Part 3 of 3
The last few pushes to complete the walking map were probably the most challenging in both distance and difficulty but they were also the most fun as we bushwhacked up to the old flume, stealth walked through the orchards and on occasion asked forgiveness rather than permission to gain access through people’s properties.
Bushwhacking became ‘a thing’ when we just wanted to get from A to B the short way round.
It would have been fun to see a video of us climbing up 60-degree banks, and hanging onto fences while we tried to avoid someone’s backyard.
READ ALSO: COLUMN: A goal of walking every street in Summerland
READ ALSO: COLUMN: Discovering the old flume and little libraries
Everyone who gave us access through their properties was so kind and generous and interested in our walking goal.
One lady said she’d even heard about the ‘Summerland walking ladies’ aka us, but that was probably just an urban legend…
We even walked to many of our local wineries, (remember our starting point was always from Lowertown), including Dirty Laundry, Thornhaven, Summergate, Sumac Ridge and Sage Hills but never when they were open, I guess we should have timed it better.
During the past 18 months we’ve witnessed people’s inventiveness and resiliency in staying the course and busying themselves by reimaging their houses and their gardens, with new paint, new siding, many new patios, decks and rock piles.
It was such joy to meet and greet strangers in their ‘hood’ and hear about their experiences with the lockdown as the year moved along. The fabric of any community is the connectivity of the people who live there, and we have been privileged to meet so many of them just by walking and saying hello.
We’d often say to ourselves by saying, “If we had to be anywhere during a pandemic, we’re glad to be in Summerland with its small population, low pandemic cases and access to everything we need.”
Perhaps try these walking/biking loops next time you want an adventure: Lakeshore drive to Crescent Beach Peach Orchard Road to Adams Bird Sanctuary Lakeshore Drive to Trout Creek across the highway up Johnson Road along Gartrell Road Front Bench Road loop along Giants Head Road South Victoria Road to Thornhaven Winery, Dirty Laundry Winery Matsu Drive to Sumac Ridge Winery Happy Valley Road to Summerland Sweets Centennial Trail along the train tracks to Red Barn Horse Stables Bentley Road Industrial Area to Dickinson Farm and Hunters Hill Prairie Valley Road to Morrow Avenue – Test of Humanity and Summergate Winery and up to Deer Ridge Dale Meadows to Summerland Strawberry Farm, Dominion Cidery and look for the lambs Kettle Valley Railway trail to Penticton, and of course Giants Head – the possibilities for discovery are endless.
Diana Smith is a Summerland resident and an avid walker.
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