Enos Lake, Vancouver Island in Winter

A confusing network of wetland trails is owned by the Fairwinds Community of Nanoose Bay near Nanaimo.

Happily, they are open to the general public. No fishing. No swimming.

Easiest way to get there is from Island Highway 19, turning at the Petro Canada gas station east onto Northwest Bay Road.

I went early December.

Click PLAY or watch my trail run on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch some drone footage on YouTube.

Details – Vancouver Island View – Enos Lake Trail

Little Qualicum Falls, Vancouver Island

Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, established 1940 to protect the old growth forest, offers a terrific 1 hour hike if you are driving between Nanaimo and Port Alberni.

There are plenty of other nearby attractions including Cathedral Grove.

Swimming is possible in good weather. But know that people have drowned here.

Outdoor Vancouver – Little Qualicum Falls Loop

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Englishman’s River Falls B.C.

BestHike editor Rick McCharles. 

Many, many times I’ve walked the spectacular 2km loop at Englishman River Falls Provincial Park near Parksville B.C.

Often I cycle there from Parksville. Then walk or run the loop a number of times.

Click PLAY or watch a November run on YouTube.

B.C. Parks website.  The campsite has over 100 spaces.

Read more – Bikepacking.com – Miles Arbour – ENGLISHMAN RIVER OVERNIGHTER

Click PLAY or watch a summer run on YouTube.

Nydia Track, New Zealand

Nydia Track, Marlborough: The best walk you’ve never heard of

I thought I’d heard of ALL major New Zealand tramps. I lived there for a year.

The 27 km Nydia Track in the Sounds area of Marlborough is an easy 2 day tramp. Plan on an overnight stop at Nydia Bay.

Department of Conservation

World Expeditions offers a guided tour.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Father of the FKT – Buzz Burrell

The poster boy for Fastest Known Times is Kílian Jornet Burgada.

As I post, Kilian holds the fastest known time for the ascent and descent of MatterhornMont BlancDenali and perhaps Everest.

But it’s  Buzz Burrell who really popularized the concept, co-founding fastestknowntime.com with Peter Bakwin and Jeff Schuler.

Buzz Burrell

Those three run the site on a voluntary basis.  And it’s a ton of work.

Buzz himself had been racing routes for decades. He set the FKT on the Colorado Trail in 1999.  The FKT on John Muir in 2000. 

This interview with Buzz will fill you with respect.  Buzz co-hosts his own audio show called the FKT Podcast

Croatian Long Distance Trail

The Croatian Long Distance Trail (CLDT) was pretty much invented by Nikola (Tesla) Horvat.

Nikola

Croatia shares a maritime border with Italy. The capital city is Zagreb.

As I post the trail is not recommended due to COVID-19 restrictions. Hopefully it will be possible again starting 2021.

  • approximately 2200 km (1400 mi)
  • mountain trails, wild trails, hard rock, forest roads, fields, gravel roads and sometimes asphalt roads
  • mountain huts, hotel, hostel, private accommodation, official campsite
  • many settlements so resupply should not pose a problem

As very few have hiked it yet, you’ll be pleased to hear there is a Guthook Guide. There are some blazes and emblems, as well..

Details on the official website

Glorious Rathtrevor Beach at Dawn

Dawn low tide at Rathtrevor Beach in Parksville on Vancouver Island.

I’ve been walking early morning at Rathtrevor for months during COVID lockdown. This edit gives you a good feel for the glorious setting.

I’ve not yet tired of taking a morning walk in exactly the same place each day. Every dawn is different.

Low tide here stretches nearly a kilometre out into the Strait of Georgia.

Thousands of birds are here Spring and Autumn during migration. This video shot in November.

Rathtrevor has a terrific campground, if you ever get the chance to visit.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.