Grand Tour 2026 - Journey's End

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The beginning of Highway 101 - Lund

We finally arrived home in Gibsons on Tuesday 4th, after six days exploring the top of the Sunshine Coast around Powell River and Lund.  Lund is Km 0 of  Highway 101 which stretches 156 Kms from Lund to Langdale, where the ferries from Horseshoe Bay dock, and onwards for another 17km to Port Melon Mill.  

Powell River is separated from the lower part of the Coast by the Jarvis Inlet and requires a ferry ride between Saltery Bay and Earl's Cove. The ferry ride between the two sections is variable but just under an hour, a 19km ferry ride.  Near enough for us to pop up there again and explore more of the fantastic lakes and mountain ranges.

Getting to Powell River required a ferry from Comox on Vancouver island which takes about 1hr 40m.  

The crossing to Westview is well known for whale sightings and we spotted three separate Orca pods and a Humpback, which put on an impressive breaching and fin flapping display.

Humpback Display - on the Comox to Powell River Ferry Crossing

We based ourselves at a campsite (the Red Clay Oven RV Park, outdoor oven not in use!) which was midway between Powell River and Lund, giving us a chance to properly explore the top of the Coast.  We had not previously spent any time in the area, apart from odd day trips or when transiting to/from Vancouver Island using the aforesaid ferry routes.

Lund

First stop was Lund to check out the harbour and the famous Nancy's Bakery, which overlooks the harbour.  A great coffee stop and sunny terrace with an almost Carribean feel.

Lund is a small hamlet mainly centered around the harbour and the water taxi services that run to Savary Island, a ten minute ride away, and other islands. 

Savary Island is known for its long white sandy beaches on both the north and south sides of the island, with very few people around.  

It has a grocery store, a restaurant and a few other eateries, bike repair facilities, but no public loos and no garbage bins on the island... it's mainly loads of smart holiday homes and cabin rentals.  

If you haven't already barged a vehicle onto the island, or have a golf cart or bike, you're on foot.  Most visitors use the water taxi, many arriving and departing with trolley/cart loads of crates and cool boxes to transport their food and belongings during their stay.... oh and loads of full garbage bags to dispose of back in Lund. 

This Savary Island waterfront place was spectacular and it is for sale if you have spare $1.5m to hand.  

It was an interesting visit, but I'm not sure we'd rush back, unless we were actually staying in one of the cottages as it's quite restricting.  There are limited hikes and places to go, usually uphill, so it's more attractive to those who like spending their day stretched out on a sandy beach.  Not really us.

Back on the mainland near Lund, we started to check out the Sunshine Coast Trail.  A 180 km backcountry hike. 

We planned to walk an out and back part of the trail to Gibraltar Lookout.

We made it 3/4s of the way, but a bear in the undergrowth cut our journey short.  We decided discretion was the better part of valor.

Andy & Natalie when you have exhausted the dales, trails, lakes and peaks in the UK the Sunshine Coast Trail is one for you!  We can lend you a bear spray!

Sunshine Coast Trail

We have friends who have walked sections of the route, but not met anybody who has done the whole thing.  On our way back down the trail we met a large group from Utah, well spread out, all plugged into music or podcasts.  

Okeover Inlet

Whatever it was they were listening to, when we told them about the bear there was a quick check on who had the bear spray and a suggestion they stick together.   

I suggested to one lonely member of the group well behind the rest of them, who was listening to his music on his phone speaker, that they might want to listen out for birds, bees and bears.  Not that a bear will go anywhere near this member of the group given his choice in music.

The north side of the Powell River to Lund peninsular faces the Okeover Inlet, which sits on the edge of the beautiful Desolation Sound Marine Park.

We drove over to the Okeover Inlet Provincial Park and took in the scenery and had a wander.  We also checked out the Laughing Oyster restaurant, deciding we would return one evening later in the week.  

The next two days we spent exploring Inland Lake, just North of Powell River.  A truly spectacularly serene lake.

The first day, we hiked the 13km perimeter of the lake. Well we hiked, Jack ran it back and forth so probably did double the distance and he swam as many sections of it as he could.  

We had a picnic lunch and enjoyed a peaceful break on a large smooth rock ledge at the edge of the water.   

Green Frog

Jack took to frog hunting, of which there are a number of varieties in the lake.  Fortunately he failed to catch anything but it kept him and us amused.  

He used to catch frogs in the garden at Eastcourt House and many a time he'd 'fetch' one with a frog leg sticking out of his mouth....they usually lived to leap again.  

That evening we adjourned to the Laughing Oyster for supper, which had lovely views over the Okeover Inlet.    

We had an outside table as dogs are not allowed inside any BC establishment that serves food.   It was clearly a popular location for boaters and those on holiday in the area.  

To say it was an eclectically odd evening would be an understatement.  They'd had a wedding reception there the day before for 150 guests and this evening the service was sadly not that great - they seemed discombobulated - and they had run out of napkins, dessert knives, menus, a number of bar drinks and some menu items. It was laughable, ironically given the restaurant's name.

The following day we returned to Inland Lake with a canoe rental and paddled part of the lake.  

It was a still day, with just the ripples from our paddling and the cry of Loons, which echoed around the surrounding hills.  It was such an uplifting place to be in for a few hours - the weather was great and the natural scenery was stunning!

We stopped for lunch on an isolated sandy beach, only accessible by boat and just enjoyed the quiet stillness, the warm water under our feet ..... and the Loons!

The following day, was our last ferry of the trip, down to our stretch of the Coast.

Jack frog hunting

Nick, Lizzie and the boys who had been staying at our house over the weekend were still there when we got back.  It was good to catch up and for Jack to get reacquainted with his new playmate, Laurie!

It was good to be home after some 4,000km and a month of travelling.

Back home - we have not heard anything to our appeal over getting full driving licences reissued. We also need to explore whether we have any other routes to Permanent Residency. 

STOP PRESS

We heard in the last few days that Murder in a Small Town is now streaming on Netflix in the UK.  The books were written by a Canadian author L R Wright and was set in Gibsons and on the Sunshine Coast.  The screenplay developed by Ian Weir, who then relocated Gibsons to the USA, even though it was all filmed in and around us. The scenery is great, you can be the judge of the content.  

Leaving Comox

Savary Island - Easier than the water taxi

Inland Lake

Inland Lake trail

The top of Inland Lake

Lunch stop

Local wildlife - Garter Snake

Laughing Oyster - patio views

Serene

Leaving Saltery Bay for Earl's Cove - destination home

 

Happy wanderers

Jack's new playmate