GULF ISLANDS CYCLING A guide to cycling from Victoria to the Gulf Islands Saturna Island Galiano Island Pender Island Mayne Island Saltspring Island • How to get there • Cycling routes • Where to stay • Where to eat • What to do when not on your bike All the information you need to plan a wonderful cycling trip to the Gulf Islands! Don’t just visit a place...experience it! hikebiketravel.com Gulf Islands Cycling ictoria and the Gulf Islands RECOMMENDED ITINERARY OVERVIEW are known for their mild Presented below is a quick layout of the Day 7: Galiano Island to Pender Island - V temperatures, sunny days and itinerary followed in later sections with the Catch the 11:15am ferry to Pender Island low rainfall, especially in the summer. rich details of the trip. arriving at 12:20pm. Ride to Hope Bay and Dedicated bike paths on Vancouver enjoy a picturesque lunch by the water. Island and generally quiet side roads Day 1: Arrive in Victoria and spend the In the afternoon cycle to Poets Cove and in the Gulf islands provide the visitor rest of the day at leisure. Resort on South Pender Island. A spa with a pleasurable way of actively service or a pleasant drink on the water Day 2: Victoria - take advantage of whale seeing the pastoral countryside. The may be just the thing before dinner and the watching, sightseeing and shopping. Pick night at this luxurious resort. frequent ocean views and the drama up a bike or have it delivered at the end of the Mainland Mountains can of the day. Day 8: Pender Island to Saltspring Island - be appreciated by all. Once off the After breakfast head back to North Pender bike there are plenty of diversions Day 3: Victoria to Saturna Island - Cycle Island. If you have energy, time and the including visiting artist’s studios, up the Lochside Trail taking time to visit inclination, ride the 3 kilometres uphill to the wine tasting, farmers markets, and the Buchart Gardens and Church and State Morning Bay Vineyards. Return to the ferry spas, dining and enjoying picnics Vineyards if you are a wine lover. Catch the terminal in time to catch the 12:30pm ferry on one of the small beaches easily 3pm ferry from Schwartz Bay to Saturna to Saltspring Island’s Long Harbour ferry accessed by bike. In addition, renting Island arriving at 4:10pm. Cycle to Saturna terminal. Lunch can be bought beforehand a kayak for a half or full day will allow Lodge and spend the night. at the Driftwood Center. Arrive at 1:10pm further exploration of the marine and cycle the northern part of the island Day 4: Saturna Island to Mayne Island - environment and perhaps some close before heading to Ganges and your home for Cycle to East Point and have a picnic or if the night. Hastings House, a member of the up encounters with whales, seals, sea you are feeling VERY energetic head to the Relais and Chateau chain is a luxurious spot lions, bald eagles and seabirds. There Saturna Island Winery after the East Point to stay though there are lots of reasonably are opportunities to go on dedicated jaunt in time for their bistro lunch. Catch the priced options. My recommendation is the whale watching trips which is a ferry at 4:20pm to Mayne Island arriving at Monivea B&B. There are many restaurants worthwhile experience for all ages. 4:55 pm. Cycle to the Oceanwood Country to choose from in Ganges. Try the informal A wide range of accommodation is Inn and spoil yourself with a fi ne meal. Oystercatcher Seafood Bar and Grill with its waterside seating. available to suit all budgets. There Day 5: Mayne Island to Galiano Island are intimate Bed and Breakfasts, inns, - Cycle around Mayne Island taking time Day 9: Saltspring Island to Brentwood basic, boutique and fi ve star hotels, to visit the Japanese garden and the Bay on the Saanich Peninsula - After resorts, campgrounds and rental Lighthouse Park at Georgina Point. Catch breakfast head south towards Fulford properties. Some islands like Saturna a 5pm ferry to arrive on Galiano Island at Harbour on the back roads to avoid the have very limited choices but Salt 5:30pm. If you stay at the Galiano Inn and traffi c. You could stop for a cheese tasting Spring Island has all the options. Spa you need only cycle a minute to arrive at Saltspring Island Cheese before grabbing at your accommodation. Enjoy a dinner This itinerary will provide you with either the 11:50am or the 1:50pm ferry for and wines from their extensive cellar. the 35 minute ride back to Swartz Bay. all that you need to know to plan Cycle the northern Saanich Peninsula on your own trip but will assume a Day 6: Galiano Island - Bike to the bluff the back roads and consider a wine tasting start in British Columbia’s capital and enjoy an early morning hike on the at the Chalet Winery. Head for the 5 star city of Victoria. You can start on bluff before breakfast. It is a 5 kilometre Brentwood Bay Inn and dine in or at one any of the islands if you are coming uphill cycle from the inn and then a very of the funky local cafes. from Vancouver’s Tsawwassen ferry pleasant, easy ridge walk with great views. terminal but if you are a visitor from People with more energy to burn could Day 10: Brentwood Bay to Victoria - outside the BC mainland and are go that much further and hike up Mount Make your way back to the Lochside fl ying to Victoria then that will be Galiano. After breakfast head to Montague Trail and into Victoria to fi nish your trip. the obvious starting point. Plan on a Harbour and rent a kayak or organize a If you didn’t visit the Buchart Gardens at minimum of 4 days (without visiting guided tour for half a day. Galiano is a the beginning of your trip you could take particularly lovely island from the water. advantage of their proximity and visit on all the islands) though if you have a Enjoy the rest of the afternoon in the spa, the way back in. IF HOWEVER you have relaxed schedule the trip could easily relaxing or visiting one of the galleries. another 3 days available consider adding be 10 days in length. Enjoy a second night on Galiano and dine on the Cowichan Lake loop via the ferry to at a different restaurant. Mill Bay just outside your door. 2 hikebiketravel.com hikebiketravel.com 3 VICTORIA Victoria’s Inner Harbour GETTING TO VICTORIA Park with a visit to the Royal BC Museum so give that some consideration before you OTHER THAN BY BC FERRIES www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca leave home. Many of the Gulf Islands have bike rental stores but that means that you will need • Enjoy the sights of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria International Airport services fl ights to start and fi nish on that island which may be Victoria especially the works of world from all over Canada as well as Seattle. It is inconvenient. There are a number of places to renown west coast artist Emily Carr www. about 30 minutes into downtown Victoria by rent from in Victoria including the following: taxi or bus. Another alternative is to take the aggv.bc.ca seaplane. There are multiple fl ights everyday • Take a trip to the world famous 55 acre Coastal Cycle and Water Sports www. from downtown Vancouver, Nanaimo and Butchart Gardens though you can also do this coastalwatersports.com #1-1610 Island Richmond (near the Vancouver airport) to by bike on the way to the ferries if you allow Highway, Victoria Ph: 1-888-391-1980. Their downtown Victoria aboard Harbour Air and enough time www.butchartgardens.com rates are $25/day or $100/week and include Westcoast Air. Visit www.harbour-air.com/ • Walk through the 1 acre garden created a rack if requested but not panniers, helmet, and www.westcoastair.com/ to get fl ight by Prince and Princess Abkhazi which is lock and patch kit. They are just off the and pricing information. a superb example of West Coast garden Galloping Goose trail but a ways out from downtown. They will deliver to you. You can also get to Victoria via passenger design www.conservancy.bc.ca and car ferries from Washington State. See • Enjoy a Harbour Ferry Cruise www. the list below and their links. Sports Rent BC www.sportsrentbc.com #3- victoriaharbourferry.com 1950 Government Street, Victoria Ph: 250- Foot passengers only from Seattle • Plan to indulge in a typical British afternoon 385-7368. Their rates are $25/ day or $79/ www.clippervacations.com/ferry/ high tea at the Fairmont Empress hotel week with a $200 security deposit. Panniers ferryschedule complete with scones, preserves, jersey cream, and a rack are an additional $45/week plus a security deposit of $100. Car ferry from Anacortes teas, sweets and fi nger sandwiches www. www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedules/ fairmont.com/empress/GuestServices/ Selkirk Station www.switchbridgetours.com current/index.cfm?route=ana-sid Restaurants/AfternoonTea.htm #16- 80 Regatta Landing, Victoria Ph: 866- • Go on a whale watching tour where the 383-1466. One day rates are $25 and weekly Foot passengers only from Port Angeles rates are $85. They rent panniers too. www.victoriaexpress.com/welcome.html probability of sighting whales, especially orcas, is high www.orcaspirit.com/ or You will also need a place to leave your Car ferry from Port Angeles www.princeofwhales.com surplus luggage.