Cycling the Stanley Park Seawall
One thing I was upset about missing out on last time was cycling the Seawall around Stanley Park. Last time our attempt got cut short because we went the wrong way round the one-way system (anti-clockwise for reference). This time, Sam and I had some help and we invited Meg, Julia and Miguel along with us for the day.
We hired bikes from Spokes on Denman street which is the nucleus for bike rentals. Miguel and I opted for a 1-speed cruiser ($7.62/hr) whilst the girls opted for a 7-speed ($9.52/hr). It is weird riding a bike with no brakes but something I soon got used to.
What is the Seawall?
The seawall is a 28km uninterrupted pathway from the Vancouver Convention Center to Spanish Banks Park. Of this a 9km route circles around the outside of the Stanley Park peninsula. This starts at Denman Street to the east and ends in English Bay to the west.
The cycle route is primarily flat with the only hazards being each other (and the occasional jogger/inline skater). This makes it suitable for people of all abilities.
The journey began by cycling past the marina and some First Nation Totem Poles which are one of the most recognisable cultural symbols of Western Canada.
The 9 totem poles at Brockton Point (near Coal Harbour) are actually British Columbia’s most visited tourist attraction (thanks Vancouver.ca – I love a good fact).
Following the totem poles, the path continues and we cross under the Lions Gate (or First Narrows) Bridge which connects Stanley Park to North Vancouver. The bridge has 3 lanes and the middle is reversible dependent on traffic flow. I can only imagine the chaos this can sometimes bring.
From here we made our way around the headland and ended up on Third Beach at Ferguson Point. This is a natural sandy beach within the park boarders. Because of this the urban noise is completely absorbed by the surrounding vegetation and this is easily my favourite beach in Vancouver. Next time I come this is definitely a spot for a sunset picnic.
Our journey around Stanley Park ended on English Bay where we enjoyed some appy’s and a well earn’t happy -hour drinks at Cactus Club. Cactus Club is the Gusto’s of Vancouver and I would very much recommend this location for its excellent views over the Bay and its lettuce wraps!! especially its lettuce wraps.
