Cool Nanaimo Walking Tour
An innercity hike that begins at the waterfront and follows the park-rimmed Millstone River for kilometers to Buttertubs Marsh
As
the Trans-Canada Trail is developed, cities are rushing to finish their
sections of the trail. Nanaimo's trail winds through a number of kinds
of regions, including a stretch along the Nanaimo River, Extension
Ridge, and the section along the Millstone River that I am about to
describe.
Here's a great self-guided walking tour that'll show you the "nice" part of Nanaimo's waterfront, end then it'll take you up the length of Bowen Park along the Millstone River, an area with old Victorian trails, and finally around Buttertubs Marsh.
It's a beautiful route with very tall trees, and takes about an hour to hike each way (probably about 6km?), and includes both natural and historic landmarks (though the latter are subtle). If you are new to Nanaimo, my directions may be difficult to follow, but you're guaranteed an adventure.
You can start at either end, but I'll describe the trail as if you were starting downtown. From the Bastion, walk along the waterfront toward Maffeo-Sutton Park to the north. On the other side of Swy-a-Lana Lagoon, past the little building where concerts are performed, the trail comes to a bridge over the Millstone Estuary, and the highway bridge is overhead. Instead of crossing the footbridge, pass underneath the highway bridge (you will see a mural, or the remains of one, on the concrete under the bridge). Don't cross a bridge here! Pass underneath the bridge.
Once you are upstream from the bridges, there is a paved pedestrian pathway running along the right side of a parking lot (you'll see businesses on the left, including the Tally-Ho wine and spirits store, and the bus depot). Follow the pathway as close to the river as possible. When the trail ends at a road, turn right on the road toward the river. You'll eventually find a trail going into the trees, to Barsby Park. (Along the water downstream of this park, there are a lot of old ruins, decayed wooden docks especially.)
There are stairs and boardwalks leading into Barsby Park, and you'll find the spot where the river turns sharply &mdash there used to be a hydro-electric dam here, about a hundred years ago. There are a lot of strange pools.
The trail crosses a footbridge as it heads west toward the E&N Railway causeway, towering above. After the German cultural centre on the left, you'll be forced onto a road and to the right, up a hill. Watch for the stairs on the left that go up to the railway tracks; cross the tracks and then go down the path on the other side, staying to the left at a fork after that, and passing above the soccer field.
Let this path deposit you on Wall St, the steep road that
dips down between Bowen Park and the Curling Club/Skate Bowl. Go left and down, then cross
Wall Street — find low ground. You should end up near the picnic shelter at the very bottom of Bowen Park. From here you can follow a trail that takes you the length
of Bowen Park, following the Millstone River. You'll pass the old fish
ladder, the recently upgraded duck pond and "totem poles", and some neat footbridges (check this river out in the wet season). The picture below shows a pool that Nanaimo boys and girls used to swim in when Nanaimo was younger and a bit cleaner.
Eventually, after you've passed the
second footbridge in Bowen Park, this path will wind around another
soccer field. You're now near the Quarterway Pub. The trail comes out
on Bowen Rd, right beside the bridge near the Quarterway. Instead of
crossing the bridge, cross Bowen Rd and turn down the little street
you'll see - Buttertubs Drive. The marsh is at the end of this road (about 5 minutes
walking), and since Buttertubs Marsh offers a loop hike, you can circle
around it and head back the way you came, or catch the number 44 bus back to downtown.
