Sooke Travel Guide
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Port Renfrew: 102km (63 miles) W of Victoria
Following Highway 14 west from Victoria, the suburbs eventually thin; by the time you reach Sooke, the vistas open up to the south, where Washington's Olympic Mountains prop up the horizon. There are a number of reasons to explore this part of the island.
Highway 14 gives access to a number of beaches and parks with good swimming and recreation, finally leading to Port Renfrew, the southern trail head for the famous West Coast Trail (see chapter 6, "Central Vancouver Island").
Ambitious backcountry drivers can make a loop journey from Highway 14. From Port Renfrew, a good logging road leads up the San Juan River valley, connecting to the southern shores of Cowichan Lake just west of Duncan. You can make this drive in one very long day, or divide the trip up by planning to spend the night camping at Cowichan Lake or at one of Duncan's moderately priced hotels.
The civilized reason to make the journey west from Victoria is the superlative Sooke Harbour House, one of the most renowned small inns in all of Canada.
