A Visit with Creyke

It was a lovely day in Victoria, when Carolyn and I were enjoying the view from Beacon Hill, I mentioned the scenery from East Sook Park. That caught her attention and she suggested that we take a drive to the park. So, after a lovely Abigail’s breakfast we set out for the East Sooke Park. The drive was around 50 minutes and we made good time on the roads following the directions of the Navcom. Traffic wasn’t too bad in the city section though some construction always seems to find a way to be in the road! It wasn’t long before we were driving along rural Gillespie Road to the park area.

We arrived at the parking area to find quite a few cars in it, but it is a good-sized lot and there were lots of stalls open for us to choose between. Once parked we collected our gear and set out on the main trail to the beach. The park boasts of having over 50km of walking trails. We will only be using a couple for our adventure today. As we set out on the trail I commented on the beautiful wildflowers spread through the grass fields, they brought a good amount of colour and interest to the dry grasses.

At the first fork we came to we took the left one which led to the point. The trail was surrounded by thick arbutus and fir trees many draped in bearded lichen. It was very scenic especially as the water started to peer through the gaps. After a few minutes of walking, we arrived at Creyke Point. This point, is on the eastern most edge of the park and offers an amazing view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains beyond. The last bit of the trail involves a bit of a scramble up the side of a large rock outcropping. But it is well travelled and easy to find the easiest way up the short distance. After gathering a few photos, we continued along the trail back towards the main picnic aera. 

The trail is really quite easy to walk though one must be cautious to watch for the occasional root that will trip you if you’re not paying attention. Along this segment of the walk we spotted a huge magnificent Arbutus tree, it truly was a massive tree for its type. When back to the picnic area we took a short trail down to the sandy beach area. There were quite a few people and children playing in the sand and some swimming. It is a popular spot to enjoy the ocean, sun and sand. A few more photos and we were back on the trail heading for the picnic tables for a rest.

After resting a few minutes, we continued along the walkway to the car. In the parking lot we met a local who was here to walk his 14-year-old Golden. The dog was friendly and excited to be at the park, he had one bad rear leg which made his walking a bit slow but the owner commented on how much the dog enjoys coming and it helps to keep him young as well as the dog, being 86. He lives only a few kilometers from the park on a street which I have used and would have passed by his place on prior visits! 

Well, we were loaded in the car and having eaten a few snacks we set out for the hotel. The return trip was to take 55 minutes and when we arrived it had been 54! Considering the route with construction, traffic, traffic lights and all it is really quite remarkable at the accuracy. Carolyn and I both felt that it had been a lovely spot to visit and Creyke Point a worthy destination