August 23, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Merritt, Camping
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The final camping trip of the year: it has all the potential to be a sad
occasion. But as we found out, it's hard to be sad when you're lounging
lakeside on a sandy beach in 30 degree weather. Very hard indeed.
We got to enjoy 3 days of this on our recent trip to
Monck Provincial Park
on Nicola Lake. Established in 1951, the original land was
donated and was the site of an old homestead. Today it's home to 120 dry
and dusty campsites, nestled in the pine trees, plus access to the
lovely Nicola Lake. It's just 30 minutes or so north-east of Merritt,
BC.
The climate is
very hot and dry, so expect to spend
most of the day by the lake (oh, darn).
Adjacent to the sandy swimming area is a day use area with uncovered and
covered picnic tables. There's also a playground and horseshoe pits
(just ask at the entrance gate for shoes). The large, open field is
great for bocce, frisbee or whatever other lawn games you might have
brought along. There are also two First Nations pit house depressions in
the field - story goes, the local First Nations peoples used to winter in them (although as some kids discovered, they also make sweet bike jumps).
The park also features a 5km interpretive hike. We decided to
do this on the second day - in hindsight, we probably should have left
earlier when it wasn't quite as hot, as the trail was quite exposed and
the temperature was close to 30 degrees. But it was still enjoyable. The
first half saw us climb up the hill behind the park and experience some
fantastic views of the lake from between the pine trees. There's also a
neat section where you walk along a huge exposed rock face. The second
half took us down the hill, across the road and along the water. Near
the end, you end up passing right by the park's swimming area - so bring
your suits along, you'll want a dip! Note that there are several steep
sections on this hike (going both up and down) and that you have to
cross the road twice. It took us about an hour total. There is an
alternative, much shorter loop that starts from the same spot and only
takes about 20 minutes. I'd recommend the longer route though, if not
simply for the views!
As I mentioned above, the campsites are
quite dusty due to the hot climate. If possible, try to score one of the
spots with partial or full shade (as some of them are quite exposed).
The upside of the hot summer temperatures is that it stays warm quite
late into the evening, so even with the fire ban we were able to hang
out in t-shirts quite comfortably at night. If you have a boat, bring it
- there's a boat launch in the day use area and the lake is quite large
so there's lots to explore on the water. If you have kids, bring them
too - there were all kinds of little ones playing on the beach and
riding bikes around the campground.
Although our camping is done
for the season, our last trip was probably the best of the summer.
We'll definitely be visiting Monck Park again!
ps - if you do go and aren't in a rush on your way home, consider stopping in at a cool heritage site -
Murray United Church.
August 23, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Merritt, Attractions
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No matter what your religious leanings are, there's something fascinating about old churches. Especially churches from the late 1800s that remain untouched (except by time) over a century later.
Murray United Church is located in the Nicola Valley, in the hot, dry climate just north-east of Merritt, BC. We stopped in on our way home from a weekend of
camping at Monck Lake Provincial Park (which is just 20 minutes up the road). There are no guides or fees at this historical site - you just park in the adjacent parking lot and walk onto the small fenced lot.
The information on the church's sign told us that it was once the hub of Nicola Valley, a bustling gold rush community. It was unique in that it welcomed people of all faiths, colours and creeds. When the gold rush died out, the community shrunk as well. But those first settlers laid the foundations for the farmers that call the Nicola Valley home today.
The most interesting thing about Murray United wasn't actually the building itself - it was the cemetery surrounding it. There were several dozen gravestones, some crumbled and worn, but mostly still legible. These told the story of a harder period in history, when many didn't make it past the age of 50. One headstone marked the grave of a young mother who died just 19 days before her infant daughter. There was also a number of unmarked graves, distinguished only by small piles of rocks or wooden fences (which hadn't rotted away thanks to the extremely dry climate). Walking amongst these graves, some marked with ornate marble headstones and some just with a pile of stones, was a somber but fascinating experience.
The church itself is locked, but if you're tall enough you can peek in the windows to see inside. The scene is that of a 19th century church ready for service - pulpit at the front, pews waiting to be filled, paintings on the walls. There is some lovely stained glass in the windows at the back. It's a shame we weren't able to go inside, but that's probably the reason it's been preserved so well, so it's understandable.
If you're heading up the Coquihala Highway and are interested in experiencing a little piece of history, consider taking a 10-minute detour to visit Murray United Church. It's just off exit 290, on the Princeton-Kamloops Highway (Hwy 5a). It's worth the visit!
August 02, 2011 | Tips from Us >
North Vancouver, Hiking
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Ah, long weekends: that precious commodity that we BC'ers get to enjoy just 10 times a year. The BC Day long weekend is one of the best in Vancouver, as the weather usually cooperates. And this year was no exception. With the sun out and not a cloud in the sky, we decided we had to get out and celebrate BC Day the proper way - in the great outdoors. And so, with our sneakers on and water bottles full, we headed over the bridge for a hike in
North Vancouver.
Situated at the base of the North shore mountains, North Van really is the urban adventurer's paradise - snowboarding all winter, and hiking and mountain biking galore in the sunny summer months. And best of all, it's less than half an hour from the downtown core.
Our BC Day route started at the Pipeline Bridge (accessible from Riverside Drive). We jumped onto the Baden Powell trail, with the plan to head towards Lynn Canyon Park and the suspension bridge, up to Rice Lake, and back down the Twin Bridges trail.
After a difficult (but gorgeous) climb up on the Baden Powell trail, we crossed Lilloet Road and headed down the side of Lynn Canyon. The trail is quite steep in parts here, so tread carefully! At the bottom of the canyon, there are neat wooden walkways to keep your feet high and dry from the marshy ground. At this point, it's hard to believe you're only 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver - moss-covered trees tower around you, and it's wonderfully quiet, save for the sound of birds and running water. Although this was the toughest part of our hike, it was my favourite (and the least crowded). If you're up for a bit of a challenge, I'd highly recommend it.
After we crossed the canyon (on a bridge over deep, rushing glacier water that was an amazing green colour), we climbed back up the other side of the canyon. At this point, the Baden Powell trail meets up with Lynn Canyon Park and the suspension bridge. Being a holiday Monday, it was
very busy. But we got to enjoy some fresh blackberries from a farmer's booth in the parking lot, so it was worth it :)
After we made our way across the suspension bridge (still gives me butterflies), we climbed up a bit further to the Rice Lake loop. We didn't walk around the lake (just took a peek), but there is a nice easy trail around that takes under an hour.
At this point we got onto the Twin Bridges trail, which runs alongside the Seymour River. The gentle downward slope of this section was a nice break after the steep ups-and-downs of the Baden Powell trail earlier. We finally made our way back to the Pipeline Bridge entrance in just over 3 hours.
The great thing about the North Shore trails is that the trails are all inter-connected, and there are lots of points of access (many with parking), so you can adjust the length and difficulty of your route easily. For example, to cut about an hour and the heavy climbing off of the route we did, skip the Baden Powell section and park at Lynn Canyon Park. Here, cross the suspension bridge and walk up and around Rice Lake. Or, for a nice easy walk in the woods, you could park in the lot at the top of Lilloet Road and just do the loop around Rice Lake. Lots of options!
Happy hiking!