Recently, we went to Vancouver Island, which is about a 10 hour drive west, plus a two hour ferry ride from our home. As much as we would have liked to have been able to call this a vacation, we were working throughout the couple of weeks we spent there with our friends. We are fortunate enough to have the type of job that allows both of us to travel and be able to work while doing so. YouTube is the best! Both Paul and I were also lucky enough to have lived in Victoria for a period of time, and I was born on Vancouver Island, so heading back to the Island was something that we were both really excited about doing.
As soon as I knew we would be travelling to the West Coast, and the Pacific Ocean, I knew I wanted to bake something that would be “ocean” themed. What I remember very vividly about the Island from being a child (not so much as a University student) was looking for seashells, sea stars and sand dollars on the long beaches . . . and the idea for sand dollar cookies was born!
These cookies can be made at home, and like our other Backpack Baking recipes, you don’t have to have a backpacking oven. These cookies can be made in the comfort of your kitchen with you following the same directions. I can’t promise you the beautiful sights along the way though!
The beach that we hiked down to was along the start of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, which is a 47 km hike along the western edge of Sand Dollar Cookies. We started at the China Beach trailhead, and hiked two kilometers down to Mystic Beach. It was stunning coastal scenery along the way. The trail was in fabulous shape, and seems to be well maintained. There were many man-made walkways, staircases, and there was even a suspension bridge! The best part of the hike down to the beach is the final decent as you walk along a huge fallen tree that opens up to a beautiful view of the Mystic Beach. This hike is definitely worth it and it can be done by people of all ages and fitness levels.
