Saturday, July 9

MILNER GARDENS.

Day 271 – It rained a little last night – not much – and this pattern continued throughout the day. We were able to take a long hike around Milner Gardens in Qualicum Beach and also have a prolonged lunch/brunch on the patio at Qualicum Beach Cafe. The high today was 72 degrees and despite the heavy clouds, we had a great day and got good pictures.

Tomorrow morning we have to leave this area and move on. The scenery is so beautiful here, and this campground, Stamp River Provincial Park, and campsite #4, have been just perfect. Lower Central Vancouver Island with the Alberni Valley in the center, with Tofino on the west coast and Qualicum Beach on the east side, have been really, really nice. We feel a little sad to have to leave, but on the other hand we are heading north tomorrow to new places beginning with Strathcona Provincial Park, which takes up a large chunk of central Vancouver Island and is known for its remoteness, its back country hiking trails, its scenery, and its glacier-covered mountains. If Vancouver Island had another National Park in addition to Pacific Rim, it would probably be Strathcona.

We had errands to run in Qualicum Beach and hadn’t yet gone to Milner Gardens (it was on our list). Billed as “An Ancient Forest and Garden Oasis by the Sea” in a local visitor’s guide of the same title. From the guide: “Milner Gardens & Woodlands is 70 acres of natural beauty perched on a bluff overlooking the Strait of Georgia. Stroll the winding pathways and magical surroundings of an ancient coastal Douglas Fir forest”…. (what, another one?!)….”to the 10-acre estate garden with its historic collection of mature rhododendrons and breathtaking views.”

We got to the Gardens a little after 11 a.m. (when they open) and spent almost two hours there. Unfortunately, we were past peak Rhododendron blooming time, but we still caught some late bloomers that were gorgeous. The lovely water gardens, the winding trails through the forest, the amazingly landscaped grounds, all contributed to a feeling of being in an enchanted place.

We walked most of the Gardens, except for the bluff looking over the Strait of Georgia because they were setting up for a wedding, took their guided shuttle back to the entrance, and went to get brunch at QBC – all of this enchantment had made us hungry!

They were so busy at QBC that they were running a 45-minute wait to seat people, just to let the kitchen catch up. We left, figuring we could run an errand or two and come back. We drove north looking for Love Shack Libations, a small local brewery. Rob had tried their Porter at a restaurant and liked it enough to want some to bring back to the RV. Breweries are usually advertised or are at least big enough that they stand out…….we had trouble finding it but stumbled upon this little room in a strip mall with a teeny sign outside by the road…….Love Shack. We went inside. Lo and behold, behind this little room was a tasting room with a crowd inside. You never know.

Rob got himself a 4-pack, and we went back to QBC having killed enough time to get seated on the patio. With an ocean view and a nice breeze we kicked back, relaxed and had our last QBC treat: Rob had the QBC Stuffed French Toast with a poached egg (homemade buttered brioche bread stuffed with lemon mascarpone topped with strawberries, blueberries, pistachio, whipped cream and maple syrup) and I had the Portobello Burger (homemade brioche bun with basil aioli and vegan mayonnaise topped with a large tempura battered portobello mushroom, carmelized onion, lettuce and tomato) with Cream of Mushroom Soup (instead of french fries).

Then we went to French Creek Seafoods and stocked up again on fresh fish (the Halibut was just being brought in from the boat), followed by a final trip to Qualicum Foods – the city’s very nice, well stocked grocery store. We still had time when we got home to sit outside in the screened tent one last time before leaving this campsite. It was a good day.

For more detailed information about Stamp River Provincial Park, click here.