Charmingly serene Denman Island is a refuge for some 1,100 residents off the east-central coast of Vancouver Island.
Artists, farmers, academics, and eclectic progressive-minded folk of all kinds have found what they're looking for in a lovely environment dotted with lakes, forests, orchards, parks, and rocky shorelines. Locals mingle in quaint Denman Village during the day, then cocoon at home as evening falls and an already sleepy island gets quieter still.
Outdoor Getaway
Denman is a low-profile northern Gulf Island with just enough accommodations and activities – hiking, kayaking, visiting art galleries, attending festivals, local farms and orchards – to keep active minds and bodies engaged. It might lack the attractions, restaurants, and infrastructure of a tourist destination. But that's just fine with Denmanites. They happily refer to their home as "the bridge" or "speed bump" for traffic hopskipping to neighboring Hornby Island, one of BC's top summer holiday spots.
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The Little Apple
Islanders note that Denman is the same general size and shape of Manhattan with the tiniest fraction of the population and none of the traffic and noise. In amusing (but geographically accurate) fashion, the island's newest green space has been named Central Park. And big apple harvests were once key to a local economy that has always produced plenty of food – oysters, dairy products, livestock and now wicked organic chocolate bars (from Denman Island Chocolate, which offers tours and tastings at its forested, home-based workspace).
Village Life
BC Ferries provides daily transportation from Vancouver Island's Buckley Bay (a 40-minute drive north of Nanaimo). Most auto and bike traffic zips straight down Denman and East roads to Gravelly Bay on the southeast coast. From there, hourly ferries sail to Hornby Island.
Many daytrippers leave their cars at Buckley Bay and take a 10-minute stroll to Denman Village. The island's one commercial centre features several good cafes, a bakery, bookstore and the cooperative Denman Craft Shop (packed with work by the island's many fine artists). The century old general store is Denman's one source of groceries, gas and ATM cash withdrawals.
Busiest times in the village are during the popular Denman Readers and Writers Festival in July and on weekends when the Arts Centre is hosting one of its educational workshops or a concert is booked at the Community Hall. Upwards of 1,500 people sign up for the island's acclaimed Home and Garden Tour each spring.
Quiet Time
Visitors who do linger on Denman can expect rural peace, easy outdoor activities and ample do-nothing relaxation. Gentle trails hug the island's sandstone coastline at Fillongley Provincial Park and Boyle Point Provincial Park. Volunteer crews continue to cut trails into such Denman Conservation Association green spaces as the Lindsay Dickson Reserve. A lucky few nature buffs will spot the Taylor's checkerspot, an endangered butterfly whose only known Canadian breeding site is on Denman.
Kayakers paddle to either Chrome Island at Denman's southern tip or Tree Island (aka Sandy Island Marine Provincial Park) in the north. Several dozen home artist studios are open by appointment. Meditators tune in at The Hermitage, a Buddhist retreat centre, and yogis take classes at Shanti House. The Saturday Farmer's Market at the recycling depot (site of a free store packed with recycled treasures) features art, crafts, and good eats.
Where To Begin
Pick up the free Hornby and Denman Island Visitor's Guide with its ferry schedule and annotated map of both islands. Visitor information is also available at the Denman General Store. And feel free to strike up conversations with Denmanites, most of whom are happy to share insider tips with those eager to chill out and enjoy the island's low-key lifestyle.
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