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Squeeze in one last Gulf Island getaway before the West Coast skies don their grey cloak
Salt Spring looks good in the early light of autumn
Just an hour or two away from the city by ferry, Salt Spring Island’s peaceful landscapes, country-like quiet and farm-fresh edibles will make summer’s fading days a little easier to digest.
Blackberry Glen Bed & Breakfast: The award-winning B & B is just a two-minute drive from the Ganges Ferry Terminal and will precipitate relaxation upon arrival. Located on a quiet seven-acre property surrounded by woods in a gorgeously restored three-level home, Blackberry Glen Bed & Breakfast has all the ingredients for a weekend without worries: hot tub, huge patio, coffee lounge, an extensive library of DVDs, and stunning décor and architecture. Hosts Jason and John provide personalized service, cook delicious homemade breakfasts made with local ingredients and cater to any allergies or dietary restrictions
The B&B has four rooms that range from $125 to $175 a night during high season, and all are quiet, private, and supremely comfortable with private bathrooms and lovely views of the property. This accommodation is very popular, so book early to avoid disappointment.
Salt Spring Saturday Market: Possibly the most popular market in BC, the Salt Spring Island Saturday Market runs until the end of October every Saturday. Set in Centennial Park in Ganges, the market offers more than 140 local artisans and food producers selling their wares.
Stop by the Salt Spring Island Cheese Company’s tent and buy a round of the Blue Juliette, a surface-ripened cheese that is an impossibly tasty combination of Brie and blue cheese.
If you can resist the urge to eat it right away, make your way to Mistaken Identity Vineyards and buy a bottle of the Charmela 2011 apple-grape dessert wine. Then, pick up some crackers at Thriftys in Ganges, head on back to Blackberry Glen B&B, camp out on the patio and dine like royalty as the sun sets on your perfect day.
Allocate some time during your weekend getaway to exploring the enormous grounds that belong to The Salt Spring Centre of Yoga. Take a yoga class in a yurt, treat yourself to an Ayurvedic massage, and finish it all off with a delicious vegetarian meal made with organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown right on the centre’s organic farm.
Also, be sure to visit the teensy Ganges storefront of Salt Spring Soap Works and pick up a glass tub of its Lavender Fields Body Soufflé (body cream, not edible soufflé!) Made with 100% essential lavender oil, it is a heavenly cream that makes a great gift, unless you end up keeping it for yourself.
