Nanaimo to Ladysmith

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mclivancouver

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Trail stats

Distance: 21.28 mi
Elevation gain: 771 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 633 ft
Max elevation: 177 ft
TrailRank: 39
Min elevation: 0 ft
Trail type: One Way

Time: 2 hours 38 minutes
Coordinates: 2644
Uploaded: July 23, 2016
Recorded: July 2016

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near Departure Bay, British Columbia (Canada)

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Trail photos

Itinerary description

This track is the second part of a two-day tour from Vancouver, covering the Nanaimo to Ladysmith segment. Starts on arrival at the Departure Bay Ferry Terminal in downtown Nanaimo.

After leaving the ferry, the track follows harbour bike paths and exits Nanaimo along Haliburton Road, then crosses the Nanaimo River and connects with Cedar Road. It includes a sidetrip on Yellow Point Road to a countryside pub. Then the track proceeds through gently rolling farm and forest lands on fairly quiet rural roads. The final (approxemately 6-km) segment to Ladysmith is on the 4-lane, divided Island Highway with wide and fairly clean shoulders. Ladysmith hill and harbour are worth exploring on foot and by bicycle.

Waypoints

Nanaimo waterfront

After arriving by ferry, the track connects with Nanaimo harbourside bicycle-pedestrian paths, and takes them as far south as possible.

bike paths

Typical harbourside path conditions, and harbour views. The track passes several trendy looking restaurants and pubs in this area.

harbour side paths

Typical scenes along the harbourside bicycle-pedestrian paths.

Haliburton Street

Haliburton Street is a marked bicycle route and serves as a good route to exit Nanaimo to the south. It passes through an older residential area with an old-fashioned general store.

Fielding Road Trail

The Fielding Road Trail was memorable for several close encounters with vocal ravens and large, American bald eagles that flew along the roadway in a tunnel under the trees.This abandoned paved road shows on Google Maps. Its north end is readily accessible, however the south end is ditched and requires some maneuvering around obstacles to get back on the main road. Most riders are likely to prefer staying on the Cedar Creek Road and skipping the Fielding Creek Trail.

The Nanaimo River

There is a shorcut to access Cedar Road off the main highway to Duke Point Terminal, requiring a short walk down a steep gravel path. Just before coming to the highway bridge over the Nanaimo River, stop and lift bike over the concrete block barrier, then walk down the steep gravel path for 60 meters to join a road following the west side of Nanaimo River. Then circle around clockwise to cross the Nanaimo River on a smaller bridge (photo), pass a pub, and access Cedar Road headed south. Alternatively, for continuous road cycling, keep going northeast on the main road towards Duke Point, cross the Nanaimo River Bridge, and exit at the first interchange.