Cowichan Itinerary
It’s a wondrous thing to teach your elderly parents something new. Throughout childhood, we’re encouraged, coaxed and taught about every aspect of what it is to be human by those who gave birth to us. They literally help us take our first steps in life. But when those same people turn 80 and you find yourself coaching them through their own new experiences, it can get exciting.
This happened to me on a recent trip to the Cowichan Valley on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island with my mother and father, Dave and Davina Hempsall who are in or nearing their eighth decade. They were responsible for teaching me how to paddle a canoe when I was only five years old. We’ve been on numerous paddling trips through the years and even built our own cedar strip. I’ve gone on to paddle a number of different crafts from pack rafts to SUPs but my parents didn’t bother to branch out. Despite living near the ocean, they’ve never sea kayaked before! I wanted to change that and Cowichan was the perfect place for it.
Day 1
Cowichan River, BC, Canada
Rick Bryan is a short, athletic man in his seventies with white hair and a playful grin who’s “been paddling since before the dawn of time,” he says. He is a founding member of the South Island Whitewater Club and is also heavily involved in the Recreational Canoeing Association of BC. We were meeting so he could teach us how to roll a playboat, a small plastic river-running craft that he insisted not be called a kayak because we’d use a canoe paddle to propel and steer it.
Book now5255 Chaster Rd, Duncan, BC, CA, V9L 5J2
redarrowbeer.ca|(250) 597-0037
We drove 20 minutes south on Highway 1 to Red Arrow Brewing in the town of Duncan. There we ordered flights of beer, including what would be our favorite of the day, the seasonal Elderflower Sour made from its namesake that only blooms once a year under the shaded canopy of the local forests. It’s kettle soured with a touch of floral effervescence to make it a perfectly refreshing summer drink. We also ordered fish tacos, a beef melt and a pizza and then the friendly staff gave me a tour of the facility, which was the original home of the Arrow Custom Motorcycles company. The old showroom is now the brewery’s lounge and outside the red brick building is a large patio and tented stage where live musical acts play. Be sure to spot Christopher the gargoyle who lives on site.
Book now1230 Merridale Rd, Cobble Hill, BC, CA, V8H 1A1
We decided to check out Merridale Cidery and Distillery 15 minutes south in Cobble Hill. Tucked into a beautiful valley between Shawnigan Lake and the ocean, Merridale is definitely worth a visit. The grounds are stunning and I highly recommend walking down to the ponds and around the orchards. Aside from the cellar door there is also a restaurant that serves ciders and spirits made on site. I highly recommend trying the spiced rum.
32 High St, Ladysmith, BC, CA, V9G 1A1
temperancehotel.ca|778-268-2216
Later that evening we settled into our rooms at the Temperance Hotel in Ladysmith, a new addition to the accommodation scene in the Cowichan region that features a century-old building with a colorful past. Originally constructed in Nanaimo, The Temperance was chopped up and moved to its current location and in the ensuing 110 years it has housed everyone from miners to doctors. In September 2020 Denise Bergquist and Stefan Queitsch bought the building and spent the next four years, “updating every inch of it,” she says. The result is stunning: a modern, boutique hotel that pays homage to its history via the hewn hardwood floors, funky lights, and the black-and-white murals and pictures depicting turn-of-the-century scenes of Ladysmith.
Book nowDay 2
4865 Bench Rd, Cowichan Bay, BC, CA, V0R 1N1
Coastal Bliss Adventures offers a variety of kayaking and canoeing tours, rentals, and lessons.
Book nowIt was finally time for my parents to try sea kayaking. We awoke early and drove a half hour south to Cowichan Bay where we met Gary and Georgia Newsome, owners of Coastal Bliss Adventures. They turned out to be the perfect guides for our journey as they’re in their sixties and have a lot of skill and patience when it comes to teaching old paddlers new tricks.
We then spent the afternoon touring Duncan, the largest community in the Cowichan region. As it was Saturday, we visited the thriving farmers’ market that spread out across four city blocks and had on display everything from local produce and baked goods to funky hand-made birdhouses and tie-dyed clothing.
25 Craig St, Duncan, BC, CA, V9L 1V7
For lunch we visited the Craig Street Brew Pub, located one block from the market, and it was absolutely packed. We lucked out and got a seat on the front patio and proceeded to watch the servers do an admirable job keeping up with the throngs. We ordered a tuna poke bowl, a Mediterranean pizza and a fresh salmon bowl as well as beer flights that included the Arbutus Ale, which has subtle notes of vanilla, the super-light Cowichan Bay lager, and the Mt. Prevost porter, which was a favourite because of its cocoa flavour and smoky finish. After the lunch rush died down a bit, I toured the 1940’s building that boasts a beautiful antique bar and a real wood-burning fireplace. Very cozy.
Book nowIn the afternoon we took part in something I think every visitor to the Cowichan Valley should experience: The Pacific Northwest Raptors facility. To see birds of prey up close is a primitive experience: they’re so dinosaur-like! There were falcons, eagles, owls and hawks and a highlight was the flying demonstration during which trainers strolled among us seated watchers and had birds swoop over our heads to land on their arms.
5301 Chaster Rd, Duncan, BC, CA, V9L 6W4
deadheadbrew.co|(250) 732-7668
After the excellent time with the Raptors we had a bittersweet experience at the Small Block Brewing Company in Duncan. It turned out we had arrived on their last day of business and owners Cate and Aaron Scally were pouring their final pints. However, Cate told us the brewpub had been purchased by Jason Barber who just happened to be sitting at the table next to us. He told us his plans for the establishment: he’s going to rename it Deadhead Brewing, change up the menu offerings, renovate the space and reopen it later this summer.
Book now204 Dogwood Dr, Ladysmith, BC, CA, V9G 1S8
facebook.com/bayviewbrewingcompany|250-912-0166
That night we returned to the Temperance Hotel in Ladysmith and strolled the seven blocks to the Bayview Brewing Company. Opened in April 2022 by friends Rod Alsop and Jon Ludtke, the Bayview features both a large, eclectic food menu (Jon was a chef for over 25 years) and an extensive beer list. Our flights included the subtle and tasty Lady Guava Gose and the delicious 7 Belles, a dry-hopped saison named for the practice of ringing bells at 7pm in honour of the area’s healthcare workers. Other offerings included beers inspired by desserts, such as the Simple Twist of Fate, described as a “blackberry, lemon-cobbler sour,” and the Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner peach and coconut hazy pale ale. The winner of the best food menu item goes to the dill pickle pizza: it sounds weird, but it’s so good!
Day 3
18 High St, Ladysmith, BC, CA, V9G 1A8
Our paddleboarding day began with a delicious breakfast at the popular In The Beantime Café, a block from the Temperance. If you arrive and there’s a long line-up, don’t be discouraged. The staff are so efficient, diners don’t have to wait long for their meals.
7370 Walton Rd, Honeymoon Bay, BC, CA, V0R 1Y0
pristinepaddleboard.com|250-815-5099
After our egg bennies and cappuccinos, we drove the 45 minutes to Gordon Bay Provincial Park on Cowichan Lake, the traditional territory of the Ts'uubaa-asatx people, who have been the stewards of these lands since time immemorial. https://www.tsuubaaasatx.ca/Stretching 30 kilometres in length, Cowichan Lake can get rough in windy conditions but Gordon Bay offers a perfectly sheltered area to learn how to paddleboard. Josh Tisch is the owner of Pristine Paddleboards and he’s set up his “Paddle Pod” headquarters in the park.
Book now3287 Cowichan Lake Rd, Duncan, BC, CA, V9L 4C1
theoaktaphouse.ca|(250) 856 - 0899
We had a few hours to kill until sundown so we went to the Oak Taphouse located in Duncan. “The Oak,” as locals affectionately call it, is a traditional Tudor-style pub that was built in 1980. Forty years later it was purchased by Lance and Liz Steward, the same couple who own Craig Street Brew Pub. It serves the same craft beer as that location, and, like our experience the day prior, the restaurant was absolutely hopping when we arrived.
Book now7370 Walton Rd, Honeymoon Bay, BC, CA, V0R 1Y0
pristinepaddleboard.com|250-815-5099
We didn’t want to drink before our nighttime paddle adventure so we ordered fish and chips and burgers before returning to Gordon Bay to watch Josh set up the glowing paddleboards. He attached four waterproof strips of LEDs to each board, explaining that each strip was 1,000 lumens so we’d have good visuals in the shallows. The lights were also bluetoothed to a remote he carried so he could change their colours from pink to green to red to blue. Next he put a waterproof speaker on his board, started a playlist that included tunes of the “music festival meditative” genre and then he embarked with my mother and I in tow.
Book now32 High St, Ladysmith, BC, CA, V9G 1A1
temperancehotel.ca|778-268-2216
Later that evening, on the way back to the Temperance Hotel, my parents spoke of how much fun they had experiencing new forms of paddling and how enjoyable it was to get to know the Cowichan Valley better.
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