A person walks up Oxford Street in White Rock, one of the steepest climbs in the city. Where the terrain is too steep for vehicles, walking trails offer spectacular views for those who have the energy to take them on, writes Barbara Cooper. (Aaron Hinks photo)

LETTERS: White Rock streets and trails will test muscles you didn’t know you had

Editor:

Editor:

Re: Staying a step ahead of pandemic stress, Feb. 18

Like Marianna Paulson, so many of us have been motivated to explore our own communities during the pandemic. With more time and fewer ways available to spend it, we took to walking the streets, parks, promenades and laneways in our own neighbourhoods, discovering hidden pleasures along the way.

Last spring I began to explore the hillside walkways of White Rock.

Where the terrain is too steep to accommodate roads, these walkways dot the southern slope from Vidal to Ash Streets, feeding eventually into Marine Drive.

Taken together they offer a fitness challenge that rivals other workout hikes in the Metro area. By my own rough calculation, the combined length of just the walkways alone covers 1.5 kilometres, with a total elevation gain of over 300 metres. Whether you are going up or down, the 777 stairs along the way test muscles you never knew you had.

With some of the most spectacular views anywhere, the hillside walkways of White Rock are a treasure hiding in plain sight.

Barbara Cooper, White Rock

Peace Arch News