| Name | BCR 5645: Beaches & Stream - Gravel 100km (#5645) |
|---|---|
| Info | BC Populaire 103km |
| Start Date | March 7, 2026, 8 a.m. |
| Ends | March 7, 2026, 2:52 p.m. |
| Region | BC Randonneurs CC - Vancouver Island (011611) |
| Start | Beaver Lake Filter Beds -- 726 Beaver Lake Road |
| Route | Gravel Permanent - Beaver Lake (2026) (103km) |
| Climbing | 720m (2362ft) |
| *Hirschbold, Markus | |
| Payten, Mark |
"Beaches & Stream" is a 100km gravel route highlighting some well known and some lesser known beaches around Victoria. All controls but one are at a beach. According to RideWithGPS, the route only has 34% of gravel (by distance) with 707m of climbing. Sounds pretty straight forward, right? But don't be mislead. The actual time spent on gravel is closer to 60%, and the climbing is about 1500m.
You will most likely be averaging about 6km/h less than on a typical road ride. The first 62km are relatively gentle, with some intermixed road and gravel sections. After that the gravel gets a bit more "gravely". Expect to spend over an hour to conquer the next 15km. As a reward you will get a fast downhill after the Hartland parking lot and go past the Red Barn Market on West Saanich Road for a quick lunch stop. Finally, the last 24km to the finish line will lead you through a couple of challenging little climbs.
A bike computer or navigation app (like RideWithGPS) is recommended for this ride. It can be a bit difficult to navigate the turns on trails with only a cue sheet.
You should consider using at least 35mm gravel tires. Doing this ride with smooth 30mm road tires is not recommended.
One navigational hint: Take a look at the right turn onto a trail at km 58.9. This one is difficult to find. It looks like someone's driveway. But, look down the driveway, and you will see the white plastic trail marker.