Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 808

watching them flit about and land on your head, you can eyeball exotic fish, plants and
birds. Look out for Spike, the puna ibis bird that struts around as if he owns the place.

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Sooke & Around
Rounding Vancouver Island's rustic southern tip towards Sooke (a 45-minute drive from
Victoria), Hwy 14 is lined with twisted Garry oaks and unkempt hedgerows, while the
houses - often artisan workshops or homely B&Bs - seem spookily hidden in the forest
shadows.
Sharing the same building (and hours) as the visitor center, the fascinating Sooke Re-
gion Museum ( www.sookeregionmuseum.com ; 2070 Phillips Rd; 9am-5pm) illumin-
ates the area's rugged pioneer days. Check out Moss Cottage in the museum grounds:
built in 1869, it's the oldest residence west of Victoria.
A 5km drive from Hwy 14 (the turnoff is east of Sooke), Sooke Potholes Provincial
Park ( www.bcparks.ca ) is a favorite summer hangout among the locals. With rock pools
and potholes carved into the river base during the last ice age, it's ideal for swimming
and tube floating. Camping is available via the website of the Land Conservancy
( www.conservancy.bc.ca ; campsites $25; May-Sep).
You'll find B&Bs dotted along the route here, but for one of the province's most de-
lightful and splurge-worthy sleepovers, head to Whiffen Spit's Sooke Harbour House (
250-642-3421; www.sookeharbourhouse.com ; 1528 Whiffen Spit Rd; d from $299; ) .
Paintings, sculptures and carved wood line its lovely rooms. The restaurant alone is
worth a stop for its fine West Coast dining.

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Cowichan Valley

A swift Hwy 1 drive northwest of Victoria, this farmland region is ripe for exploration.
Check out what's available by contacting Tourism Cowichan ( 888-303-3337,

250-746-4636; www.tourismcowichan.com ) for information.