NATURALLY NEPAL - A WONDER OF WALKING, HIKING, BIKING & EXPLORING ADVENTURES.

Nepal

"One of the best countries for adventure destination in the world". Lonely Planet

Nepal, a place of adventurous opportunities in a land found between the high wall of the Himalayas & the steamy jungles of the Indian plains in South Asia. Nepal is a land of snow peaks & Sherpas, yaks & yetis, monasteries & mantras (Lonely Planet).

Map of Nepal

Nepal, this tiny mountain nation is home to some of the world's best mountain adventures, whether it is trekking, mountain biking, river rafting, kayaking, paragliding or numerous other adrenaline adventures, Nepal is nirvana for mountain lovers (Lonely Planet).

Walking, hiking, biking, exploring Nepal

Nepal is home to temples & tigers & opportunities of experiencing spiritual strolls around centuries old stupas & temples found throughout the valley of Kathmandu &/or riding on lumbering Indian elephants in search of rhinos & tigers & enjoying the chitter, chatter & music of exotic birds found in the jungles of southern Nepal (Lonely Planet).

Nepal's jungle
MYSTIC LAND ADVENTURE is a well established Nepalese guiding company that have numerous choices of trekking & biking adventures ranging from easy to strenuous treks lasting anywhere from 5 -15 days. 

Walking, hiking, biking & exploring  Poon Hill, Annapurna Massif, Langtang Valley & her stunning  sceneries, Everest & her surrounding alpines & valleys, is what Mystic Land Adventures specializes in. 

Nepal's beauty

Sadhus

Walking, hiking, biking & exploring Nepal with Mystic Land Adventure's experienced tour guides, who will guide you on your trek as you visit Buddist shrines & see Buddist Monks in prayer, Hindu temples & witness Sadhus (Hindu holy men) meditating, pass through villages

VILLAGE OF NEPAL

& share moments with locals & different cultures,

NEPALESE FARMING CULTURE

bathing in natural hot springs, enjoying their famous apples, apple pies & apple wine, are examples of what you will experience while travelling higher & higher up into these majestic mountains.

Trekking Nepal

 CLICK HERE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT MYSTIC LAND ADVENTURE HAS TO OFFER

CONTACT INFORMATION.

Mystic Land Adventure (P). Ltd, Kathmandu, Nepal,

Email:  ram.manange@gmail.com

Skype: mysticland.adventure

 Mobile: +9779849473401

www.facebook.com/mysticlandadventure

www.mysticlandadventure.wordpress.com

www.mysticlandadventurepltd.blogspot.com

HAPPY WALKING, HIKING, BIKING & EXPLORING

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WALK, HIKE, BIKE & EXPLORE COOMBS, HOME TO GOATS ON THE ROOF.

Funky, Fascinating, Fabulous Fun to be found in Fengy Boutique, Coombs, Home To Goats On The Roof.

It's summer time & the energy is moving & pulsating & people are out & about walking, hiking, biking & exploring in all different ways & places. 

Markets, shops & attractions have re-arranged, renewed & refreshed their retail & are ready for the rush.

We went to Coombs last Saturday to buy fresh produce from the market & got swept up in the atmosphere, music & Fengy Boutique. The first thing that caught our attention was all the massive statues sitting out on the courtyard just south of the market, & my guess is they were imported from Asia; they seem to be part of Fengy Boutiques ambiance. 

Courtyard with massive statues.

Well that was enough encouragement to draw us into Fengy Boutique where we were really blown away with what we found.

First impression

Your first sensation is "WOW"; its hard to digest at what you are looking at. Allow your eyes to adjust & take a look around, you will see wood carvings of literally anything & everything. 

Samurai, the great warrior

There are carvings ranging from massive to small, some examples of what you will see are, the Japanese samurai, Buddha, mermaids, wizards, dragons, elephants; I could go on & on with the different objects; you have to see it to
believe it, it's 
astounding. 

My happy Buddha

That is just the beginning of what is to be discovered in Fengy Boutique. Walk further into the shop & see clothing, all different styles, different colours, different materials, all done by one lady who has her little sewing machine set up in the shop & who is busy, busy sewing these beautiful styles.

Fengy Boutique creation 

 Fengy Boutique creation

Fengy Boutique creation

Fengy Boutique creation

To add to this amazing operation is the cloth she uses. The journey begins in Prince Rupert, BC where the trees are cut, the cellulose is extracted & then shipped to Vienna where the thread is made. From there, the thread is shipped to Frankfurt Germany, & made into glorious material with vibrant colours that this lady imports & creates into these dazzling fashions.  

A tasting of the treasures

Look further & you will discover funky jewellery, jazzy scarves, so soft alpaca products, First Nation carvings & much more.

Beautiful carvings

Love the wizard 

If Coombs Market "Goats on the Roof" is on your itinerary, then make sure you saunter next door & take a peek at Funky, Fascinating, Fabulous Fun Fengy Boutique. What an easy & great day-trip outing for you folk living in Mid Vancouver Island. 

Coombs Market is fun for everyone. Click here to see what I mean.

"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one". - Dr Seuss

HAPPY WALKING, HIKING, BIKING & EXPLORING.

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LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL IS HAPPENING 27TH - 30TH JUNE, 2013.

"Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them!" - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Lighthouse Country is celebrating its 3rd bluegrass festival this weekend. The event starts this Thursday 27th @ 7.00 p.m. with last years band contest winners, The Maple Mountain Boys opening the show.

The Lighthouse Community Centre in Qualicum Bay will be filled with the sounds of bluegrass being played by a wide selection of bands beginning Thursday evening & going until 10.00 p.m. Sunday.

Saturday & Sunday morning visitors & players can enjoy Lighthouse Community's famous pancake breakfast which will be in the community hall. This is open to the public.

How to find the Bluegrass Festival, Lighthouse Community Centre.

Coming from Nanaimo.

Coming from Courtenay.

Camping is available on site, suitable for camping vehicles & tents. There are showers & flush toilets. 

Check out the Lighthouse Bluegrass website: http://www.lighthousebluegrass.com/ where you can find out all the information on the different bands, the times, prices, camping rules etc.

Where is Lighthouse Country?

Lighthouse Country, Mid Vancouver Island.

OTHER THINGS TO ENJOY IN LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY WHILE VISITING DURING THE CANADA DAY LONG WEEKEND.

Arrowsmith Golf & Country Club, an 18 hole club.http://www.golfarrowsmith.com/

Horne Lake Caves.

Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park. http://www.hornelake.com/

Spider Lake Provincial Park. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/spider_lk/

Rosewell Creek Provincial Park. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/rosewall/

Deep Bay is a cosy little corner of Lighthouse Country.

Sleepy Deep Bay.

A great place to launch a kayak or canoe, go fishing off the dock or hire a charter boat or going swimming down at the spit. This is home to Vancouver Island University Shell Fish Research Centre which is open to visitors. 

 Ship & Shore restaurant has a great little menu & is open until around 6.00 p.m. depending on the traffic. http://www.vancouverisland.com/regions/towns/?townID=52

Walking, hiking, biking & exploring Lighthouse Country.

Don't forget Lighthouse Country has some fantastic walking, hiking, biking & exploring trails. So take some time off & get out & enjoy the beauty of this area. To find out where the trails are just re-read this blog. 

Remember you are in bear country, so be prepared, carry a heavy stick, wear bear bells/bear spray. Have sturdy shoes with good grip, water bottle, cell phone & rain gear & be responsible for self & others in your care.

PLACES TO EAT IN LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY.

There is an interesting selection of restaurants & cafes to enjoy in the community. 

Sandbar Cafe.

Sand Bar Cafe, Qualicum Bay is just down the road from Lighthouse Community Centre where you will find great food & live music on Friday & Sunday evenings, jamming is encouraged, so come along & meet the locals & have a sing along.

Alpaca Cafe & gift shop, Qualiucm Bay is a quaint little cafe serving great soups & crepes & has a selection of unique gifts.

The Ice Cream Zone, Qualicum Bay has 32 different flavours to choose from!

Crown & Anchor pub.

The Crown & Anchor pub serves fresh & delicious food.

The Bean Counter Cafe, Bowser has the best bread & makes scrumptious sandwiches along with soups, salads, desserts & fancy coffees.

PLACES TO STAY.

If you fancy visiting Lighthouse Country, but are not interested in the Bluegrass Festival, there is a choice of accommodations whether you want to camp or stay in a B&B or a resort. Take a look at http://www.lighthousecountry.ca/visit/ for some suggestions.

NOTE: This being a long weekend, if you are coming from the mainland, it is wise to pre-book your ferry passage, the traffic will be heavy.

HAPPY WALKING, HIKING, BIKING & EXPLORING.

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LINKING TRAILS IN LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY THROUGH WALKING, HIKING, BIKING & EXPLORING.

"Summer time & the livin is easy, fish are jumpin & the cotton is high". (George Gershwin)

It's been a while since my last post, summer has hit here with a bang. It has been busy in my home with visitors, travelling & babysitting my grand-dog, Kaya who has had to have surgery on her paw & so is now out of commission & is not very happy about this. Needless to say we are not doing much in the way of walking, hiking, biking or exploring & my guess is we will be in this state for the next week or so. 

Poor Kaya, out of commission

Before we ended up in this situation we did manage to get in a couple of walking, hiking, biking & exploring adventures. The last trek we did is one of the longest trails in the area lasting roughly 2 hours. It consists of 5 different trails & completes a loop, so there is no back tracking. 
This is a popular biking trail for those folk who are comfortable with mountain biking. 
To begin this walk, hike, bike & exploring trek one can start on the northern end of Lighthouse Country Regional Trail South Loop which is off Linx Rd. You head south on the  Regional Trail walking towards Qualicum Bay. Or you can start the walk, hike, bike trek from Lioness Boulevard in Qualicum Bay. 

Map of Lighthouse Country South Loop Trail

Whether you start north from Linx Rd or south from Lioness Blvd you will want to head up the red dotted line (connector trail - Black Brook Trail) down by Lioness Blvd. (See map opposite or check out http://www.rdn.bc.ca/cms.asp?wpID=2584). This section is called Black Brook Trail & it roams through the forest up to a logging road, turn left & head down back into the forest to Black Brook Creek keeping to your right. You will see a log across the creek, take your time & be careful while crossing it. Once over enjoy the trek through the forest until you come out into a new growth forest & then an old logging road.

Black Brook Creek

 Here you will turn right & walk, hike, bike down the logging track for about 5 mins or so. Just before you come out to a clearing, there is a trail on your left, DNA Trail, take that & follow that until you eventually come out to another old unused track & just across the way you will see the trail continue back into the forest, this is Holly Trail. 

Black Brook Trail

By this time you will be hearing the traffic from the inland highway as you are walking, hiking, biking & exploring parallel to the highway.

DNA Trail

 Holly Trail will come out to another old & unused track & lots of blooming alders. Walk the track for about 5-10 mins, you will come to another logging track & hydro lines, turn right & follow the track for another 3-5 mins watching out for Dales Trail which is on your left side. There is a sign on the trunk of a tree, so just head into the forest following the trail. You will now be walking parallel to Nile Creek where you will hear the creek rumbling along down below in the valley. There are times when Dales Trail wines in & out of the forest, you will come out to a logged area, just follow the trail around & back into the forest, from there you will come out to the hydro lines. Again follow the track until it joins another track, turn left & follow this track back towards the forest. Watch out for the trail here, it can be a little difficult to follow,just keep more or less going to your right & you will see the trail heading back into the forest. 
Walk, hike, bike & explore through the forest enjoying the sounds of Nile Creek & the beauty & majestic trees of Dales Trail where you will come out to another trail, turn right & follow that until you come to another logging road. 

Dales Trail

Turn left & you will be at the north end of Lighthouse Country Regional Trail South Loop, Linx Rd. If you started at this point, you have completed the loop, if you started at Lioness Blvd, then you still need to walk, hike, bike & explore the regional trail back to Lioness Blvd.

Lighthouse Country Regional Trail, heading south

To find this loop if you are coming through Bowser from the north you want to look for Charlton Drive & then turn up Linx Rd. 
If coming from the south down Horne Lake Rd towards Qualicum Bay, you want to turn left on Lions Way which is in Qualicum Bay & then turn right on Lioness Blvd.

So after this walk, hike, bike & exploring adventure you have a choice of places to go for refreshments whether you fancy a coffee & treat or maybe a lunch or dinner or maybe you fancy an ice cream, both Bowser & Qualicum Bay have great cafes, restaurants, an ice cream parlour & even a pub. Come on in & meet some locals.

Remember before heading out on your walk, hike, bike exploring adventure to take a water bottle, cell phone, sturdy hiking boots, a strong walking stick, bear bells/bear spray, this is bear country & they are definitely out & about. 
Please remember you are responsible for yourselves, so take care & watch out for everyone in your party.

HAPPY WALKING, HIKING, BIKING & EXPLORING

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 WALKING, HIKING, BIKING, EXPLORING LIGHTHOUSE COUNTRY TRAILS DOGGY STYLE.

"The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog" (Edward Hoagland).

Summer is almost here, life is getting busy with visitors, road trips, sailing, gardening, walking, hiking, biking & exploring!! The weather is unpredictable, warm & sunny, chilly & cloudy, but not too rainy.

Where is my ball?

Walking, hiking, biking & exploring are definitely one of my top priorities at the moment as I am babysitting my grand-doggie Kaya for a month or so while my daughter & her partner are off trekking Europe. So we will be having fun exploring the area looking for new walking, hiking, biking trails in & around Lighthouse Country.

It's in here somewhere.

Kaya loves coming here & exploring the trails & having fun sniffing for squirrels & rabbits, & the thrill & chase when she finds one!! Then there are all the creeks, rivers & ocean where she has fun bounding after seagulls, ducks & geese, swimming for her ball & just having the delight of charging into the water with sheer joy; she is a retriever, so all her senses are off & running.

Beginning of trek, Princess Kaya, looking beautiful, fluffy & clean.

Today's walk, hike, bike, explore adventure was one we have done many times in the Bowser area. 

Rex leading the way.

Rex, her friend came trekking with us & the 2 of them had moments of utter nuttyness crashing through the bush & splashing & chasing each other in the water in utter abandonment. There is nothing like witnessing dogs enjoying moments of total happiness.

Grannie Frannie, throw me this stick.

Kaya having a soak or looking for fish!

We came home stinking, wet, muddy & full of burrs & things along 

with big smiles. Now we are crashed out for a while!!

Love tearing sticks apart.

Heading home, wet, dirty & shaggy, but oh so happy.

Please remember to clean up after your dog. If he/she poops on the trail where someone can step on it, just take a stick & push it off into the bush. If you rather use a doggy bag, PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THE BAG BEHIND. 

If your dog is un-predictable & not sociable with other dogs, please have it on a leash. Lighthouse Country trails are off leash trails & we want to keep it that way for the enjoyment for all dogs.
NOTE: Take water, cell phone, heavy stick, bear bells/bear spray (remember it's bear country). You are responsible for self & others in your party.
Thanks.

HAPPY WALKING, HIKING, BIKING & EXPLORING

 

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