Walter & Rupert visit Esquimalt Gorge Park

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Esquimalt Gorge Park (on Tillicum Road just south of the Gorge Waterway. You can also enter on foot from Sioux Place, off Craigflower Road) is a great place for a stroll with the pups. It has nice wide paths along the Gorge waterway, information signs about the park, an off leash area and the lovely Japanese Gardens.

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 We stopped by bright and early one morning last week (8am...which is very early for me! lol)  It was very quiet which is always lovely (this is a very popular places during the warm summer months!) Our first stop was the off leash area (visit here for more details)  Walter and Rupert love a good frolic so they ran and wrestled.

After they tuckered themselves out, we continued (on leash) down the path at the far end of the off leash area. It lead to the playground and nature building. 

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We then continued along the waterway to the bridge, It was so lovely and such a pretty area. There were lots of benches to enjoy the view and informational signs telling the history of the park.

Our final stop was the Japanese Gardens. The history of the gardens can be read here. It doesn't seem very big from the outside, but once you enter it's incredibly peaceful. We loved it and I highly recommend a visit! 

Gorge Point is one of those parks that we really need to visit more often. We'll definitely be back! 

Walter & Rupert visit Macaulay Point Park

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We visit Macaulay Point Park in Esquimalt quite a lot (it can be accessed from Fleming Beach, as well as from Clifton Terrace off Munro Street). It has a lovely off leash area, beautiful scenery and lots of little places to explore.

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We keep the pups on leash as we pass by the rock climbers and Fleming Beach. Once we get to the breakwater the leashes come off and they can run like the wind (or saunter and sniff...whatever they prefer!)  Rupert can get a bit weak in his back end, so the wide paths and easy trail are perfect for him when he wants to take it easy!  

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This was once a coastal defence fortification built in the late 1800's so there are lots of cool buildings, old gun emplacements and a guard tower (with a cool tunnel leading to it!). Last summer they installed a series of informative signs around the park, telling you what each building was used for. It's very interesting and Walter & Rupert have lots of fun exploring! 

I take a lot of photos here! I'm a sucker for textures and lighting and this place has it all! Below is a small selection of some of my favourite photos with Walter and Rupert here over the last couple of years. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them! 

For more info about dogs visiting Esquimalt parks visit: www.esquimalt.ca

and click here for pdf map that has the off-leash areas highlighted

 

 

 

Rupert explores Fernwood Square

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Fernwood is our stompin' ground and we love it. It's a beautiful neighbourhood full of fabulous houses, artists and tons of  character. Fernwood Square is the heart of it all, located at Gladstone and Fernwood Ave. and anchored by the Belfry Theatre. There you'll find a great selection of delightful shops and amazing restaurants to visit.

We walk through the square on a daily basis so we thought it would be fun to have a leisurely stroll, pop into some dog friendly shops and have a bite to eat in the sunshine. Rupert loves adventures with his nanna, and her birthday is on Monday so he thought it would be a lovely treat.  

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Our first stop was Luna Collective (2000 Fernwood Rd). A beautiful little shop at the corner of the square. It's filled with vintage pretties and wonderful things created by local artists and designers.

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We asked Eryn why she thinks being a pet friendly business is important, and she told us:

"I think being a pet friendly business is an important part of connecting with your community. I am so happy to have my shop in the vibrant Fernwood Square, and part of what makes the square so amazing is the people and animals that I see and meet every day. I wan't pet owners to feel at ease knowing that they can pop into the shop while they are out and about with their furry friends, and that they will receive a warm welcome in the shop. I love connecting with my customers, and meeting their animals just makes it even better!"

She also told us about a pup named Rosie:

"I have met a lot of really lovely pets in the shop, but the most memorable would be Rosie. I hired Megan to work at the shop in November, and her lovely childhood dog was visiting from Alberta. Rose loves being in the shop and getting to interact with the customers. She has been back to visit Fernwood a few times, and always accompanies Megan to work."

Rupert and his nanna had a lovely time checking everything out and Rupert got a lot of pets on the head! We thoroughly enjoyed out visit to Luna Collective, and if you haven't popped in yet, you definitely should! Visit their website: www.lunacollective.ca and follow them on instagram: @luna_collective

We were getting a bit hungry so our next stop was the Fernwood Inn (1302 Gladstone). They have a great patio and great food! The perfect place for a mid-adventure snack!

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We chatted with the general manager, Mike, and he told us that pets are welcome on the patio! They just need to be on a short leash, be well behaved and happy to chill out under the table. It's a busy place with a lot of good food so that totally makes sense. Rupert was given a big bowl of cold water, an ear rub, and sat patiently for some yam fries.

I have to say that I went there specifically for the chicken strips. They are so  delicious (we also got the poutine!). We had a great time and enjoyed the sunshine!

Visit fernwoodinn.com for more info. Follow them in instagram @thefernwoodinn and facebook: Thefernwoodinn

After our bellies were full we crossed the street to Studio 1313 (1313 Gladstone Ave.)

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Now if you followed along with my Victoria shop dog series last year, you know that we featured the lovely Daisy (studio 1313's greeter/snuggler extraordinaire) Well, Rupert loves to flirt with cute shop dogs so he stopped by so he could say hi. She was a little aloof to his charms but he was smitten! When I make my next hair appointment, Rupert might insist on coming along...

Visit www.studio1313.ca for more info!

And follow them here:

facebook: Studio1313hair

instagram:  @studio1313hair

The next place we visited as the Fernwood Pizza Company. They are new on the street and delicious! 

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They also have a nice dog friendly patio on the side of the building. We were still too full from our lunch to have another lunch (although I have done that before!) but I stopped in and got a slice to go to take home to my fella (he loved it and kept going on about the yummy crust!). I love that you can buy pizza by the slice there (and ice cream and beer!). Rupert was hoping that the pizza was for him but he'd have to wait until he got home to get a nibble. 

Visit their website: www.fernwoodpizzacompany.com

and follow them on facebook: Fernwood Pizza Company

and on instagram: @fernwoodpizzacompany

Our next stop was 7 Rays New Age Store. We had never visited this store before but were so happy we finally did! 

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My mom was swooning over the wonderful scents and beautiful things! She got herself some birthday treats (scented oils and incense for her office) and we had a lovely chat with Atousa. She was incredibly knowledgeable, and obviously an animal lover. Rupert was a little shy at first but warmed up to her very quickly!

Atousa told us about some of the animals that have visited the shop. There have been dogs, a parrot and even a ferret! 

I asked her why being a pet friendly business is important to her and she said:

"I’ve always been a pet and animal lover since i remember. Healing vibes and good energy is what we share with everyone at our space and when customers visit us with their pets, they bring joy and laughter and that adds to all that healing vibes. "

Visit www.7rays.ca for more info.Follow them on Facebook: 7 Rays New Age and instagram: @7rays.newage

 

The final stop of our adventure was Graham Grooming, because you can't have a dog friendly afternoon without mentioning the dog groomer in the square.

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They were busy with pup clients when we stopped by but were nice enough to let me take a few photos while I was there. Rupert needs a nail trim so we'll have to pop back another time. 

For more information on their hours and services visit www.grahamgrooming.com

and follow them on facebook: Graham Grooming

We ended our journey with the 5 min walk home. It's so nice to explore our local neighborhoods and so important to visit the shops that we might just pass by during the hustle and bustle of our days. It's also lovely to know how many places are pet friendly! 

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 Thank you so much to everyone who let mom, Rupert and I stop by and take some photos! We had a delightful time! xoxo

Walter & Rupert visit Sandcut Beach

Oh Vancouver Island. You have so many rugged, beautiful beaches that are worth exploring! We recently visited Sandcut Beach in Jordan River (31 km past Sooke). Walter & Rupert love a good beach frolic so we popped them in the truck and went on an adventure. We had never been to this beach before, but had heard it was lovely (and we weren't disappointed) It was slightly overcast and early enough that we had the beach pretty much to ourselves (yay!) 

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The parking lot was easy to spot from the road, and there were info signs for us to read. We always like to know the dog rules before we venture anywhere! 

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Walter and Rupert were super excited about the trail leading down to the beach, it took about 10 mins down the stairs and over bridges.

So many new sniffs to check out and things to see (Walter was a little unsure of the forest watchers! lol!)

"It's behind me isn't it?"

"It's behind me isn't it?"

When we got to the bottom of the stairs we could see the beach through the trees! sigh. so pretty.

"Hurry up and get down here!"

"Hurry up and get down here!"

We were told the waterfalls were to the left so we headed in that direction. 

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After a few minutes we spied them splashing onto the beach. It's been rather warm and dry lately so the falls weren't super big, but they were still so pretty! 

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Walter had a lot of fun checking them out...

Rupert thought they were cool but he was more interested in sniffing driftwood!

"yup, lots of driftwood to sniff, I better get started"

"yup, lots of driftwood to sniff, I better get started"

 

After a play in the falls, we continued exploring! Walter found a cool cave...

"hmmm...no cookies in here..."

"hmmm...no cookies in here..."

Rupert thought a swim would be a good idea.. but he didn't think about waves (the waves might have been wee but so is Rupert!)

After a lovely walk we started to make our way back to the trail. We enjoyed having the beach to ourselves (when we left the parking lot was starting to get busy!) 

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We took our time and the pups had some good runs and a few more splashes in the water.

I also had to take an artsy shot....because that's what needs to be done when you're surrounded by so much prettiness! 

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We made our way back up the stairs towards the parking lot . Rupert's legs were tired so it took us a little longer to make our way back but he toughed it out (knowing he could nap on the drive home!)

I love morning like these. No cell service, no stress, just us together exploring something new. We will definitely be back! 

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Rupert takes a Harbour Ferry Adventure

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Oh the delightful Victoria Harbour Ferries. They are a huge part of Victoria's tourism scene and a great way to get around (they are also adorable!). 

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 According to their website, www.victoriaharbourferry.com, they've been serving Victoria for over 25 years and have transported over 3,000,000 passengers! I had heard that they were pet friendly so I reached out to see if Rupert and I could hop on board. We were so excited when they said we could! yay! We set up a time with Sabina and then popped down to the Inner Harbour bright and early and set sail to Fisherman's Wharf. Rupert even wore his new nautical t-shirt! lol! 

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I asked Victoria Harbour Ferries about their pet policies and this is what they said:

"VHFC is incredibly welcoming towards pets. In the office we have our resident dog who comes to work with us. As for the ferries, dogs just have to be well-mannered and leashed to board our ferries. Our captains do ensure that all the other passengers have confirmed that they are ok with having a pet onboard. We ensure that none of the our passengers have allergies, are afraid of animals etc. It works great for us because Victoria is such a pet friendly city.

We recommend that pets be okay with the loud noises that are occurring in the Inner Harbour and that they are okay with being on a moving vessel for the designated time"

Rupert was greeted with lots of ear rubs and compliments on his handsomeness, then he just happily climbed aboard the waiting ferry and was ready to go!! 

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My usual trusty assistant was busy, so I enlisted my mom to help with the photos. Rupert is hopelessly in love with his nanna so he was very happy to have her to himself without his brother or aunty pups.

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We had never been on a Harbour Ferry before but I think everyone should experience it! It gave us a new perspective on our beautiful city and Captain Doug was a wealth of information. He told us lots of stories about many of our famous buildings and our inner harbour.

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We especially liked the view of the last bits of our old blue bridge! 

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Harbour Ferries don't just putter around the inner harbour, they have longer tours of the Harbour and Gorge, the Pickle pub crawl and even their famously awesome Water Ballet

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Rupert had never been on small boat before but he knew he was in safe hands with his new friend Captain Doug and he eventually fell asleep! It was a lovely relaxing way to start the day!

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Here at Wally & Roops we think it's awesome how many local businesses are pet friendly and Victoria Harbour Ferries agree! They told us:

"We feel that pet friendly places are important because it allows for our pets to be with or near us consistently especially if it’s raining or windy out, in pet friendly places our pets don’t have to wait outside. Plus the pets I’ve met have been super well behaved and calm. As I mentioned it’s awesome being able to bring them to work rather than leaving them home alone for hours!"

We had so much fun this morning and will definitely be hopping on board a Harbour Ferry again!! Thanks so much for our great tour!

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Below are some more photos from our adventure, as well as Rupert's commentary! Enjoy! And be sure to follow Victoria Harbour Ferries on Instagram and Facebook

Rupert visits Baggins

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Sigh. Oh Baggins. The most wonderful place at 580 Johnson St. is full of beautiful shoes and back packs in every pretty colour imaginable! .

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As a Converse lover, it's great to know that the worlds best selection is a 20 min walk from my house. I'm also a Dr.Martens lover and was thinking that I really needed to invest in a pair of boots for photo shoots. A while back, I saw a contest on their instagram page for a pair of said boots. I entered and my name was drawn as the winner! Squeeeee! SO much excitement!

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I asked Baggins if they were pet friendly and they responded with a very enthusiastic "OMG Yes!" So I gathered up my fella, my camera and Mr.Roops and we went to pick up my prize! It was very exciting! 

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Mr.Roops is a big shoe fan, usually when we come home, he'll grab the nearest one and will run around the house with it for a few minutes. He doesn't eat them (well not any more), he just prances around for a bit. silly bub. 

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I asked Baggins why they chose to be a pet friendly space and they said:

"One day 15 years ago, Baggins had a black cat come stay with us while his owners were out of town and he never left. That black cat was Fraidy Cat, our resident shop cat who roamed the Paper Box Arcade, greeted every customer and lifted the staff’s spirits. Fraidy Cat passed away in 2015 but Baggins has always felt that allowing pets into our store makes it a better place. The director, Tara, brings her two dogs to work daily, and we always have treats and smile for any visiting furry friends. Baggins understands that our pets are part of your family and we want them to be apart of the Baggins Fam' as well."

 

Our love of pets hasn't changed since the days of Fraidy as our mascot and beloved shop cat. We still have people coming in who ask about him on a regular basis, so we know his love was spread far and wide. We love having visits from all sort of critters in the shop, we've even had an iguana once! In the dog days of summer, we even have a bowl of pooch hooch (AKA water) outside for any thirsty passer by. Rest assured we have plenty of treats behind the till and time for a scratch behind the ear or a belly rub for all our four legged friends.

It was very obvious that there is a love for our furry friends at this shop! Rupert enjoyed all the pets on the head and compliments about this handsomeness! Below are some more photos (as well as Rupert's commentary, please enjoy scrolling through them! 

Also be sure to visit Baggin's website: https://www.bagginsshoes.com/

Their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bagginsshoes/

and their instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bagginsshoes/

I just want to thank Baggins for letting us snap a few pics while we were at the shop! We will definitely be visiting again....I think I need custom Wally & Roops converse....