Vancouver Island, BC : Witty's Lagoon

Witty's Lagoon

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Metchosin

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Address http://www.crd.bc.ca/parks/wittys_lagoon.htm Metchosin Road Metchosin, BC (250) 474-PARK	Hours Call For Hours

Directions
Head west from Victoria on Highway 1 west. Take the Colwood exit (exit 10) and follow Sooke Road to Metchosin Road. Turn left. The main entrance and the Nature Information Centre is about a 10-minute drive. To reach the Tower Point entrance, turn left onto Duke Road from Metchosin Road, then follow Olympic View Drive. The entrance is on your left. To reach Witty's Beach, go past the main entrance to Witty's Beach Road. Turn left and follow the road to the end where there is a small parking lot. You can also take the 54 Metchosin or 55 Happy Valley bus from Victoria. Contact BusLine at (250) 382-6161 for schedules.

Description:
Just a 25-minute drive west of Victoria you will find Witty's Lagoon, a popular 56-hectare regional park. It’s a haven for all kinds of activities, including beachcombing, hiking, walking, swimming, horseback riding, and bird watching. Located within the Bilston Creek Watershed, the park consists of a large lagoon, a salt marsh, a lush coastal forest, a sand spit and beach, and a rocky shoreline near Tower Point.

There are three entrances to Witty's (see directions for details). The Nature Information Centre, located at the main entrance, is a great place to start for newcomers to the area. The naturalists there can help plan your visit to the park and tell you a bit about the history. (It is advised to call ahead to check for the Centre's hours--474-PARK.) A short walk from the centre is Sitting Lady Falls, a pleasant diversion before starting out on one of the trails. The Lagoon Trail will take you around the east side of the park, past the salt marsh to Tower Point. The shorter Beach Trail leads you along the west side, through a forest of Douglas firs to the beginning of the sand spit and the most popular part of the beach area.

For those not enticed by the 20-25 minute trek to the beach, the Tower Point area of the park can be found by taking Duke Road--before the main entrance--to Olympic View Drive. There is a large parking lot at this entrance, and many trails that lead down the rocky shoreline. From here you can also walk a short distance through warm, shallow water to the end of the spit and find a quiet place to build a sandcastle or relax in the sun.

For easier access to the sandy beach, continue driving past the main entrance to Witty's Beach Road. There is a small parking lot at the end of the road, and a steep set of wooden stairs leads you down to the lagoon and beach.

The lagoon extends out to the edge of Tower Point, and when the tide is low, leaves a long stretch of wet sand to squish your toes in and tidal pools to explore. Hermit crabs, snails, starfish, and all sorts of interesting ocean life reside here. Harbour seals and sea lions have been known to visit this area as well. Bird-watchers will love Witty's as well, as over 160 species of birds inhabit the region.

Witty's Lagoon is a great family-oriented park with a variety of activities to engage in. There's sure to be something exciting here for everyone.

Written By: Julie B. Andersen

Features
Kid Friendly | Picnic Area | Swimming Areas | Bathrooms | Picnic Tables | Walking Trails

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