Regular walking and being in contact with nature are two very important habits one must cultivate as a part of their everyday ‘To-dos’. We’re fortunate that we are able to cherish close-to-nature walking havens in the Metro Vancouver area and above all access them conveniently through public transit.
This week we take you around the Burnaby Lake. It is located in the central area of Burnaby and it is part of the Central Valley Greenway. We took the Millenium Line and arrived at Sperling/Burnaby Lake SkyTrain station. The station is a hub for three bus routes: 144 (Metrotown Station-SFU), 110 (Lougheed Station-Metrotown Station), 134 (Brentwood Station-Lake City Station).
Right out of the station, one of the outstanding features is the pedestrian and cycling overpass. This bridge was completed in 2009 is access friendly. A gentle ramp all the way up and down across the Central Valley Greenway over the Burlington Northern rail tracks.
We sure hope you love to walk this route as much as we did as this route that is 12.5 km long - a little longer than the usual routes that we’ve published so far. Give it 2-3 hours and enjoy a slow stroll along the route. We bet that you won’t regret it. Although it’s mostly flat, the route we did here is not fully accessible due to two portions featuring short flight of stairs.
Got kids on strollers? Or if you’re looking for an accessible route, we suggest starting the walk (clockwise) from the transit hub heading to the habitat area. This way, it is a perfect walking family day-out. This way the route is shorter viz., 5 km (approx. 1 hour long) until the Cariboo Dam. It is in this stretch where you will find the watch-tower and there are public washrooms available. A nice addition is also that this route has a couple of picnic tables convenient for having that delightful outdoor snack-time before you head back.
Within the Still Creek area sits the Burnaby Lake Nature House which also features public washrooms. If you follow trail, you will come up to two points of interests: the tower and a deck which is ideal for observing the beautiful bird-life that the park offers.
You will enjoy lush trees, blackberry bushes, and in the early spring these the flowers (see below) known as Skunk Cabbage….how interesting! Quick trivia, this wildflower grows in swampy, wet areas of forest lands. This unusual plant has a bright yellow colour and attracts pollinators (allergens alert). As for wildlife, you could see squirrels, ducks, salmon, turtles…and we also spotted a heron!
The Regional Park is not accessible for bikes although you might occasionally meet a horse from the nearby Burnaby Horsemen’s Association.
At the beginning of our walk, we passed by the sports complex. A range of activities available here. From an archery range, tennis courts, a rugby club, public pool, a playground to a rowing pavilion.
Burnaby Lake was used as a transportation route and harvesting site for thousands of years by First Nations people. The water levels of the shallow lake, we learned, naturally varied seasonally. The lake and the adjacent marshes of Still Creek expanded in size during peak rainfall periods. When you visit, you can read and learn how human intervention has affected this ecosystem through the last century. The Trans Canada Highway in the south and the factories of the industrial area with the railway along the north are some examples of how this haven has adapted, remained resilient and sustained over the years.
Hope you can experience yourself soon!
Happy Walking!
