Good Morning. I have to admit that it feels terribly strange to have no editor’s notes, calendars to keep up with or some place to be. Slow is not my normal pace. I’ll have to get used to it because Ken and I have promised that August – mostly – will be the month of laid backness.

We are going on vacation (say what?), sleeping in (sort of), hosting no major events (except the whole Bobs and Lolo thing. Not hosting, just participating), and most importantly working hard on spending our weekends beach side and hillside. So, I guess I should say “slow for us.” But, we are totally looking forward to a more mellow groove on the home front.

One great family-friendly path that we are definitely taking on this month is Campbell River’s Willow Creek Conservation Area with its shady trails, twists and turns, cool creek waters and laid back atmosphere.

This relatively short 2km walk is one that offers families a bit of a challenge with some big hills and stairs. Backpacks are recommended for wee ones as this is not a stroller-friendly path.

You can start off at the very clearly marked trail heads at the corner of Twillingate and Willow Creek Roads or at the Martin Road trail head, an easy jaunt to the south end of Campbell River (directions at the end of the post). We start at Martin Road when we go.

I recommend heading over to Greenways Land Trust and checking out their map of the watershed trail (scroll down the page, it is toward the bottom and is a download) as it has some interesting history and a map is always an important tool.

This space was once heavily logged, even dammed up at one point, and is now beautifully restored by stream keepers.

We were pleasantly surprised at the cool things we discovered here including yummy salal berries, gorgeous alders and the cool stream that is a great reprieve on hot Summer days.

Because it is a forest of restoration, it is an interesting peek into a young, less diverse natural space – which makes it a great place to learn and explore from a historical perspective, of which there is a wealth available.

The walk takes about two hours, as there are many twists and turns, with several rather wow sort of spots to stop for snacks and water breaks.

I recommend packing a change of clothes (the creek inevitably means wet kids).

The other thing to be aware of, especially this time of year, is keeping the family together as bears start to come down further into the coastal forests looking for berries. Although not common, it’s not unheard of for bear and cougar to be found in the watershed. Take a peek back at our bear and cougar safety recommendations from local Conservation Officers to stay prepared. I’ve taken on the “family band” theory. So, if you hear a crazy, jingling crew tromping through the forest…:)

The Willow Creek Conservation Area is one trail that I would definitely consider a keeper on our list of regulars.

See you in the forest!

Directions to the Martin Road trail head: Head into Campbell River on the Old Island Highway (19A) and turn west on to Erickson Road (there is a Shell station and Budget Rental on the corner).  From Erickson turn south on to Martin Road.  Martin Road is a residential street.  At the very end is a small parking area and trailhead.