The Armand Heights Bed & Breakfast is your home base for all kinds of adventures. Our Island has beautiful hiking trails, lakes to swim in, and calm waters to boat in. There’s a golf course, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, arts centre, and yoga and fitness studios. Our popular Saturday market features farm fresh food, artisan cheeses, pottery, custom-designed clothing, and much more.
About Salt Spring Island
Salt Spring is the most populous of Canada’s gulf islands, with up to 10,000 residents during the summer months. It has a warm dry climate through the summer, with mild winter months. It is rare for temperatures to go above 25°C or below 4°C for more than a few days in a row. It has excellent services available throughout the year, including bus service, hospital, public swimming pool, and library.
Outdoor Adventures: Hiking, Kayaking and more
We recommend spending time in Mount Maxwell Provincial Park, (just a 5 minute walk from your room), featuring winding rainforest trails and spectacular cliff-side vistas. Another good choice for hikers is Ruckle Park Provincial Park at the southern tip of the island (20 min by car). Here it is possible to spend the day walking coast-line trails looking across to the other Southern gulf islands. There’s a good chance of seeing seals, sea otters, or sea lions, and there’s even the occasional sighting of porpoises or killer whales. To make planning easier, we supply you with a map of all Salt Spring Island’s hiking trails at the time of your booking.
For those who like to travel by boat, Russell Island is a favorite with both locals and visitors. Just outside Fulford harbour, this tiny island is easily accessible by canoe, kayak or sailboat. Originally homesteaded in the late 1800s by a Hawaiian settler, Russell Island is now a Provincial Protected Reserve. The original house has been preserved, and during the summer months, interpreters are available to talk about the island’s Hawaiian heritage and family history.
Another good starting point for boaters is Ganges village, where you can rent kayaks and take off to explore the coastline and the little islands in the outer harbour. Guided tours can be arranged with one of our local outfitters, who offer everything from two-hour trips to multi-day fully-catered expeditions.
This is, of course, is just the beginning. Other possibilities include:
- Biking
- Sailing
- Golfing
- Fishing
Saturday Market
From the first Saturday in April to the last Saturday in October, Salt Spring has its own craft and farmer market in Centennial park, in Ganges. You’ll find artists (potters, wood workers, jewelers and other decorative arts), as well as a wide range of offerings from farms from all around Salt Spring: everything is local. Listen music, or experience unique culinary treats. There are more than 140 artisans and food producers at the market and it is simply a ‘must’ visit from April to October.
Artist Studios and Farms
Artists and food producers around the island have their own studios. From the small road-side stands, to full studio and farm experiences, there are interesting places to visit all around the island. A good place to start is with the Salt Spring Studio Tour which features many artists. Some times serendipity works best, and it is worth simply keeping an eye out for signs on driveways all around the island.
Events throughout the Year
Summertime is definitely the most popular time on Salt Spring, but there are events throughout the year, and sometime the quiet of the winter months can be just what one is looking for. One thing for certain, Salt Spring events all have a unique Salt Spring flavour, and are enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Here are just of few of the events going throughout the year:
- January
- Polar Bear Swim
- April
- Saturday Market (April – Oct)
- Rally Around the Rock (car rally)
- May
- Around the Island sailing race
- Painters Guild annual show
- Artcraft (May – Sept)
- June
- Sea Capers
- Jazz Festival
- July
- Canada Day (parade)
- Summer Festival of the Arts
- Lavender Festival
- August
- Fulford Days
- Garlic Festival
- September
- Fall Fair
- Terry Fox Run
- October
- Apple Festival
- Halloween Fireworks
- November
- Christmas Craft Fair
- Ganges Lights Up
- December
- Santa Ship arrives