasting Company

Another place that really feels like community is Working Culture Bread, a locally owned and operated bakery whose bread, pastries, sandwiches and sweet baked goods are simply outstanding. While I have always argued that the icing on cinnamon buns are invariably the best and most important part, the “icing-less” version at Working Culture definitely gets my vote for cinnamon bun of the year.

On ya bike

Victoria is known for it’s excellent, but far from perfect, cycling infrastructure, which along with a half decent public transportation network, favorable weather, car and ride share programs like Evo, Modo and Uber, make it a relatively easy place to exist without a car. However, as the picture below of a section of the Galloping Goose Trail illustrates, still far too many people are seduced by the comfort and convenience of owning their own car.

On a more positive (and less sanctimonious?) note, the photos below were taken on a early morning ride on a different section of the Goose.

Vancouver Island trail series

A major source of enjoyment for me this year has come through my involvement in the Vancouver Island Trail series, as both a volunteer and competitor. There was just such a sense of fun and community at all the races I have attended.

Farmers markets

As I have alluded to in a previous post, I’m a massive fan of farmers markets. Thankfully there are a number of fabulous markets in Victoria and surrounding municipalities to choose from. If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the Esquimalt Farmers market held at the beautiful Esquimalt Gorge Park, with honorable mentions going to the farmers markets at James Bay and Goldstream.

Celebrating beauty in “my backyard“

I’m lucky enough to be living very close to Royal Roads University, where you will find me most days of the week doing an early morning run or evening walk on the beautiful trails that weave through centuries old Douglas Fir trees, On a clear day you can see the snow capped peaks of the Olympic Mountain range in Washington State. Definitely not the worst place in the world to be!

Mount Douglas

On most itineraries for those visiting Victoria is a trip to the summit of Mt Douglas, which is only a short distance from downtown. It took me 8 months to get there, but I think you will agree it was worth the effort.

Below you find some more photos from some of my wanderings through downtown and the surrounding suburbs.

Our Place Society

One of the things that has provided me with the greatest sense of purpose and meaning this year has been volunteering once a week at Our Place Society, a non-profit that provides a wide range of supports for vulnerable and marginalized populations in Victoria. Whether it’s the opportunity to show off my still half decent waitering skills or just the conversations with staff, volunteers and guests, my 2-hour Sunday lunch shift never fails to be one of the highlights of my week.

Looking towards 2025

Top of the bucket list is a visit, and maybe even a surf, at Tofino, some skiing and hiking at Mt Washington and the surrounding areas, participating in more of the Vancouver Island Trail series races, exploring more of the nearby Gulf Islands, and of course indulging in many more cinnamon buns and other beautiful baked goods from Working Culture Bread.

One final thing

In my 50 years on this planet I’m been lucky enough to explore and experience some pretty amazing places around the world (Including Victoria), none of which would have been possible without the love and support of the incredible woman featured in the photo below. Love you Mum!