Wandering...

Yesterday was a sunny, spring-like day, so I took the weathers cue

and headed north up the Island for a ramble with Irma and Frank.

Our destination was just outside of the little community of Shawnigan Lake.

In particular, the old quarry...

This was a limestone quarry which operated in the '40s in conjunction with

the cement plant about 15 miles away.

It covers over 25 acres and has some lovely views.

 It tried to become a fish plant a number of years ago but shut down

and has since become a favorite place for walkers, swimmers and riders alike.

Our first stop was into the bush where Irma showed me this...

It was some kind of oven and is huge but we weren't quite sure what it was for.

Irma had heard that it was for making lime powder to be used in farmers fields,

but whatever it was, clearly the dogs thought it to be evil!

I was reminded of pictures of the temples in Angkor Wat in Cambodia

where the jungle is slowly growing over the ruins...

Looking through a big hole on the top side of the metal, reveals the 

expert, drystone masonry...

Along the top side of the quarry, we found evidence of more rock work

but have yet to determine what this was for as well...

The edges of the quarry are sharp and steep...mind your step guys!

In this next picture, I photo shopped the red line along the edge where I was 

standing. The bottom where the water is lay about 40 feet straight down...

Last summer, Irma discovered this to be a great swimming hole.

She figures the limestone is a natural filter and there's no plant life living in

the water so it's very clear and clean...

I hope to check it out myself this summer...picnic, sunny day, bottle of cold wine...

sounds like heaven to me.

After a tasty little lunch in the village, we went for a walk down by the 

railway tracks on the lake...

There's some funky little places along here.

...if this tree house could talk!

The detail on the shutters of the old community hall were really pretty...

...a well used gate down to the lake...

...and if I closed my eyes just for a moment, I could hear the train comin' down the tracks...