The Martlet

Our ocean may be a little chilly, but that doesn’t mean we can’t go swimming outside in the middle of May. Another advantage of living on the west coast: beautiful lakes.

In the Victoria area, you’ll have the best access to the finest lakes if you have a bike, car, or can scheme a carpooling trip although some are available by bus if you don’t mind a bit of a walk.

Thetis Lake

This lake is no secret to locals, but beware — it’s also heavily frequented by high schoolers. There is a public beach, but it’s small and fills up quickly, so many people opt to take the trail and walk around the lake to set up their own spot.

Thetis is popular for cliff jumping, but is also known for its horror stories regarding some bad jumps, so don’t get tempted. The lake is on the small side, but with no boats it’s ideal for swimming (especially swimming to the island in the middle, but don’t try it if you’re not a strong swimmer — it’s farther away from the main beach than it looks). If you take booze, make sure to hide it well, as bylaw officers make daily trips around the lake.

Located in Colwood, you can get to Thetis by taking the number 50 bus to the Six Mile Pub and walking for one kilometre, or by driving or cycling. Remember, parking fees are in effect.

Durrance Lake

Durrance, another small lake where boats are banned, is rumoured to have the cleanest water on Vancouver Island. There is no specific main beach at Durrance, but there are small beaches scattered all around the lake. Since the lake is smaller, parents bring their toddlers here to splash around, but they usually stay at the beach closest to the parking lot. This lake is great for animal spotting as well — loads of fish, bald eagles and herons inhabit the area.

Durrance is part of Mount Work Regional Park in one of Saanich’s rural areas, so this lake is tricky to get to by bus, but fairly simple to access by bike or car. The parking lot is small and the neighbours are finicky about cars being parked near their houses, so you may have to park on Willis Point Road and walk down.

Shawnigan Lake

Ready for a day trip? Head to Shawnigan Lake, located about a half an hour outside of Victoria, halfway up the Malahat. This lake is extremely popular for summer boating activities, whether it’s with a motor or you’re paddling yourself. There are residents that live on the lake year round, and the village is located on the east side if you need to do a beer and snack run.

The lake has two provincial parks (Memory Island Provincial Park which you can get to through the other park, West Shawnigan Provinical Park) but there are also numerous beaches that allow public access.

Some areas of the lake have been developed by summer cabin owners with docks, waterslides and log booms, so if you’re travelling with only one or two other people and act like you belong, you may be able to get away with using their beaches.

Cowichan Lake

People who love Cowichan Lake really love it. Not only are there numerous campgrounds, but it’s far enough from Victoria that you feel like you’re actually getting away. Located about an hour out of the city, this lake is just north of Duncan. There are a few towns around the lake, but the most popular are Youbou, Town of Lake Cowichan and Honeymoon Bay.

The lake has one provincial park, Gordon Bay, where there is a great swimming area and camping. However, if you’re planning on camping with a big group, be careful: this campground is family oriented and you’ll never hear the end of it from the park employees. If you want to be loud, try one of the other privately-owned campsites around the lake, such as Cayacuse.

If you want to try any sort of water sport on Cowichan, there are many places to rent or hire someone to take you out, but remember the towns here thrive off of tourism, so prices may be a little steeper than you expect.