Another weekend had come to an end, and without having ventured out on a hike, we both needed a dose of nature to top up our senses before plunging into the busyness of a working week. Lighthouse Park almost always fits the bill for a place that feels a little wild - wild enough to … Continue reading Vignette: Lighthouse Park, 1 May 2022
It's been exactly four weeks since we were last in Stanley Park and in that time Spring has definitely begun to take hold. We did a very similar 7.5-ish km loop around the park, from Third Beach along the seawall to Lost Lagoon, then across to Coal Harbour and north past the aquarium to the … Continue reading Vignette: Stanley Park, 26 Mar 2022
The Fraser River estuary is an important area for overwintering birds, perhaps the most visible of which are snow geese, which flock in their hundreds - if not thousands - to the wetlands and marshes where the Fraser meets the Salish Sea. A great place to see them is along the west dyke in Richmond, … Continue reading Vignette: snow goose-a-palooza, 16 Jan 2022
As I type these words, the rain has returned, though thankfully not in the same quantities as on Thursday night. The wind had dropped by this morning and light snow had started falling again. Knowing that the rain would be back, we went for a wander along the beach between Spanish Banks and Jericho. The … Continue reading Vignette: After the storm, 8 Jan 2022
A gap in the rain means time for a walk on the beach! We are moved on from our first parking spot by a film project that had reserved the lot just west of Spanish Banks Creek, so we park up in the westernmost lot, beyond the film crews and among all the dog-walkers letting … Continue reading Vignette: Jericho-Spanish Banks beaches, 12 Nov 2021
Yesterday was definitely the better day weather-wise, today having a formidable forecast of wind and thunderstorms, but a gap in the showers evident on the radar plot compelled us to get outside again, so we headed to Stanley Park for a quick walk before lunch. Well, so much for that rain-free gap as big, solid … Continue reading Vignette: Stanley Park, 7 Mar 2021
With an uninspiring weather forecast and a desire to see some greenery, we opted for a walk closer to home rather than over on the North Shore. We parked up just west of Spanish Banks Creek, walked west along the beach as far as the last parking lot on Marine Drive before crossing over into … Continue reading Vignette: Pacific Spirit Park, 6 Mar 2021
A gem of a park, a winter favourite, an easy way to absorb a couple of hours. A pileated woodpecker dining on fruit, robins watching on. Flocks of pine siskins bursting from the trees in great clouds, photos showing them tucking their wings making them look more like fish than fowl. A bald eagle alighting … Continue reading Vignette: Stanley Park, 21 Nov 2020
A new, occasional type of blog post where I just want to write about a short walk or hike that doesn't need a full trip report. Trees! I wanted to see trees! A post on Instagram had caught my eye this morning and in an instant (no pun intended) I knew what kind of walk … Continue reading Vignette: Pacific Spirit Park, 15 Nov 2020
Opinion Always a delight, especially after a couple of months of mostly urban walks. Today was a good day to return to Lighthouse Park, despite the rain, as the forest flowers were blooming nicely. If you want peace and quiet, go early on a dull, rainy day but even then expect more people to show … Continue reading Lighthouse Park, 16 May 2020
Being. Outdoors. 