The Royston Seaside Trail: My Fave Daily Hike/Walking Trail

Zoe and I on the Royston Seaside Trail

The Trail on January 1, 2015

My wife, Cynthia, Zoe (our schnauzer-toy poodle cross) and I moved to Royston on BC's Vancouver Island about 9 years ago.  Back then I discovered an oceanside hiking trail in our neighbourhood that was created over top of a 45-year abandoned railway line but when I came across it, parts of it were deteriorating and becoming unsafe for most users-- but not for me and my dog!

The current Royston Seaside Trail, as it is now called, follows some of the old trail and parts run parallel to the old railway.   It officially opened in May2014. Construction began on the ‘new trail’ during the Fall of 2013.  From our house to the northend of the trail and back home is about 6 km which results in an easy daily workout.

The old trail included a small bridge and crossing on planks over a few small streams.  The new trail is longer, and with a gravel top that is wheel-chair accessible and is an enjoyable and scenic walk or run regardless of the time of year (except when it is rainy or stormy) and the adventuresome type can dress accordingly.

The Trail has not become too busy and the other people who traverse it with their dogs are friendly.  Occasionally I come across walking groups, sometimes from a series of walks offered through the Comox Elder College.

The north half of the Trail is a portion of the old ‘Comox Logging Railway Grade' known as ‘The
Breakwater Esplanade'.  In the south is a chunk of the Marine Drive road right-of-way.

Between Chinook and Lince Roads, the Trail follows the former Comox Logging railway right-of-way.

On the "old Trail" that runs parallel to the new

From 1911 to the early 1950’s steam locomotives hauled logs from logging camps throughout the Comox Valley to the Royston log dump. A mile long wharf extended from the end of Hilton Road. Logs were tipped off the wharf and sorted into booms and towed to more protected waters on the inside of Goose Spit.  From there, steam tugs towed the log booms to Fraser Mills in New Westminster.

Starting in 1937, large sailing ships and tugs were sunk off Hilton Road to protect the exposed log booming grounds. The wharf was taken down and replaced by a breakwater in the 1950’s, now known as "The Royston Wrecks."

Logs were stored north of the breakwater until 2005. The rocks that can be seen within the intertidal area during low tides most likely originate from the fill material placed to construct the railway grade.

The railway grade eroded with time. Erosion accelerated in particular after the log storage in front of the breakwater was taken out in 2005.

The Trail was re-constructed in fall and winter 2013/2014 and was moved inland, off the original
grade, behind the Hilton slough and at Thomson Road.  Between the slough and Thomson Road right-
of-way, the Comox Valley Regional District installed shoreline protection with logs anchored with steel cable between large boulders.
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