Two Days in a Vancouver Island Gem

The buzz arrives as soon as the shot of Oh de Vie hits my belly. At 3 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, I’ve already downed six tasters of different styles and flavours of cider and one shot of the eau de vie, a young brandy. I can feel it. I grip the bar at Merridale Estate Cidery and contemplate the two more winery stops and the 15 km of riding between me and dinner. “I need some food,” I sputter to Don Barrie, my guide for the day. “We can grab some fresh bread and local cheese along the way,” he says without a pause. “That’s the nice thing about the Cowichan Valley, you’re never far from anything.”

The rural sprawl of this riding haven on the east coast of Vancouver Island includes rolling hills and lush lowlands covered with hobby farms, vineyards and acreages. Cliff-capped mountains add contrast to the area, 45 minutes north of Victoria, often referred to as the new Provence. Only a few hours into my two-day stay in the area, I’m beginning to see the moniker’s accuracy, including when it comes to the cycling.

Focused around the town of Duncan, the Cowichan Valley is huge, stretching from Cobble Hill to Ladysmith, Maple Bay to Lake Cowichan. Road riding circuits wind along quiet and paved rural roads with forested mountains, cozy harbours and wineries dominating the view. More than 140 km of refurbished rail-to-trail lines cut through the forest and over lofty trestle-style bridges. The mountain biking varies from easy cross country to exhilarating downhills to some of the flowiest all-mountain riding on Vancouver Island. But the most compelling reason to visit the Valley is a cycling wine tour. With 12 wineries spread across the area, it’s easy to link a few into a great ride. As we pedal out of the Merridale driveway, the remains of a protein bar in my mouth, I’m confident I’ll make it to dinner.

What looks like a scribble of roads on the map turns out to be pleasant pedaling. We cut through a neighbourhood of rural homes with huge firs shielding the road. We cross the Trans Canada Highway and eventually make our way to Cherry Point Estate. We pull up to their tasting room, park our bikes at the rack and head in for a taste. This is where Vancouver Island’s wine industry was born. During the ominous-sounding Duncan Project, funded by the provincial government in the 1980s, promising varieties of grapes were tested on the hillside. Mostly from similar latitudes in Hungary, Germany and northern France, Pinot Noir, Ortega and Pinot Gris grapes all do well here, as do many other varieties not well known on this side of the Atlantic.

Don and I diligently work through Cherry Point’s taster menu – the Pinot Noir is especially good – and then hit the road. The buzz is back, but I’m in control as we coast towards Cowichan Bay, possibly the best pit stop in the area. Perched between a steep hillside and a working harbour, the town is a strip of quaint buildings and businesses. We grab the last loaf of French bread from the True Grain Mill, where they bake with local grains milled on site. We step outside and realize the day is disappearing fast and the weather is deteriorating, so we pull the plug and catch a ride home where a local-grown meal at the Stone Soup Inn awaits.

The next day I turn my attention to the area’s fantastic mountain biking. Local food must be cleansing, because despite all the drinking on day one, I feel good as I follow Nina Brown up her favourite loop of Mount Tzouhalem’s singletrack. Trails criss-cross here and there. “It’s not the easiest place to navigate,” says Brown. “If you showed up on your own you’d have fun, but it takes a while to really get to know this place.” She does, linking trails at each junction without hesitation. I can’t keep up with all the names, except Field of Dreams, which had incredible views over Genoa Bay far below.

Eventually we hit the main logging road that climbs to the summit. We take a short break at the top and then squeal the disc brakes down Boogeyman. The steep trail goes from cliffside edges to steep rock slabs and back again. A misstep here would have bad consequences. At the bottom, we do a short climb up to another downhill and then link Luc’s Skywalker and Chickenrun before finishing with a screaming, banked descent of Resurrection. We’ve barely scratched the surface. “You could spend three days here and not ride everything,” says Brown.

Before I leave, I want to check out some of the rail-to-trail paths. Don Barrie got us a sneak preview of the Kinsol Trestle where a work crew was busy putting the finishing touches on the bridge before it’s official opening. The longest trestle bridge in Canada, it’s the last of eight in the Cowichan Valley to be refurbished for cycling. Its elegant curve traverses 615 feet across the canyon on the Kokisalah River. The bridge is worth visiting all by itself, let alone linking it with the other bridges on the south side of the Cowichan River on a long ride.

Getting there:

WestJet and Air Canada are among the airlines that service Victoria International Airport, which is about an hour by car from Cowichan Valley. Flying into Vancouver is another option, requiring a

two-hour ferry trip via Nanaimo or Tsawwassen, and then an hour-long drive.

If you’re driving from the Saanich Peninsula or getting off Vancouver ferry at Swartz

Bay, take a short cut and hop on the BC Ferries Mill Bay to Brentwood Bay route. The 25-minute ferry trip is pretty and quicker than driving. From elsewhere in Victoria, get on HWY 1 north toward Duncan. For areas north of the Cowichan Valley, including Nanaimo, drive south on Hwy 19, which turns into the Trans Canada Highway. Nanaimo is about 45 minutes from Duncan.

Where to stay:

The Cowichan Valley is full of bed and breakfasts. Nothing is more than 30 minutes away here, so no matter which you choose, you’re close to the riding. Hotels are mostly found along the Trans Canada Highway and are concentrated near Duncan. Campgrounds are another good option, spread throughout the area. Find them all at: cvrd.bc.ca

Where to eat:

The area has plenty of good options for food. Many of the wineries have good onsite restaurants. In Cowichan Bay, try Hilary’s Artisinal Cheese for lunch or stop at one of the many farm stands and boutique shops. Duncan is the commercial hub with the most dinner options. Downtown, try the Craig Street Brew Pub for high-end pub-style food. Sharing the same kitchen, Just Jake’s next door is a more formal option. Toward Lake Cowichan, the Stone Soup Inn’s chef taster menu is worth the splurge. Shawnigan Lake’s Steeples is another great option.

The Riding

For mountain biking, Mount Tzouhalem, just east of Duncan, is the most popular riding area for cross-country and all-mountain trails. The best downhill riding can be found at the lift-accessed Mount Prevost. Maple Mountain, Burnt Bridge and Cobble Hill are also good options. Maps and directions can be found at Experience Cycling in Duncan (250.746.4041) or online at simbs.com.

For road riding, grab a map and plot your own loop, but avoid the busy Trans Canada Highway. The most scenic roads are on the east side of HWY 1, but there are some excellent roads on the Cowichan Lake side. Roads are typically paved and rolling with small shoulders and little traffic. Several route options can be found at naturecowichan.net/bicycle. For more information about the Valley’s 140 km of rail trail, visit cvrd.bc.ca.

Ryan Stuart is a freelance writer and cyclist based on Vancouver Island. Though he prefers knobby tires to slicks, with a full-time job and a busy family he’ll take his time in the saddle any way he can get it.