Running Away to Saltspring

I started to rejuvenate as soon as the ferry left the dock. The boat trip through the islands was especially scenic since the leaves were changing colors and multicolored trees were everywhere.

When we landed at Long Harbour, I decided to walk in Ganges, Saltspring's largest village. It was onl 3 1/2 miles away but that's along winding and hilly roads so it seemed much further, especially with a back pack. Luckily, numerous art studios along the way made intersting places to take a break.

I stayed in Ganges with its pretty little harbour and interesting galleries and shops. The Saturday Market officially closed in mid-October but some vendors still set up stalls downtown and sell oil paintings, hand made jewellery, pottery, preserves, etc.

Many restaurants feature lamb, something Saltspring is well known for throughout B.C. but since we raise our own sheep it wasn't something I was interested in. Most Ganges restaurants have a harbour view and it is very pleasant to relax over a meal while watching boats bobbing in the water.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

For travelling around Saltspring, your own vehicle is the best bet but you can rent a car, scooter or bike on the island.

Silver Shadow Taxi is the only taxi service on Saltspring and has 3 cabs. They might be at the terminal to meet the ferry, but if not, call (250) 537 3030. The cost into Ganges from the terminal is approximately .00 (CDN). They also do tours of the island - cost is .00 per hour and a whole island tour takes about 3 hours.

The two storey building is a 5 minute walk from the center of Ganges and is directly across from the harbour. Most rooms are on the 2nd floor but there are some main floor rooms for those with mobility issues since the hotel doesn''t have an elevator. There is also a newer, separate annex with rooms that include a fireplace.

I stayed in the main building and my room was huge with a sloped cedar ceiling, two queen size beds and French doors that led to the balcony. The bathroom was small but had an assortment of toiletries in a wicker basket and lots of towels.

The balcony was the best feature since it was almost as big as the room and could easily seat 20 or more people. The harbour was across the street and I spent lots of time soaking up the sun and watching the boats and float planes come and go. One of my favorite memories was watching dawn break over the harbour. If there was any drawback, it was the fact that the balcony railings are only a few feet high so there wasn''t any privacy from the next door rooms. It wasn''t really a big deal since we were all so busy admiring the view that it didn''t matter.

The hotel has a hair salon, convenience store, restaurant and a pub. The HMS Ganges Lounge is modelled after a Tudor-style English pub and has thick wooden beams and is decorated with English memorabilia. The manager has a quirky sense of humor since their Sunday special was advertised as "Nothin''" even though they had a large selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads, etc. I stopped in for a drink and snack and the service was friendly and prices reasonable. Smoking is allowed only on the outside patio and most tables have a view of the harbour.

There is a car rental agency across the street as well as a laundry if you are staying for an extended period.

Since the tourist season was coming to a close, the prices were ridiculously low and a newspaper coupon reduced them even further. My room was $49.00 due to the $20.00 off coupon and with taxes, the total was $56.35. During high season, the same room is $129.00 plus taxes.

This property belongs to the prestigious Relais & Chateaux group and is easily the nicest accommodation on the island. I would have felt very guilty enjoying this luxury without my hubby so I contented myself with peeks into their guest suites/cottages and a walk through some of their 25 acres. Sheep graze in the field and there are wooden boardwalks and trails that take you into the forest with views of the harbour through the trees.

The best way to describe the hotel is "casually elegant" since many of the buildings are west coast cedar designed to blend into the trees for privacy. Some are right on the hill overlooking the harbour and have a large balcony to take advantage of the view. Spacious bedrooms with eiderdown duvets, king size beds, robes and large bathrooms as well as a separate living room and wood burning fireplace make you want to hibernate here for days. As well as deluxe suites, there are private cottages, including one on its own little beach.

Included in the cost of the room is a wake up hamper with fresh baked goodies and hot beverages as well as a later morning full breakfast and afternoon tea. For an additional charge, you can book an in-room massage.

Hastings House is well known for its restaurant and even if you''re not a guest here, you can reserve a table for a five course dinner featuring local specialities like seafood or Saltspring lamb for $80.00 per person. This is a place where you dress for dinner and take your time over an elegant and romantic meal.

Hastings House is the perfect place for a romantic getaway.

The menu has lots of vegetarian features such as tofu sandwiches. That might sound odd but I had a teriyaki ginger marinated tofu sandwich piled high with bean sprouts, red onion and tomatoe slices and the combination of flavours was delicious. They also have a Thai peanut tofu sandwich that the waitress said was her favourite. The soup of the day was mulligatwany, made with curry and lentils. Even the coffee here is made with organically roasted beans.

For those with more conventional tastes, you can get lox and cream cheese on a bagel, turkey sandwiches and salads.

It's very laid back and service was actually a bit slow but they have a selection of magazines to read or you can people watch to pass the time. Prices average $7.00 for a sandwich and the restaurant is open from 8 am until late night.

Anyone with a hostelling membership card is entitled to a discount on their meal. That and the alternative menu explains why most of the diners belong to the back pack set.

The restaurant is located right in the heart of Ganges. Even if the menu doesn't appeal to you, stop by to check out the decor - it's not everyday that a restaurant has a big tree growing from it.

For breakfast, I had a hard time making a decision. Although the Admiral's omelette with shrimp, crab and hollandaise sauce was intriguing, I chose the Harbour House Special omelette. It was filled with ham and cheese and came with toast and crispy home fried potatoes. Artistically arranged on a very large colorful plate and with soft rock oldies like Steely Dan and Mellancamp in the background, this was a really relaxing way to start the day. The price was $6.95 and the portion was so large that I couldn't finish it all.

The restaurant is spacious and bright with lots of large windows that provide harbour views. On the walls, old photos depict Saltspring life in the early 1900s. During the summer, the outdoor patio is surrounded by a colorful garden and would be a pleasant place to eat. On weekends, a piano player provides entertainment and you can take a twirl around the small dance floor.

This seemed to be a popular place with hotel guests and locals, especially for the Sunday night special of roast beef and yorkshire pudding.

The restaurant is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Weekend dinner reservations during the summer are recommended.

The menu is also eclectic-Thai, Chinese and Western items like rack of lamb and pasta. I almost abandoned Pad Thai in favor of the Saki Seafood Pot, a mix of prawns, scallops, salmon, ginger, onions and tomatoes in saki - maybe next time.

People at the table beside me raved about their Szechaun Chicken and vegetables that was served on a sizzling platter and was easily enough for the two of them to share.

My Pad Thai could have been shared with someone too. The plate was the size of a small platter and was heaped with vermicelli noodles, prawns, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, fresh mushrooms and onions. I had asked for medium spicey and it was pretty hot but not enough to make the meal unpleasant. I had a spring roll as an appetizer and it was loaded with shredded vegetables.

Some of the desserts on the menu were chocolate mocha mousse, bumbleberry pie and blueberry cheesecake but I was too full to order anything.

The restaurant is open 7 days a week from 10:30 am to 9:00 pm. Most Asian entrees were under $10.00. Considering this was low season and early on a weekend night, the fact that the restaurant was over half full speaks to the quality of the food.

I stopped in for lunch and it was pretty empty but that could be because it was 2:30 pm and the tourist season is basically finished for the year.

The lunch menu featured burgers, sandwiches, fish and chips and quesadillas, including a Greek one filled with feta cheese, red onion, olives and tomatoes. I had one of their daily specials - sandwich, fries and soup. The fries and ham and cheese bun were good but the best part was the creamy potato and leek chowder. At $6.95 (CDN) it was quite a reasonable lunch.

The dinner menu featured seafood linguine in pernod sauce and halibut in honey lemon sauce. The wine menu seemed to have a good selection and they also had Salspring Island beer.

The restaurant is decorated with antiques and has some interesting antique kitchen gadgets and appliances that will keep you guessing as to their function. If you can't figure it out, the waiter is happy to explain what they are.

The restaurant is on the second floor and I didn't see an elevator so this might not be suitable for those with mobility problems. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 8:30 pm and Sunday and Monday from 11 am to 4 pm.

Painted on the ceiling is a large cartoon map of Saltspring and the displays throughout the store are a riot of colours, textures and fabrics.

There are lots of arctic fleece tops and beautiful woven sweaters from Bolivia. Prices aren't cheap - the Bolivian sweaters average $170.00 (CDN) and the fleece is $75.00-$100.00 but the quality is excellent. You won't find silky lingerie but thick flannel and fleece pajamas and robes in whimsical designs that will keep you warm and toasty in cold weather.

The west coast has its share of rain and Mouat's has quite a selection of rubber boots. You can find basic black but there are lots more that are covered with flowers and designs in bright, cheery colours.

The sales staff here are very used to "lookie loos" and are more than happy to talk about the history of Mouat's and Saltspring in general.

Across the street, one of the original buildings still stands but it has been divided into smaller shops. Some of the wooden ladders from the original building are now used as display shelves in the present store.

Even if you're not buying, just stopping into Mouat's for a minute will put a smile on your face and lighten your mood.

From mid-April to mid-October, Market in the Park happens every Saturday at Centennial Park in Ganges. Local artists display and sell their work and you can find pottery, paintings, jewellery, clothes, produce, home made jams, jellies, candies, etc. From June to September, the Community Arts Council presents ArtCraft which showcases the work of over 200 Gulf Islands artists.

The Tourist Information Centre in Ganges has a couple of brochures for self guided tours of galleries and studios. The Gallery Walk brochure features eleven listings that are all within walking distance of each other. One of the listings is Stone Fish Gallery on Lower Ganges Road where you can watch the sculptors working outside. At the Vortex Gallery, I was intrigued by the life like terra cotta sculptures of children. Nearby, the Thunderbird Gallery has a wide collection of native art. The Thunderbird also has two large, fluffy dogs and the younger one absolutely loves to be petted and fussed over.

If you have your own transporation, get the Studio Tour brochure and explore some of the 36 artist studios that are dotted throughout the island. Even without a map, you can spot the studios by the "sheep" sign posted at each entrance.

I didn't get to many of the studios since I was on foot but one that I really enjoyed was "Renee at Play", located on the road from the Long Harbour ferry. Her speciality is pottery bowls, platters and plates in various shapes and decorated with bright colours and designs. Prices were in the $20-$30 (CDN) range and the address is 872 Long Harbour Road, phone (250) 537 9631.

Other artisan studios feature clothing, ceramics, herbs, wood products, paintings and lots more. With this much selection it's easy to see why Saltspring is so well known for arts and crafts.