One of the best nature walks you can take in Vancouver is along the Seawall, a 22-km path that passes by stunning views of the ocean and the city, built to protect the coastline from erosion caused by the many marine vessels that ply the First Narrows. Though its S-shaped path stretches from Kitsilano Beach to Coal Harbour, we hiked only the portion around Stanley Park.
The weather today was pleasant for a good walk, one that passed several points-of-interest. One of them is an impressive stone outcropping called Siwash Rock, actually a volcanic plug of basalt that eroded over time to become the only sea stack in the Vancouver area. Siwash is over 50ft tall and attracts much attention by passersby.
Another dramatic sight is a view of Lions Gate Bridge from underneath.
Public art also makes appearances along the walk. Reminiscent of Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid statue, the bronze Girl in a Wetsuit sits offshore on a giant granite boulder.
Brockton Point Lighthouse is one of the two lighthouses serving Vancouver, the other being on Prospect Point on the other side of the Narrows. Though the tower was built in 1890, the current lighthouse was completed in 1914, whose upper terrace is a good place to look out toward the city.
Stanley Park is one of the greatest urban parks in North America. Its forest surrounded by water on three sides reminded me what a beautiful place the Pacific Northwest is. One section of the park has a display of impressive totem poles, each of which tells a story important to the tribes that inhabit the B.C. and lower Alaskan coasts.
Along the southeastern portion of the seawall are dazzling views of Vancouver’s skyline. Surrounded by water and mountains, Vancouver is one of the most spectacularly situated cities in the world.
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