Thetis Lake Park

W hen I come to Victoria, I generally try to meet up with my cousin Jim who lives in Oak Bay. We will normally go for a hike and enjoy some fresh air and take in some scenery which gives my camera a workout. We had planned to head out on Tuesday, which was forecasted to be a sunny day and ideal for the walk around the lake. Come Tuesday morning it became apparent that someone had forgotten to tell mother nature that the day was to be dry and sunny. I woke up to a heavy misty rain!

As we ate breakfast and time ticked on to 11:30 when Jim would be picking me up, I kept watching the weather hoping for a clearing. The sky showed some brightening, but it was still misting when Jim arrived.  I said that I wasn’t really dressed for a wet walk but he was hopeful and so we drove to the park’s parking lot. Not many in it but there were a few intrepid souls setting out for the trail like us. The drizzle had subsided a bit and being in trees for much of the trail it would likely be protected from the rain and so we set out for the lake.

The trail around the main lake is 4.8km in length which would be a good length for the day’s adventure. The fall colours were out and they offered some pretty sights along the edge of the lake. The trail hugs the shore of the lake quite well but there are a number of spots where it climbs a few 10’s of meters above the water. Not an overly difficult walk and a few people were jogging it as they passed us. We stopped at several points along the route for me to take a few photos. It is a lovely time of year for colour, and the water adds to the dynamism of the scene. Even the dull misty weather made for some interesting vignettes of the Fall colours.

As we made our way along, we were greeted by a few people walking their dogs, a few greeted us in friendly ways and offered a time of brief conversation with their owners. The sky was also finally clearing and by the time we were back in the car the clouds had parted and we were able to enjoy some sunshine. Though a bit damp, the mist over the water and in the trees does bring out a different look to the photos but still, I was glad to be in the sun. We decided to head out for a light lunch now that the outdoor adventure was complete. Where to go?

Jim mentioned Tim Hortons, or MacDonalds or possibly A&W. I said any would be fine let’s drop into the first acceptable one we come to. Driving down the main road we came by the spot Jim expected to find a Tims, but it wasn’t there, another shop had taken its place. Driving further he wasn’t sure what would be next, but it ended up being MacDonalds! Neither of us had eaten a burger in MacDonalds in years so going in would be a bit of an adventure in itself. We found the driveway in and parked and made our way to the counter to order a burger. 

We settled into a booth and waited for the meal to be prepared. Meanwhile I had brought my latest printed photos with me to show Jim, and we started looking through my collection of photos. The food arrived, we ate, we commented on how it surprisingly tasted reasonably decent. It was a fitting end to our walk in the park. Once done eating and viewing my photos, Jim drove me back to Abigail’s hotel while we continued our chat about family events and the those of the world. A fun day and not overly damp either. I guess Mother Nature was finally given the game plan.