The
WestShore is composed
of the communities of Colwood,
Langford, View Royal, Metchosin, and the Highlands. This region lies to
the west of Victoria, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island from Esquimalt
Harbour to rocky Point along the shore of Juan de Fuca Strait which
leads out to the Pacific Ocean.
View Royal - As a gateway between Victoria's urban core and the growing West Shore municipalities, View Royal today is a thriving community of more than 9,200 residents located in Vancouver Island's Capital Regional District (CRD).
Langford - With its central location, Langford is becoming the commercial core of the West Shore. Langford is well served by highways, rail and bus to Victoria and the rest of Vancouver Island, and by ferries and air to Vancouver and the US. The Victoria International Airport, approximately 35 kilometers (21 miles) away, offers direct air transportation to destinations worldwide. Located on the southern end of Vancouver Island, the City of Langford is a young and growing community of 25,000 residents in 2009. It offers a variety of business opportunities, affordable housing and a wide range of services and amenities. Langford is within easy access of the rest of the Greater Victoria metropolitan area.
Colwood, at 10 kilometres from Victoria is located on a series of hills
sloping up from the sea allowing many locations excellent ocean views.
Although largely a residential area, Colwood has a major commercial
area and many excellent restaurants.
Metchosin is a rural municipality
comprising of many hobby farms and acreages and regional parks as well
as golfing. Wildlife
(whales, deer, eagles, seals), hiking, cycling, golfing, fishing, swimming,
and site seeingaway from the hustle and bustle of Victoria
are attractions for visitors while only a short drive to all the amenities
that Victoria has to offer.
Highlands - A beautiful rural residential area, the Highlands is just northwest of Victoria British Columbia Canada. One-third of the Highlands is protected as municipal, regional, and provincial parkland including alarge section of Gowlland Tod Provincial Park and Mount Work Regional Park containing protected Douglas fir habitat and old-growth forest.
Outdoor
activities are abundant throughout the West Shore. Hiking, biking,
swimming, fishing, and golfing all vie with team sports such as soccer
and baseball for popularity, several being year round activities.
Eleven parks cover nearly 2000 hectares and provide a myriad of hiking
trails from simple nature walks along the shore to challenging day
hikes.
The Galloping Goose Trail, a 60 km former rail line, is a
linear park running from downtown Victoria, through the West Shore,
to the ghost town of Leechtown, a long abandoned gold mining community
near Sooke. Named after the old steam locomotive which made its run
at the turn of the last century, " The Goose" is a walker
or cyclist's dream, well-groomed and peaceful with nary a hill to
climb.
Sooke and Port Renfrew
Sooke is about a 40-minute drive from downtown Victoria. Drive
west on Highway 1 and stay in the right lane and take the Colwood / Sooke
exit to Highway 14 and follow the signs to Sooke. Sookes
main attraction is the great outdoors. Sun, sea and scenery for
every person. The Sooke region from East Sooke to Port Renfrew
has a population of about 12,000, East Sooke over 600 and smaller communities
of Jordan River (100) and Port Renfrew (400).