A Natural Beauty: Capilano River Park, British Columbia

Text and photos by Jason McKenney

Before ever arriving in Vancouver, I associated the Canadian city with environmentalists and nature hippies for some reason. Maybe due to its natural beauty and reliance on sustainable fishing and logging. Or maybe it was based on my childhood memories of watching Danger Bay episodes and being exposed to such great views of the Pacific Northwest and life on the water. Either way I didn't find it too shocking when our tour guide through Vancouver's Capilano River Regional Park was a middle-aged German immigrant named Michael who wore a brown scout's uniform and who was also a self-described hippie who loved the great outdoors.

"What better job is there for a hippie than to guide people through an ancient forest," he posed. "Are there brownies? Are there spirits in these woods? It's possible. This forest contains as much magic as you'll find anywhere else in Canada."

The park actually sits on the nothern side of Vancouver Bay from the city of Vancouver. Our tour bus followed the 99 North across the bridge connecting the famous Stanley Park to Capilano. We stopped near the fish hatchery where most tours begin.

One of the more intriguing sights at the river park is the Cleveland Dam where one can walk across the top and observe the spillway and the river that cuts through the tall trees and rocky canyon below.

Formed above the dam, Capilano Lake stores the river's waters, stretching north for nearly 3 miles. The lake currently supplies forty percent of the region's drinking water. The large salmon hatchery is about 500 meters downhill from the dam. The hatchery offers educational displays explaining the type of work that is done there, as well as basic education about the life cycles of the fish in the area. There is also a cross-section display of an active fish ladder. During spawning seasons, the fish ladder is heavily used by fish in the area that use it to bypass the dam.

"The old growth of the forest needs to be protected," said Michael, leading us on a fascinating hike through the woods, "but not too much."

He told us the story of a group of young tree-hugging hippies (apparently not as wise as himself) who held hands encircling one of the largest fir trees in the area (a tree named Granpa) in an attempt to give love and good vibes to the plant. What they didn't realize is that by standing so close to the tree, they were packing down the dark soil around the base of the tree which prohibits moisture from seeping down to the roots. By loving the tree they were effectively killing it. Silly hippies.

There were moss-covered trees everywhere. Mostly firs and cedars. Some estimated at nearly 1000 years old. Others are much younger and are growing up right from the dead trunks of their fallen comrades.

"The moss and mist build up on the rotting trunks over time," said Michael, "and a seed finds purchase and within a few years, voilà! A baby tree." Some of the trees are growing right out of the sides of the canyon where seeds have taken root between the cracks.

The rugged waters of the Capilano River also attract kayakers and canoers. The views in the river canyon are stunning. A man was standing up along a rocky ravine tossing out his fishing line in hopes of catching a whopper. Further down the river, two kayakers were paddling their way south towards the high suspension bridge that crosses overhead. The summits of Hollyburn and Crown Mountains, looming in the distance, were snow-capped and magisterial, awaiting serious climbers.

People say California is blessed with natural beauty: the beaches and mountains and wonderful weather. Vancouver is not far behind. Having easy access to the Pacific, the large bays, and the well-preserved River Park means there is a lot to explore and a variety of habitat to learn about. "I visited the forests here when I was younger and I never left," said Michael. Taking a look around it was easy to understand why.

The salmon hatchery

Waiting for the fish to grow

Both Pleasant and Intimidating: Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, Canada

The wooden shutters, heavy curtains with floral patterns, the old writing desk that looked as if it could have been thrown out from Chuck Dickens's college dorm room. The writing room was small and tidy, cozy and quiet. I pictured myself sitting at the desk, leaning over a yellowed piece of parchment scribbling away with quill and ink, writing blog posts for a future time when the technology supported such endeavors.

The walking tour through the house gives glimpses of many past lives. A time of long dresses and starched collars. A time when letters and books and sitting down for tea and biscuits and discussing other people's business like it was one's job was the norm. The steps are thickly carpeted. The rooms are dark and smell like wet newspaper. Outside is Victoria, capital of British Columbia. It's fall and the trees along the nearby streets are turning yellow and orange. It's very pleasant here. It feels safe. And lonely.

There's something about Victoria that feels like time here stopped somewhere around 1952. The architecture, the demeanor of the people, the general feel of the small, quiet Canadian town all feel like a throwback to a less aggressive time. The best way for something to stand out here is to hearken back to even a more distant past.

The Craigdarroch Castle reminded me of walking through the house of an ancient grandmother who spends most of her time attending Gospel Revivals. The house is large, quiet, meticulously decorated. It's a Victorian-era Scottish Baronial mansion in the suburban Rockland neighborhood. It has 39 rooms spread over more than 25,000 square feet. It was constructed in the late 1800s as a family residence for the wealthy coal baron Robert Dunsmuir and his wife Joan, but Robert died in April 1889, more than a year before construction was completed. The structure includes granite from British Columbia, tile from San Francisco, and an oak staircase built in Chicago.

The rooms inside are set up in period decor to give the illusion of how life went on in the early 1900s for the fortunate individuals dwelling in such splendor. Artwork on the walls are beautiful and the craftsmanship and woodwork of the interior is second-to-none.

The exterior is gray stone with a Gothic cathedral look that reminds one of old Hammer Films. There are stained glass windows, porch columns, arches, chimneys, spires, and dark shadows. It's not a castle in the traditional European sense. It's the size of a very large house that's more castle-esque, but the construction is ambitious and timeless. Too bad the same thing can't quite be said about the rest of Victoria.

One of the better wall decorations

Decorations from Asian exploration

View of downtown Victoria from a high balcony

Stained glass window from the Castle

An old fashioned sewing machine

One of several writing desks

Another cozy writing desk

A very high window balcony

Come back an visit soon.