January 04, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Galiano Island, Art Galleries & Artists
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On a recent trip to Galiano Island, I stopped by the Galiano Inn & Spa to check out the Kunamokst Mural Mosaic on display in their lobby.
It's impressive! The mural combines the work of nearly 200 artists (including some big-time names, such as Robert Bateman and Roy Vickers), and spans the width of the lobby. Up close, each panel is an individual work of art, but take a few steps back and it melds into a large Orca mural.
I had convinced a couple of friends that it was worth checking it out, and they both ended up being quite impressed by the detail and illusion created by the artwork.
This mural is a must-see for Galiano visitors... and the Sturdies Bay bakery is just down the street for a post-mural snack.
January 04, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Galiano Island, Art Galleries & Artists
Find more information about Galiano Island - Art Galleries & Artists
View a larger image on flickr.com
While browsing HelloBC.com for ideas of what to see on Galiano Island during our weekend cabin getaway, I found out about Stoneworld, and knew we had to visit. As an added bonus, the cabin we’d rented at was right next door (ie. a five minute walk) to Stoneworld – fantastic!
From our cabin, we strolled along the dirt road to Stoneworld’s entrance… only to find a “closed” sign on the gate. However, there was a phone number on the fence post, so we called and were pleasantly informed we could open the gate and wander about Stoneworld.
So what is Stoneworld? It’s a wonderfully quirky outdoor art display. Massive stones (they must weigh tons) stand on end, some randomly placed, some in a huge circle, some painted and some carved. We spent about an hour walking through the fields, while the resident sheep warily gazed at us in between bites of grass.
We followed wide paths that swooped upwards to the peak of Stoneworld, which held a solitary vertical rock (how do they get them to stand on end?) and well-placed benches to take in the view of the fields, stones, water and surrounding Gulf Islands.
It looked like there was a gift shop (near the owner’s house) with some rock carvings and artwork on-site, but unfortunately it wasn’t open during our visit. If you’re looking for a fun, non-gallery approach to artwork, I’d recommend popping by Stoneworld on northern Galiano Island near Bodega Ridge.
January 04, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Galiano Island, Hiking
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On New Year’s Day, five of us packed up sandwiches and headed to the Mount Galiano trailhead on the south end of Galiano Island.
The trail was mainly gentle switchbacks with lots of ferns and mossy trees lining the route. We were a little surprised that we didn’t see more hikers on our trip, but we did end up seeing two locals walking their horse down from the viewpoint – a unique trail companion!
A little under an hour from the trailhead, we reached the top (we missed a turn in one spot, but it all worked out). Once at the peak, we were treated to an amazing view: blue sky and sparkling water stretched between dark green forested islands – there were even snowy peaks in the distance. Soft, thick moss made the ultimate seat for our picnic lunch.
We spent almost an hour relaxing and watching Gulf Island life from the peak – bald eagles soaring below, and a BC Ferry navigating through the tight channels – before packing up our bags and trekking back down to our car. The view from the top of Mount Galiano (along with the good company) made this my most memorable New Year’s Day to date.