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Golf:
Golf on the Sunshine Coast is an amazing experience. Towering firs and cedars line courses overlooking beautiful ocean vistas and breathtaking mountain ranges. Rolling hills and sloping greens make for challenging play. Mid-week quiet means you can slow the pace and enjoy nature's fabulous golf accompaniment. Four courses worth a mention are, Langdale Heights - 9 holes,
Sunshine Coast Golf & Country Club, Roberts Creek - 18 holes, Sechelt Golf & Country Club, Sechelt Inlet - 18 holes, Pender Harbour Golf Course - Nine holes with four tee boxes to allow 18-hole rounds. On Texada you can try the 9 hole course or spend some time on the putting green honing your skills.
Swimming:
on Texada, Gillies Bay make the beach at Shelter Point Park a great spot for a swim in their warm waters. In addition you could try Shingle Beach and other bays and coves. At Pender Harbour, most waterfront parks offer saltwater access, but locals generally favour the sheltered bay, easy access and sandy shoreline of Baker's Beach. Freshwater swimming is available too at, Garden Bay Lake, a table of large, smooth boulders at one end provides a picturesque lounging area near an anchored raft; further along, a sandy beach and small dock is a favourite summertime gathering spot. Katherine Lake, is a small, man-made lake and sandy beach at Katherine Lake Park is popular with visitors and local families alike. Ruby Lake, is a popular, busy spot you'll share the water with turtles, ducks and other inhabitants, not to mention the occasional canoe and motorboat further out.
Hiking:
on Texada, Shelter Point Regional Park offers some spectacular examples of BC coastal forest. A hike to the top of Mount Pocahontas (1,745 feet) will net some spectacular viewing opportunities: 360 degree views of Vancouver Island, Georgia Strait, and the Coast Mountain range on the BC mainland. A local hiking group, Texada Trekkers, welcomes visitors to join in guided hikes every Saturday.
Walking Tours:
In Gibsons, start at Molly's Reach, and take the steps down below the government wharf to the harbour walk. Right will take you past the harbour full of fishing boats and pleasure craft, and a bit of ingenuity (duck back up to the road where the path ends and look for the way back down) will take you to Gibsons Yacht Club. Turning left at the bottom of the stairs will take you along the waterfront with splendid views of the North Shore mountains and often a ferry making its way across the Sound. Clamber over the boat launch at Cole's Marine and continue along the path to Armour's Beach - a great summer swimming spot. Climb up the hill here and come back along Gibson's Landing's quaint main street. Explore the shops and cafes of Marine Drive, Molly's Lane (behind Molly's Reach) and Gower Point Road.
In Sechelt, find the waterfront behind the condos at the foot of Inlet Avenue. The long pebble beach is a great place for swimming. Turn right on the path and walk along to Snickett Park, where huge rocks jut out over the sea and offer fabulous views of Trail Bay and the islands. This is an excellent place to watch a storm, as the waves crash and roar over the rocks and the whitecaps roll over the usually calm sea. From Snickett, turn up Trail Avenue to find Trail Bay Mall and Cowrie Street. Turn right on Cowrie to stroll through Sechelt's sunny centre and see what you can find.
Biking and Mountain Biking:
On Pender a network of unofficial and informal, but well-maintained, mountain-bike trails exist on the Caren Range. The Caren Range looks down 1,000 feet to Pender Harbour, providing panoramic views of Texada Island and Vancouver Island on a clear day. Patches of old-growth forest and numerous ponds see a variety of wildlife, including Roosevelt elk and the rare marbled Murrelet. At the summit, you’ll find deep snow in winter which results in lush vegetation the rest of the year. For mountain bikes, most of the area is accessible by logging and mining roads. For Sechelt: Loraine & Brad Proctor, are avid mountain bikers and would love to show you the great off-road riding on the Sunshine Coast. Texada has many dirt roads and trails to explore by mountain bike. The Powell River area of the Sunshine Coast offers many challenging rides for off roads. The close proximity of forests to the town lets riders be on a trail within minutes. Whether you are looking for a nice family paced ride around the Inland Lake Provincial Park Trail or the challenge of the ever changing “North Shore” styled Tower Trail ...on the Sunshine Coast you can ride it all! Popular trails like Far Side Trail, Suicide Creek and Boogey's Trail make for awesome bike adventures. Even the most hard-core riders will find excitement and challenges as well as outstanding scenery in the backcountry forest trails.
Wildlife Viewing:
on Texada, Deer, birds and many other forms of wildlife abound, there are no predators such as cougars and bears on the island.
Bird Watching:
on Texada. as many as 265 species of birds including herons, eagles, loons, osprey, harlequins, cormorants and scooters, can be spotted here.
Winter Activities:
Winter in the Knuckleheads Recreation AreaLatitude: 49deg 56min North, Longitude: 124deg 9min West. (Topographic Map 92F/16). While well known for our fabulous Summers and mild year round climate, very few people know that the Sunshine Coast region also has an area where you can enjoy Winter activities. Tobogganing, Snowshoeing and Cross Country Skiing are only a short distance from the major community of Powell River in the Knuckleheads Recreation Area. Located at an elevation of between 5500 and 5300 ft with the ridge extending in a westerly direction, the recreation area is approximately 3 miles by 2 miles (unofficial) of gently sloped terrain. The area is part of a provincial working forest, where a portion has been logged and replanted. The clear-cut areas and old logging roads are very suitable for winter activities including cross country skiing and snowshoeing with two cabins available to warm yourself during the day or for overnight stays. Snow Conditions, The elevation of the sub-alpine area falls within the Coastal Snow belt, snowfall begins around November and continues till May. The north slope of the range remains sheltered from the sun and snow can stay on the ground as late as June. Snow depth ranges from 10 to 16 feet during the peak season in January. |