Friday July 12, 2024

Tuesdays are bike days and Fridays are hike days; today we hiked near where we biked three days earlier. I still can't believe all this natural beauty is so close to middle of the city.

We hopped on the 'Blink' #95 to Langford at 9AM, got off at Six Mile Road and walked up Six Mile for 20 minutes or so to the gates of Thetis Lake park. The walk to the park was fine, if a little noisy from vehicles and steadily uphill. At least there were sidewalks. But once at the park gate, we plunged immediately into the cool, old growth forest. Towering firs, glorious cedars, and two lovely, cool lakes.

The walk around Lower and Upper Thetis Lakes takes a little over 90 minutes, but we took our time with it. My legs are still getting back into climbing mode and besides, the slower you go, the more you can see and hear. Upper Lake was especially lovely. The lake is dark and deep, but there are many sheltered, shallow pockets along the shore where lily pads and bullrushes thrive. The lily pads were in bloom, so in the middle of this carpet of yellow and green lilies were the most incredible pink, white and yellow flowers floating along, giving bursts of colour like paper bag lanterns at night.

We stopped for snacks at a bench overlooking Upper Lake, just as a bald eagle soared into view, circled twice, then dove straight down to water level in the middle of the lake, grabbed something (a fish?) and took off into the trees. Spectacular. Then we ate while a woodpecker kept time on a tree trunk behind us and I gazed on at the lily pads below. It was all there in a single view - rocks, shallows, deep water and big trees. How could you ask for more?

We finished out hike, coming to the parking lot two minutes before the bus. Straight on and home. We went from old growth forest to our downtown apartment on a city bus, in under 45 minutes. This place is so, so, amazing. I still can't get over how lucky we are.