Ruckle Point Provincial Park and Yeo Point Salt Spring Island

• Author: WantsToTravelMore
• Accommodation: Salt Spring Island Accommodations

Our second Salt Spring Island beach walk on our trip (see Jack Foster Trail) was at the south east part of the Island. To find the access point to this trail, from Ganges, take Fulford-Ganges Road, turn left on Cusheon Lake Road, right on Stewart Road, left on Beaver Point Road, left onto Bullman Road and then right onto Meyer Road. There’s a cul-de-sac at Meyer Road where you can park.

The trail soon becomes this mossy magical location. In March the moss was so profound and wet and green that it felt like a scene from The Shire in Lord of the Rings. Or that a fairy in the English style would pop out from behind a mossy rock.

The trail is rated easy, but again that means you can wear shoes that you don’t mind getting muddy. There are ups and downs, but the people maintaining the trail have some handy grips including a rope that I used to slow my descent on one muddy downward slope.

The trail has a couple of branches. If you want to get to the beach, follow the sign to Yeo Point. Once you find your way down to the water (a bit of root negotiation is required) you will find an isolated cove. If you arrive a low tide, you will have lots of room to explore tidal pools. We found some fascinating crabs and other shells that we’ve not seen on the mainland or in Parksville.

I sat on a log and took in the ducks (look up) birds flying above and the relative quiet of the situation.

On the way back, near the start of the trail, we heard some odd chopping noises. Was it someone in the distance? But there was debris falling from a tree from quite a height. Perplexed we walked off the trail a short distance and looked up, way up and there were two Pileated Woodpeckers pounding away at a dead tree, obviously looking for dinner in the rotting wood. It made us laugh to think of them tossing out bit of wood that were no good for their purposes.

That trail requires a return visit!

www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/ruckle