Saltspring: Farms, Artists
& Nature
With 8,000 residents, Saltspring is the largest and
most populated of the Gulf Islands: 32 km (20 miles) long
and 12 km (8 miles) wide. It was explored by the Spanish
and British in the 1700s and settled in the 1850s.
Ganges is the major town on the
island. Other communities include Vesuvius (on the
northwest coast) and Fulford Harbour at the
southern end of the island. Saltspring has become a haven
for artists and the island has become a center for arts
and crafts, particularly around the Ganges waterfront.
The infocentre for the island is in Ganges. The island's
name comes from a series of briny springs at the island's
north end.
What to See & Do
Visitors will see sheep farms across the
island, and Saltspring lamb is known by gastronomes
around the world. The island has miles of hiking trails,
forests and scattered beaches along the coastline.
Because of its position in the shadow of Vancouver
Island, it has a large amount of sunshine each year. You
can get a good orientation to the town of Ganges by
driving up Chatsworth Road where there is a good
viewpoint showing the Ganges waterfront.
Parks & Scenic Places
Mouat Park near Ganges is a quiet
reflective place near the town center. Ruckle
Park, at Beaver Point is an unusual island park which
was originally a pioneer homestead and farm. This park
has camping facilities and picnic sites with the
homestead on display. The farm remains in operation.
Mt. Maxwell Park has an excellent
viewpoint on the summit. The peak is 595 meters (1,952
feet) and from here you can see the smaller Gulf Islands
beyond Fulford Harbour and over to Vancouver Island.
Along Musgrave Road is Drummond Park, the location
of an ancient Indian petroglyph, which has a storied
past. The carving of a seal was found in the water at
Fulford Harbour and moved for safe-keeping to the local
airstrip. The province moved it again, and finally it has
found its rest in the park. A tiny park is found at the
end of Beddis Road, at Beddis Beach. The beach is
made up of broken shells and gravel. The views are
wonderful -- including vistas of North Pender, Prevost
Island and Swanson Channel.
The village of Ganges has a full range of
shops and other services for travelers. There are
supermarkets, a post office, gas stations and places to
eat. You have a wide range of places to stay on Salt
Spring, from deluxe to woodsy. Bed and breakfast
operations are plentiful across the island, and these
seem to be in sync with the laid-back pace of island
life.
Where to Eat
There are several good restaurants on
Saltspring including the charming Vesuvius Inn, which
overlooks Stuart Channel; the Fulford Inn Pub,
which offers pub lunches indoors or on a patio
overlooking Fulford Harbour. The Seaside Kitchen
serves seafood on the Vesuvius waterfront.
The most sophisticated and renowned
restaurant on the island is the dining room at
Hastings House. The restaurant is open to the
public, and reservations are necessary. The food is
always fresh, using local and regional meats, seafood,
vegetables and herbs, and the cooking is so good that the
hotel serves as a cooking school several times each year.
