Cowichan Valley Cycling and The Farm Table Inn

My wife and I just returned from a delightful three days cycling the Cowichan Valley Trail (part of the TransCanada Trail Network) between Shawnigan Lake, Lake Cowichan and Duncan (www.cvrd.bc.ca/121/Cowichan-Valley-Trail).

The maintained trail is the former CNR Line running from south of Shawnigan Lake to Duncan via Cowichan Lake, a distance of about 80 km. The trail is mostly hard packed gravel and grades are very gentle so pedalling is very comfortable. It was particularly comfortable for us as we were using our new EBikes however we did a lot of pedalling covering 78 km over two days.

The trail is primarily in the magnificent coastal forest and there are a scattering of access points with ample parking, toilets and information signage. Much of the trail parallels the Cowichan River and there are several magnificent trestles including the famous and very high Kinsole Trestle.

We stayed for two nights at the delightful Farm Table Inn (www.farmtableinn.ca) on the Cowichan Lake Road near Skutz Falls in the Cowichan River Provincial Park. The Inn has two B & B rooms. Although a bit dated they are large, comfortable and clean with  full ensuite bathrooms. Both rooms have access to a kitchenette stocked with coffee and a selection of teas and a frig for your beverages. A full breakfast is included every morning in the dining room. A flock of chickens and their rooster chief, Big Red, welcomes you when you enter the property. There are also several pigs and sheep in corals.

The highlight is the cuisine! Owners Evelyn Koops and George Gates do a marvellous job sourcing virtually everything on the menu from their own property and regional farms. Our objective was to eat and drink locally due to the agricultural bounty in the Cowichan Valley and we were able to achieve that objective. The house brand wines, a white, red and rosé named after the farm roosters, were also very acceptable although a selection of both domestic and foreign wine are available We selected from the regular menu for the evening meals and chose the bountiful Sunday Brunch buffet on Sunday morning.

Highly recommended for both hiking and cycling within an hours drive from Victoria.

Cameron Berry