Adrienne, our leader this month, had us assemble at the corner of Denman and Alberni. I think we all went with her recommendation to take public transit, as parking is notoriously difficult in the West End.

It was a perfectly scenic spring day — a bit cold at first but the sun promised warmth for later.

At the start, we were 21 humans plus Finn. We walked along Alberni (where there were lots of sniffing opportunities for Finn) and posed for our starting selfie at the edge of the park.

The first part, around Lost Lagoon, was spectacularly beautiful and set the mood for the day. Herons galore alternately hid their heads and displayed themselves. Ducks and Canada geese did well in supporting roles. Cattails waved. Trees stretched to the sky.

We admired the floating structure in the middle of the lake, made by Sandy some years ago.

The trails provided alternating sun and shade and they were pleasingly springy underfoot.

We took South Creek Trail and Beaver Lake Trail, and wandered in the direction of the bridge over the causeway. David, Angela, and Finn left after we crossed the causeway bridge — although they needed to peruse the map carefully. Advice was given. They were last seen heading to Lovers Walk. We trust they made their way safely home.

The elevation gain was almost all on Bridle Path on the way up to Prospect Point, where we received our reward in the form of a snack break in the sunshine.Then we descended via Merilees Trail. Here, we had lots of glimpses of the water: there were classic Vancouver views of sea, white sails, blue sky, and distant mountains.

Most people took a slight detour to the Siwash Rock viewpoint, which required going down and then back up. Two people opted for discretion rather than valour, but regretted it as they had to walk next to the road for a stretch.

The last part yielded more of the springy trails, serenading birds, and tall trees. Near the end, we saw lots of evidence of an early spring, with daffodils, crocuses, and camellias along with cherry blossoms. In Ceperley Meadow, we saw another of Sandy’s carpentry masterpieces in the form of a curved bridge, now half-hidden in the grass.

Adrienne’s foresight in making and confirming our reservation was evident when we were immediately ushered to our long table at Stanley Park Brewing, despite it being a very busy day for them.

Fred, Joette, Jan, and Annie had coffee at Bisou, but have provided no photographic evidence.

1	Lost Lagoon
2-3	South Creek Trail
3-4	Beaver Lake Trail; Beaver Creek; Eagle Trail
4	Chickadee Trail; North Creek Trail
5	Lake Trail; causeway bridge crossing
5-6	Bridle Path; Prospect Point
7-8	Merilees Trail; Siwash Rock Trail
8-9	Merilees Trail; Tatlow Walk
10-11	Rawlings Trail; Lees Trail
11-end	Cathedral Trail; Stanley Park Brewing

Thanks to Adrienne, Angela, Fred, and Jon for the photos