Where — and what — is Shawnigan Lake?

Located on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish people, including the Malahat, Quw’utsun and WSANEC nations, Shawnigan Lake is part of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. By car, it is about 20 minutes from Duncan, 45 minutes from Victoria, and an hour from Nanaimo. The smaller communities of Mill Bay and Cobble Hill are even shorter drives away.

 

Shawnigan Lake is just minutes away from the Salish Sea, the branch of the Pacific Ocean that separates Vancouver Island from the mainland. Like much of the rest of Vancouver Island, the Shawnigan Lake area retains its wilderness character, with a rugged landscape defined by forests of Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, bigleaf maple and western red cedar populated by deer, elk, black bears, raccoons, eagles, ravens and herons. The lake is home to cutthroat and rainbow trout, and coho and kokanee salmon — both endemic and stocked for sportfishing.

 

Although the Cowichan Valley is known overall for its warm climate, compared to the rest of Canada, the Shawnigan Lake area still experiences four distinct seasons. Summer is hot and humid, fall is crisp and colourful, and winter is cool and damp, with more rain than snow, although when it does snow, the amount is significant.

 

Since Shawnigan Lake School was founded in 1916, the surrounding community has grown up, based originally on the logging and lumber industries, then moving into the tourism sector. It now also serves as a commuter community for Greater Victoria to the south and Duncan to the north, as well as cottage country for families in Victoria and Vancouver. Approximately 9,000 people call the Shawnigan Lake area home, spread out over a large rural/semi-urban area.

 

Cottage-owners and tourists are drawn to the lake’s beaches and parks, with ample opportunities for activities like boating, fishing, water skiing, kayaking and hiking. Shawnigan Lake village, at the northeast corner of the lake and a 20-minute walk from the School, has several amenities, including general stores, restaurants, and coffee shops.

 

Also in the village is the Shawnigan Lake Museum, which tells the story of the area, and which broke ground on a $2.1-million expansion in June 2023. Just west of the lake is the historic Kinsol Trestle. Built in 1920 as the largest wooden railway trestle in the Commonwealth, it went into disrepair after the last train crossed in 1979 before community efforts led to it being restored and reopened to foot traffic in 2011.

 

The unique topography and climate of the Cowichan Valley lends itself to the cultivation of grapes and other fruit, leading to a multitude of wineries and cideries in the region, including several within a short drive of Shawnigan Lake. That goes hand-in-hand with fine dining, and there are many excellent restaurants in the area, some located at the wineries and cideries themselves.