Camping - Nairn Falls

Last week we managed to get away for a quick camping trip. This is something we are trying to do once a month throughout summer - a quick trip out of the city to get away from the computer and recharge our batteries.  This summer is very very busy and we have found a "weekend away" (always actually weekdays) to be great to lower the stress levels and keep us on our game.

This trip was to Nairn Falls near Pemberton. The campground is just off the main highway and has only basic facilities, but the views are amazing.

We asked for a campsite overlooking the river.  This is an almost 180˚ panorama of what we could see....

This is just strolling around the campground....

We actually stopped at some of the viewpoints on the Sea to Sky Highway on the way home. It was worth stopping.....

Ok, now back to work!

Hiking & Camping

On Monday we went to Squamish to hike up the Chief; something I've wanted to do for awhile now. For those not from here, the Chief is a giant 2000 ft plus granite monolith, popular with climbers and hikers alike. From the top it has an awesome view over Howe Sound.

We hiked up in about an hour and a half and sat at the top enjoying the stunning views. This panorama is about 6 images stitched together to get a 180 degree view.

To give you a bit of scale, this one's me at the top......

Here's Susannah....

And Graham and Audrey.....

Here's the falls on the way down.....

Susannah and I decided to extend our trip by a couple of days and add a little camping in. As the weather was so fantastic we decided to stay at Porteau Cove, right by the water. Here's our little site.....

A morning view - what better place to enjoy a nice cup of coffee.....

The cloud cover burnt off in the morning and we had skies like this....

Each day a flock of Canadian Geese swam by in the morning and again in the evening as they moved from feeding place to feeding place.....

Their was also a lot of lovely colour. I liked the delicacy of these vibrant flowers....

The bird life was also great - I saw my first ever hummingbird! They are much much smaller than I imagined, and sound like bees. Wish I had had a bird watching lens!

We went for a few gentle strolls through the forest (as much as my poor legs could handle after the Chief) and I really enjoyed the patterns and forms.....

We had an absolutely fabulous time! So much so that we are already planning another mini break in July. An awesome way to get some R&R.

I'll end with the sun going down at camp....aaaaaaah.