Sampson Park is another one of those private parks. It still blows my mind that those exist. It just seems wrong.
PPR
Good: probably something
Bad: they put the no trespassing sign at the bottom of a really big hill
this doesn't get a rating/10
But I decided to take that sign seriously and go trespass of BC Rail's property instead. If you're looking for something cool near Sampson Park, head south on the train tracks from Pasco Road. It won't take much walking before you find this:
It's like a gallery of graffiti. It inspired me to start a new blog to showcase all the amazing graffiti I've seen on my travels around suburbia: Suburbiart
Citrus Park was by far the best park I visited on my trip to the Sunset Highlands. It was the only one that was open to the public, but on top of that it was amazing.
On the way there, you will have to pass through this tunnel:
Your steps echo while you're walking through it, so that's really cool.
Through the tunnel and to the right, you will find a set of stairs leading down to the beach:
They're crazy twisty stairs followed by a crazy twisty path. On my way down, I ran into a guy in scuba gear going up them. That didn't look like fun, so I bet the diving around here is worth it.
At the bottom of all that, there are these three stumps for sitting on:
While it is tempting to simply crash here, I'd highly recommend checking out the trails to the left when you reach the bottom of the entrance path.
As I explored these narrow trails, my mother's voice echoed in my head, "Allie, lemmings have trails too." But I'm glad that I didn't let her somewhat creepy warning get to me. There's a whole network of beaten trails, and the one I followed led to a rocky outcropping with this beautiful arbutus tree:
My camera, Igor, has trouble with bright colours. That tree was the most incredibly vivid shade of orangey yellow. The picture doesn't do it justice. You should really make a trip here just so you can see that colour.
I settled on a rock just in front of that tree to look at the view. There were a few fishing boats floating in the foreground, and in the background was Madrona Ridge, Cliff Cove and Bowen Island. For those of you who have been adventuring with me, Madrona Ridge is where the helicopter pad is. It was a stunning view, and it was extra special because I was looking at where I live.
The rocks below the one I was sitting on were also very interesting. There was a lot of space between them for water to flow through with every wave. Watching the water rushing from the cracks is hypnotizing. I could watch it forever. Here's 15 seconds of some relatively calm waves:
I wouldn't recommend sticking to the main beach at Citrus Park because, quite frankly, it is boring. It wouldn't make sense to stay there when there are so many special little corners to discover. But the one thing the main beach does have is a rope swing:
However, it's not a very well placed rope swing. There's nowhere to swing without running yourself into a tree. I'm not sure what whoever put that one up was thinking. But I think we can forgive the park for this odd flaw.
In addition to it being the best park I saw that day, Citrus Park was also the most convenient to get to. It's only a 5 minute walk from a bus stop. Those are few and far between north of Horseshoe Bay. Because it's so convenient, I will definitely return to this park.
PPR
Good: view, trails to explore, scuba diving, tunnel, stump seats, quiet area
Bad: poorly placed rope swing, no sand
8/10
I assumed that the "P" on the map at Sunset Beach Park stood for parking, but it turns out that it stands for private. I had no idea that parks could be private. Apparently they can. After some accidental trespassing and being asked to delete a few pictures by a wealthy hermit, I have determined that Sunset Beach Park is not a good place to visit.
If you are looking for somewhere to visit in this area, try Sunset Marina:
It is located on Lawrence Way before the private road signs begin showing up. This marina seems to specialize in power boats. As a sailor, I am very biased against the power boating community, but if that's your thing then this would be a great place to keep your boat. If you're not a boater, come for the restaurant or this excellent view of Bowyer Island:
PPR
Good: it's a pretty area
Bad: you're not allowed to go there
I'm not at liberty to say/10
