Vancouver Island, BC : Fort Rodd Hill

Fort Rodd Hill

Capital Area

Victoria

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Address http://parkscan.harbour.com/frh/ 603 Fort Rodd Hill Rd. Victoria, BC V9C 2W8 (250) 478-5849

Directions
On Highway 1 from downtown Victoria, take Colwood exit. Follow Highway 14 to Ocean Boulevard just past the recreation centre. Turn left on first road and follow down til you see Fort Rodd Hill on the left. There are signs guiding the way from the highway.

Description:
About 15 minutes from downtown Victoria, in the Western Communities on Esquimalt Harbor, are Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Park and the Fisgard Lighthouse. It’s a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon so bring along a picnic lunch and a soccer ball. There are picnic tables all around the grounds and a huge open area to play soccer or Frisbee or whatever. There’s also a short hiking trail along the beach that follows a sentry path through the woods to a machine gun post and searchlight emplacements.

Once inside the gates, take time to view the video detailing Fort Rodd Hill’s history. Then, check out the Upper Battery where you can visit a guardhouse and underground ammunitions room. Stroll through the grounds to the Lower Battery and go inside the planning room. The Belmont Battery offers a great view of the Juan de Fuca Strait and incoming ships. Throughout the park interpretive signage fills you in on the park’s history.

After climbing to the top of the Belmont Battery and enjoying the view of Esquimalt Lagoon, follow the path down to the beach. Here you’ll find picnic tables and some great beachcombing. On sunny weekends there’s no better place to watch the sail boat races from Esquimalt Harbor.

Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse offer plenty of history. Be prepared to spend a few hours wandering through the buildings, having a picnic, or, if you’re lucky, listening to a military band playing in the park. This is a great place to bring the kids -- they’ll have a wonderful time and maybe even learn something too. It’s an easy drive from downtown Victoria and there’s plenty of parking and wheelchair access too, but leave the family pooch at home.

Written By: Elaine Baglo

Features
Bathrooms | Picnic Tables | Wheelchair Accessible | Kid Friendly | Picnic Area | Walking Trails

Comments
Very nice web site you have here, My Grandfather Mr L.P. "Jack" Cockrell served there for a time, and is extreamly well known still in those parts. John P. Cockrell
- John Phillip Cockrell on Sun, September 17, 2006

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