This is an account of a trip from way back in the mists of time, made during carefree student days, when I spent one summer working and travelling around North America, travelling by bus, train and also hitch hiking from New England to the Pacific North West and across the border into British Columbia and Alberta (as you’ll see from the photos I even had some hair then !). It was intended to be a quick and cheery little piece to put together; as with journeys, the most spontaneous and least planned things in life can often be the most rewarding (changed days, alas).

The West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island certainly fitted into this category. I’d never actually planned to walk this route. However, one evening in a youth hostel in Victoria, whilst backpacking around Western Canada, I unexpectedly bumped into a German guy who was about to walk the 75km trail along the Island’s wild Pacific coastline (along with a local Canadian radio presenter that he’d also just bumped into). They were heading off the very next morning; so throwing caution to the wind and without thinking too long about it, I decided to join them. I already had most of the camping gear I needed with me, except for some essential provisions to bring along, which were quickly sorted out in the local supermarket.

The West Coast Trail, from Pachena Bay to Gordon River in the south western part of Vancouver Island, follows an ancient trail which was used for travel by First Nations people such as the Huuay-aht, Ditidaht, and Pacheedaht. The first European sailing ships started to arrive along the coast over 200 years ago. Over time, the coastline became notorious for shipwrecks and drownings and became known as “the Graveyard of the Pacific.” The trail was also constructed and used for the rescue of shipwrecked sailors – this was fortunate indeed for us, as the coastline is also one of incredible beauty for hiking.

We had to get to the start of the trail at Pachena Bay through using a combination of local buses and hitch hiking. On the way, merchants of gloom and doom, told us that the weather in September would probably be stormy and unsettled – we would surely live to regret it (if we lived at all that is !).

As things worked out though, it was a wonderful few days of perfect, settled weather. We hiked along empty stretches of wild coastline, through magnificent tangled forests of towering cedar trees, camped on empty, unspoiled beaches and watched fiery Pacific sunsets whilst sitting around driftwood fires.

Out to sea there were frequent sightings of orcas, dolphins and seals.  For such a randomly and hastily assembled group, everyone got along just fine – it was a great few days. The photos I think speak for themselves: