Category: Nanoose Bay

After our search for Notch Hill didn’t work out, I wanted to treat the family to a nice ocean view. I had seen on one of the maps a tiny park right in Fairwinds Community called Brickyard Community Park, which was maintained by Regional District of Nanaimo. This sounded a little more promising that the Fairwinds’ private trails. We drove down to the water past the Fairwinds Golf Course. The area and architecture spoke to me saying, “rich white dudes wearing bad golf shorts.” Had the housing come with price tags, it would have said, “if you have to ask, […]

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In the Parksville–Qualicum Beach Discovery Guide that you can pick up around the area – but definitely at the tourist info office on Highway 19A on the way into Parksville — there’s a mention of Notch Hill. It is short and reads, “A short hike to the top of the Notch Hill will reward you with view of Mount Arrowsmith, Nanoose Harbour and south to Nanaimo. This area contains a rare Garry Oak meadow and Arbutus forest ecosystem. The lookout is a great spot for a picnic lunch in nature.” This appealed to use because, with the pandemic, many places […]

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Nestled within the stunning landscape of the East Coast of Vancouver Island is “Fairwinds” at Nanoose Bay – just south of Parksville and north of Nanaimo.  Located on the leeward side of the mountain Nanoose Bay has the bragging rights of the mildest climate in Canada. As you drive down Powder Point Road past Enos Lake to Fairwinds, you may wonder where these names originated.  The forest engulfs the relics of bygone years, but a little delving into the past soon uncovers a colorful history here.  The first settler on the Nanoose Peninsula was John Enos.  Originally from the Azores, […]

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