Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve

Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve

One of our favourite stops whenever we have out of town visitors is the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve , a 130-hectare site (325 acre) located on the un-dyked floodplain of the Vedder River.  Managed by the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve Society, the site is known for the breeding colony of Great Blue Herons as well as a wide variety of wildlife and vegetation.

For directions and information on all there is to see and do at this wonderful Chilliwack attraction visit their website here.

Harrison Hot Springs

Oh Harrison how I love it so, rain or shine I am drawn to its staggering beauty. The 60km lake that stretches from Harrison to the Lillooet River is fed by ice and snow melt and is over 800 feet deep in places.  I think my heart was lost to Harrison the very first time we visited, back in May of 2008. We were still only visitors then but were blown away by the peace and serenity of the lake, the majestic beauty of the mountains and the funky little town itself.  At that time there was a cordoned off section that housed the amazing World Championship Sand Sculptures. Having never seen much more than my children’s ‘sand sculptures’ before, the sight of these amazing creations was one not to be missed.  Dragons, princesses, fairytales scenes and abstract designs all from deep within the sculptor’s talented minds, adorned the shoreline.

Those first memories of Harrison stayed with us, so much so it was the first place we visited once we landed in Canada. The wind was fierce coming off the lake that January day but the sky was clear and the sun shone.  My eyes are always drawn to the magnificent mountain backdrop and I’m always enthralled by the subtle changes each month or season brings. The children didn’t seem too worried about the cold wind as they explored the lakes shoreline. Whereas hubby and I snuggled against the wind and just marvelled at the scenery, wishing we had brought a flask of hot tea with us!

I have now lost count of the times we have returned to Harrison, always, always being drawn back to the beautiful scenery. It was where we took puppy for his first ever day out and learned the hard way that puppies and sand are not always a great combination. We’ve had ‘date nights’ there where we watched the sun set behind the mountains after having a gorgeous sushi dinner nearby. We loved watching the Dragon Boat Festival with all of us vowing to join a team and be back next year! Harrison was also where we decided we wanted to end our first ever Canada Day and we were not disappointed.  To see the fireworks lighting up the skyline with the by now, shadowy mysterious mountains as a backdrop was well worth the rush over (we’d already been to Chilliwack Heritage Park and Cultus Lake that day!!!).

I also couldn’t wait to share Harrison with my father on his first trip to the Fraser Valley. He loved it so much he arranged for us to take a boat trip on the lake…. and I thought it was beautiful from the shoreline! Being out on the lake itself was even more breathtaking.  When we hired the boat we’d been told about Rainbow Falls. A vision to behold from the lake but to see it in its full glory you need to take the short walk from the boat launch. Unfortunately for us we were not the only ones looking to experience the falls beauty that day as there was no room on the boat launch for us. But we did get plenty of opportunity to explore the lake, marvel at its sheer size and majesty and I’m ashamed to say we all became a little envious of anyone lucky enough to live on the lakeshore.

As you can tell Harrison has a very special place in our hearts and we will still return time and again as there is still so much we have yet to do.  We still want to try kayaking and windsurfing, the male members of the family talk about parasailing though I’m not so sure and we haven’t even had a soak in the Hot Springs yet.  All this beauty and fun just a stone’s throw away from home, something for everyone, young and the not so young. Harrison is easy to find, take the Trans Canada Highway #1 on the south side of the Fraser River and take the Agassiz – Harrison turn-off just past Chilliwack or take The Lougheed Highway – Highway #7 on the north side of the Fraser River and just past the Hemlock Valley turn off watch the signs for Harrison Hot Springs.

The Othello Tunnels

The skies were a little agitated the May morning we set off for the Othello Tunnels, but mercifully stayed calm whilst we headed towards Hope. Being new not only to Chilliwack but also to Canada we were not sure what to expect. Tunnels? And? But disappointed we were not. The scenery on the drive was breathtaking, somewhat ethereal under the greying skies and the directions we were given very easy to follow. We were a little apprehensive as it was one of the first times our new puppy had been out but we needn’t have worried. Dogs on a leash were perfectly acceptable, the parking facilities were good and there were a couple of washrooms close by, albeit the non-flushing kind. A little odd for us former city dwellers.The pathways towards and through the tunnels are a little uneven but people with strollers and wheelchairs seemed to be coping very well with the terrain. Onwards through the tunnels and beyond the path will take you all the way to Hope, for those hardcore hikers. The path meanders away from the thunderous river only to be surrounded by springtime flora and fauna. Majestic trees serve as a cooling canopy or a little shelter from the spring rain. The walk on to Hope was very tempting but for us and a small, very tired puppy the rest of our journey was to be the return to the car and a hot flask of tea. The walk towards the tunnels had us all mesmeriesed. The children were enthralled and intrigued by the many cracks, crevices and fissures in the rocks and us adults amazed at the sheer hard work and dedication that must have gone into the railway. We were in awe of the dangers these workers must have faced daily to ensure the completion of this particular section of the Kettle Valley Railway. As we strolled along the pathways the thunderous sound of the Coquilhalla River was a constant, only quietening when we were in the dark, dripping tunnels themselves. We stopped on the bridges to watch the river cascading over the rocks, eroded and smoothed by time, lingering long enough to make a wish on a penny and toss it into the white water below The pathways towards and through the tunnels are a little uneven but people with strollers and wheelchairs seemed to be coping very well with the terrain. Onwards through the tunnels and beyond the path will take you all the way to Hope, for those hardcore hikers. The path meanders away from the thunderous river only to be surrounded by springtime flora and fauna. Majestic trees serve as a cooling canopy or a little shelter from the spring rain. The walk on to Hope was very tempting but for us and a small, very tired puppy the rest of our journey was to be the return to the car and a hot flask of tea.