Pulpit Rock

The next day of our stay in the Nelson area we decided to walk up Pulpit Rock. It is a relatively short but steep trail on the Northshore of Kootenay Lake West Arm overlooking the city of Nelson with an elevation gain of around 1300ft.

There wasn't much to look at on the way but we were rewarded with great views from the top.

Looking over the Eastern end of the city and the Orange Bridge and Lakeside Park in the foreground where we had walked yesterday.

Closer view of the bridge

And of Lakeside Park

Chahko Mika Mall is the location of the big box stores in Nelson

Overview of the city of Nelson

More views of Nelson, with the tiny airport in the foreground

Close up of the airport

And of the historic downtown area


No idea who's house this is but thought it looked pretty neat ?.......

The Prestige Lakeside Hotel & Convention Centre

Mum and Dad at the top of Pulpit Rock

Kokanee Creek Park and Lakeside Park

The first couple of days during our stay on Kootenay Lake the weather wasn't forecast to be too great so we decided to head to the Kokanee Creek Park where we would be partially under tree canopy if it rained.

Kokanee Creek Park was created in 1955 and developed further in 1982 when they built a spawning channel next to the Kokanee Creek. This was created for the Kokanee (or Red) salmon who are a rare landlocked / freshwater breed of salmon. Each year 3 year old salmon come to these tributaries to breed and then eventually die.

A view of Kokanee Creek

Masses of Kokanee Salmon in the spawning channel



More fish and a few ducks down stream

Mum, Dad, Mojo and I at Kokanee Creek Park

After we had visited the spawning channel we walked along a trail upstream alongside the main creek. Mojo couldn't catch any fish but he managed to retrieve this stick

David, Mojo and I - thanks Mum for this picture

Views upstream

After lunch the weather had improved and showed no signs of starting to rain so we headed into the town of Nelson to Lakeside Park
View here of the 'Orange Bridge' carrying Highway 3A out of town, over the lake and up the North side of the West Arm of Kootenay Lake.

Closer view of the bridge.

Mojo and I at Lakeside Park

Nelson originally had the 'shortest streetcar system in North America' running in the early 1900's just three cars, numbered 21, 22 and 23 - to give the impression of a bigger street car system. They were replaced in 1949 with diesel buses but since 1992 the original streetcar 23 has been operational by volunteers in the city as a tourist attraction.

Lots of geese on the playing fields in Lakeside Park

There is even a free outside 'gym'

Views of Lakeside Park. Nelson makes excellent use of it's waterfront location.

Views back across the park.

For Mojo, after two good walks during the day, it was ended with a good snooze.

Trip to Nelson & The Kootenays

We took Mum and Dad away for the middle week of their stay to the Kootenays region of British Columbia. It's a large area but we had rented a house just outside the town of Nelson, approximately 700kms from Vancouver.

The house was a fairly rustic home, but had a big flat grassy garden..........

...the garden became terraced with some garden chairs.....

....and then lead onto this beautiful view of Kootenay Lake. The house had it's own private sandy beach at the end of the garden and easy, safe access for Mojo to swim and us to paddle (it was a bit cold for us to swim !)

Mojo particularly appreciated his own private lake

View along the lakeshore showing the private beaches of the other homes along the road.

Mojo posing in his new favourite garden

The lazy days of holiday were ended with some swimming in the lake. David throwing the stick for Mojo

Who obediently runs in to fetch it

And brings it back

Followed by a good shake

Lynn Headwaters, Dog Beach & Capilano Canyon with Mum & Dad

Adrians parents visited for three weeks this September. We took them away for the middle week to a house we had rented in the Kootenays (see next post).

During the first week we got a walk in at Lynn Headwaters completing the Varley Trail and then crossing Lynn Creek and returning alongside the river back to the parking lot.

As I had Mojo I didn't take my camera for these first few walks so it's thanks to Mum for these photos.

Dad, Mojo and I on the trail at Headwaters.

Crossing Lynn Creek

Mojo

Sunlight through the trees


Back home after our walk.

We also headed out to the dog beach at Ambleside when we needed to go to Park Royal and it gave Mojo a walk at the same time.
Mojo did lots of stick fetching, when he wasn't being distracted by other dogs to play with !

On the beach

David, Dad and I

Later in the first week we took a walk in Capilano Canyon.
While most of the forest at Capilano Canyon is new growth, there is still some old growth left, these trees are identifiable as they are usually huge with giant trunks

Mojo posing on a fallen tree

More old growth trees

Dad and I

The damp environment sees lots of moss growing on some of the trees


View up the canyon towards the dam which was only a trickle as we haven't had much rainfall

Small falls just south of the dam

Views along the canyon



The forest is a rich source of good sticks to fetch