An AirBnB on VanCity's North Shore is our base for the week, which makes getting to Lynn Canyon the simple matter of a short bus ride over the hill, then a stroll from the Lynn Valley Centre. If you're coming from the city it's as easy as a single bus ride too (Vancouver is super easy to get around, just get a Compass Card and know that when you 'tag' on you have 90mins of public transport use, similar to London Busses).
Anyway, a quick stop for picnic supplies latter and we were heading up to the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre which is where you enter the park. The most striking thing about Vancouver I feel, is that you can go from nonchalant suburban streets to middle of the forrest wilderness just by crossing the road. And that is exactly what the entrance to Lynne Canyon is. Like most things my top tip is to get there early. The start of the tracks takes you over a spectacular suspension bridge, hanging high above the raging water below. We get there before the tourist busses and I manage to take a (from what I've heard) rare photo of Laura alone on the bridge.
Now since we had to take a small domestic flight to Vancouver, and because it's also hella expensive, we don't have any bear spray on us. This means that as we take the right hand 'Twin Falls' track we are slightly more vigilant that normal. I know we probably don't need to be as paranoid as we are, being this close to the city, but bear in mind we have just been in the heart of the Rockies, and have already encountered a Grizzly in the wild.
Lynne Canyon is spectacular. The constant noise of rushing water crashing on the rocks under the incredibly tall trees is a constant reminder of how this valley was carved out. The narrow canyon walls having been slowly cut down over the millennia. We spend a while down the 'Twin Falls' way, until we get on to what might not have actually been a track, I spot fresh bear scratchings and that is the cue for us to hurriedly scramble back up the bank to the main track and back to the start of the park.
By the time we get back to the park entrance and that wonderful suspension bridge it was packed. We slowly meander across the bridge as if we were in a line a Disneyland... damn tourists!
From their we make our way to
Rice Lake via the tracks that pass various waterfalls, crystal clear pools, one quick climb, and a magical forrest. Rice Lake is a great little spot for lunch, provided you can find a good bit of waterfront property in the form of a park bench. The lake itself is a water reservoir from the turn of the century. It was also the upper holding pen for the loggers, and still features an example of the log flumes used to transport the lumber down and out of the hills. Turns out mad-ass people used to grab a log and hitch a ride down the hill... slightly less safe sounding than the log flumes we are all used to.
The perfect post Lynn Canyon stop is the
End Of The Line General Store, make sure you get one of their artesian iceblocks, they make the walk down back to bus stop that much better and taste incredible!
Granville Island
From treetops to cityscape, our afternoon is a heavy contrast to the morning. We make our way to the other side of the harbour, and meet one of my oldest friends Shelley at the ferry terminal. She falls into the role of 'city guide' as we make our way up and over Downtown, our bearing set for Granville (not actually an island, but kind of and island) Island! The day is spectacular, and as we cross the Granville Bridge the view out and over the city is clear and bright. Mt. Baker sits proud on the horizon, still capped with snow. Now the cool thing about Granville Bridge is that it takes you directly over Granville Island, we look down upon the markets and the restaurants, the tiny people below going about their day. But looking at Google Maps, and at the bridge ahead, it becomes apparent that we are going to overshoot our destination by quite a bit.
After we eventually manage to get off the bridge, and double back at ground level, we get to the island (and meet the world's friendliest and fattest cat on the way). Granville Island itself is one of those converted-warehouse-jobbies, once full of burley seamen, shipping containers, and fish guts, now full of bars, restaurants, markets, world music stores... and fish guts (albeit now in the form of fancy fish mongers).
We peruse the markets, and talk bollocks, until it becomes beers o'clock. Beers in the afternoon sun go down a treat, especially once one more long-time-no-see friend turns up. Our drink and merriment is exactly what Granville Island wants us to do. But our reservation time for dinner is beginning to loom, so we head down to the waterfront and jump on board a tiny little ferry boat/ water taxi. These things are awesome, it only costs us $3 to get to the Downtown side, the boat only fits about eight people, and our skipper is a jolly young fellow who poses saluting to the tourist cameras.
The rest of the evening was spent eating and drinking at as Korean all-you-can-eat Wings Joint
(Places To Eat In Vancouver coming soon). Like London though, the public transport halts further activities around midnight, so we end a great day while we're on top with a ferry ride back to the North Shore.
