Line on the Past
Island Outing from the Islander
September 13, 1998
By Ian Baird and Peter Smith
As Victoria’s Galloping Goose has shown, abandoned railway grades provide ideal recreation for walkers and cyclists alike. They are level—except where trestles have decayed or vanished—and they serve as friendly reminders of our past, creating serene corridors through urban subdivisions, rural countryside, or dense forest.
For railway buffs, they have an almost religious appeal; but any sensitive hiker will appreciate their combined attraction of history, archaeology, and natural beauty.
The authors of this article will soon produce a guide to abandoned grades on southern Vancouver Island, describing over a dozen pleasant choices that range from paved roads to almost impenetrable forest trails. Over many years, we have explored all of these on foot, even hiking the full 143-km length of the Canadian National line (the Galloping Goose) from Victoria to Youbou.
One recommended outing—though definitely not for cyclists—is the long-abandoned Shawnigan Lake Lumber Company line, which can still be traced in the second-growth forest between Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park and Koksilah River Provincial Park. From its beginnings in 1889 to its demise in 1943, this company logged numerous tracts in the Shawnigan area, mainly to the west and northwest of the lake. A well-developed railway system brought timber to the west side of the lake, for dumping and transport to the sawmill on the eastern shore (now Shawnigan’s Old Mill Community Park).
When construction began on the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway in 1884, the future of Vancouver Island appeared buoyant. In those auspicious times, the Shawnigan sawmill was founded by William Losee in 1889. Two years later, Losee was bought out by partners William Munsie and Theophilus “Pop” Elford, who established the Shawnigan Lake Lumber Company. The Munsie and Elford families operated that company for most of its history. In 1943, its assets were acquired by the H.R. MacMillan Export Company (later MacMillan Bloedel). The story is well told in Robert Griffin’s The Shawnigan Lake Lumber Company, 1889-1943 (University of Victoria Department of History thesis, 1979).
The accessible section of the railway grade can be reached from the West Shawnigan Lake Road, just north of the provincial park and directly across the road from the entrance to George Pringle Memorial Camp (United Church of Canada). As one drives north from Victoria, this access point is about seven kilometers beyond the junction of the East and West Shawnigan Lake roads.
Traces of the grade that led down to the dumping site may be seen to the south of the provincial park at the intersection of Hepworth Road; here the overgrown grade is clearly visible on the lake side of the highway, parallel to the road.
From the Pringle Camp access point, an easy hiking trail leads to the northwest, following the elevated railway grade through the forest. One marvels at the engineering skill and earth-moving zeal that went into the construction of these rail systems. At several places the path dips through ravines originally crossed by trestles, the footings of which are often visible. Letting our imagination wander, we can visualize a Climax locomotive steaming with its load of logs toward the lake.
In less than a kilometer (about a 10-minute walk), we reach the abandoned grade of the Canadian National Railway mainline from Victoria to Youbou. Here, the Shawnigan Lake Lumber Company railway passed over the CN tracks on a long oblique trestle, remains of which can be found at both ends—more obviously to the east of the CN line, where our first trail descended.
To continue this hike, we walk 80 paces north along the CN grade and then turn left (west)
into the forest. Here on the hillside we discover the far end if that oblique trestle, where we pick up the elevated Shawnigan grade for another easy and pleasant stroll. (about 20 minutes).
A this point we are very close to civilization: After passing the end of Culrain Road, the grade enters a section of recently developed private property. A short detour via Caulrain and Oland roads leads us to the third section of our hike, which is hidden behind an earth mound at the end of Oland, just beyond Sallachie.
For a few hundred metres, the Shawnigan grade is now a sublimely beautiful forest corridor. If our aim is merely a quiet stroll in the woods, we can turn back when this scenic section comes to an abrupt end at the start of a long-lost trestle. In this case our round-trip excursion will have taken perhaps 90 minutes from a car parked near the Pringle Camp entrance.
If we persevere on the railway grade, a path to the left detours around that long-lost trestle. Soon we rejoin the grade, which is straightforward and well defined for another kilometre or so.
Conditions then deteriorate: The path often looks more like river bed than railway grade, and may be wet under foot even in good weather. The combination of fallen trees and vigorous new growth makes progress slow and difficult.
After an hour or more a body of water appears on the right, and a dirt road can be seen on its far side. Before long, there is an optional escape route, in the form of a shore trail to this logging road; a turn to the right will lead to the paved section of the Port Renfrew Road and back toward Shawnigan Lake.
The railway grade is eventually transformed into a gravel road leading to Koksilah River Provincial Park. To the right of the so- called Burnt Bridge can be seen the abutment of an old trestle over the Koksilah. A further trace of the original Shawnigan Lake Railway grade still exists across the river; it offers an attractive spot for a well-earned picnic celebration.
This longer second option is a challenging hike, three or four hours in duration from George Pringle Camp. If you attempt it, consider parking a second car in advance at the Koksilah River.
Peter Smith recently retired as chairman of the department of Greek and Roman studies at the University of Victoria; lan Baird is a frequent Islander contributor.
Comments