A castle, a fort and a lighthouse put the spotlight on area's past

Vancouver Island is the largest island on the North American continent's West Coast. More than a half-million people live there.

Victoria, the island's largest city, has always been by far the biggest tourist draw because of the seaport feel of the Inner Harbour, along with historic buildings that dominate the waterfront -- the Fairmont Empress Hotel and Parliament buildings. An eclectic mix of lodging options and top-notch restaurants helps. Victoria also is one of the most accessible cities on the island for U.S. tourists to reach by auto or passenger ferries.

One tourism drawback lately is that the U.S. dollar is worth considerably less against the Canadian dollar than it was four years ago. Also, Americans and Canadians still cringe at the stringent border restrictions in place both directions since 9/11. The border crossing, no matter where you choose, actually is much easier than most Americans think, especially with a passport in hand.

Several weeks ago, after a year away from the island, I decided a fall visit would be fun. I just wanted to do my small part to bolster the flagging tourism numbers. After all, last month the elite magazine Conde Nast Traveler named Vancouver Island -- for the sixth consecutive year -- the top island tourist destination in all of North America.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

Hatley Castle, now part of Royal Roads University in Colwood, is the centerpiece of the 565-acre estate that overlooks the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Esquimalt Harbor.

This trip I planned to steer clear of Victoria and the Inner Harbour, which I've written about several times. Instead, I wanted to hit some of the spots on the lower part of the island north of Victoria that I've read about but neglected to visit. It was tough, but once I got off the ferry at Sidney, I managed to resist the urge to head to Victoria and a warm, comfy hotel overlooking the harbor.

Since my tour mostly would cover parts of the Saanich Peninsula on the lower part of the island, excluding Victoria proper, I decided to stay in Sidney, which I wrote about three years ago. The town is considered the gateway to the southern Gulf Islands and the economic hub of the peninsula. I set up shop in the same Best Western Hotel and poked around to see what was new.

Besides Sidney, my tour schedule included Hatley Castle at Royal Roads University in Colwood, Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic sites, Esquimalt Lagoon, Sooke Pot Holes and finally Goldstream Provincial Park.

The three-hour Washington State Ferry ride from Anacortes to Sidney, with stops at Orcas Island and Friday Harbor, I still think is the best in the ferry system. Customs is a breeze at both ends, you can reserve a spot on the boat online both going and coming back, and the scenery (if it's not foggy) is the best of any ferry route. Be sure to take your own food and coffee. Food service is still non-existent.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

Canadian muralist Ice Bear did this painting on the side of a building in downtown Sidney in recognition of "The International Year of the Ocean."

The Anacortes-to-Sidney run will be suspended for the winter starting Jan. 7. That leaves the MV Coho automobile ferry out of Port Angeles and the BC Ferry from Tsawwassen (just north of the border at Blaine) to Swartz Bay seven miles north of Sidney, as the winter alternatives. The BC Ferry makes numerous runs daily. Beginning in January the MV Coho will only run Friday to Sunday. Be sure to check both schedules online.

In Sidney, the downtown streets, crosswalks and sidewalks have been refurbished, a one-way downtown traffic pattern is in place; on the waterfront construction is under way on a large, pricey high-rise condominium project on a former park site, a new hotel with adjacent shops and restaurants is up and running, and the promenade has been extended to cover most of the regional waterfront area.

Whale-watching and water recreation tour businesses have sprung up all over the waterfront, which helps attract tourists to the city, especially during the summer months.

Cosmetically, the changes to Sidney have transformed the former dingy downtown into what I now consider a fresh waterfront tourist destination that is only getting better.

From my history classes, I thought most castles were designed as fortifications. Hatley Castle in Colwood, southwest of Sidney, was completed in 1908 and looks as if it was designed to be a fortification. Instead it originally was commissioned as the estate and home for former B.C. Premier James Dunsmuir and his wife, Laura, who lived there until 1937, when the castle was turned into a military college.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

Sunrise over Royal Roads Bay near the Fisgard Lighthouse.

In 1995 the castle, which is the centerpiece of the 565-acre Edwardian estate that overlooks the Strait of Juan De Fuca and Esquimalt Harbor, became the island's first public university aimed specifically at teaching students the needs of the workplace.

Because the castle is part of Royal Roads University during the school year, parking can be a little dicey during the week. Weekends are best. Miles of hiking trails, plus ponds and bridges are part of the complex. The Hatley Park Museum, in the castle basement and open from 1 to 4 p.m. daily, showcases artifacts and exhibits from when the castle was a retirement home -- an opulent one at that.

The castle, adjacent gardens and outbuildings are part of what is commonly called the Hatley Park National Historic Site. Watch out for a flock of pesky peacocks that seem to have the run of the grounds. The winding, narrow road through the property can be a little treacherous in places. Pay parking is available at a lot on the water side of the castle.

Minutes away from the castle are Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse historical sites. The two are connected only by their geographic location at the mouth of Esquimalt Harbor.

Fisgard Lighthouse is said to be one of the most photographed in all of British Columbia. Since 1860 its beacon has warned mariners of the rugged shoreline and navigational hazards nearby. It's a prime spot for movie productions because of its incredibly scenic location. Inside the bright red building adjacent to the tower are two floors of exhibits that illustrate the isolated life of a 19th-century lighthouse keeper.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

A small statue overlooks the grounds of Royal Roads University near Hatley Castle in Colwood, B.C., on Vancouver Island.

Two trails lead to the lighthouse from the higher ground of the adjacent Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site. Built in the 1890s, giant gun emplacements and concrete bunkers mark the fort's role in World Wars I and II as protector of the harbor and the Royal Canadian Navy ships moored there.

The fort is a good example of what homeland security used to look like. Instead of the peacocks at Hatley Castle, deer and rabbits have the run of the area.

The fort grounds are immaculately manicured. Some of the gun batteries are still in place and one of the underground ammunition magazines is open to visitors. Picnicking is available on the premises, but barbecue pits are not available.

* Hatley Castle, Hatley Castle National Historic Site -- 2005 Sooke Road, Colwood; 866-241-0674, 250-391-2666; www.hatleycastle.com

* Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard National Historic sites -- 603 Fort Rodd Hill Road, Victoria; 250-478-5849; www.fortroddhill.com; an entry fee is mandatory. Hours: Nov. 1-Feb. 28, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

* Sidney -- 2423 Beacon Ave.; 250-655-6417; www.sidney.ca

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