In Love With LadySmith's Page Point Inn By Lynn Welburn Contributor to Travelink Publishing As soon as you arrive at Ladysmith's heritage Page Point Inn, you can feel the fast-paced cares of urban life drift away. The winds sigh softly through Douglas Firs, the ocean laps against the beach and pleasure craft bob at anchor. And if you stay a while, you'll see otters splashing in the shallows, herons stalking the beach and glorious bald eagles swoop and soar... all right in front of you at this peaceful waterfront resort. Originally named Manana Lodge in the 1940s, Page Point Inn and Marina was a popular destination among the West Coast Yachting elite. The decades took their toll, until the present owners, Lexi and Lawrence Lambert revitalised the ambience with strategic renovations in 1999. Page Point Inn is located on an acre and a half of well-treed land adorned with huge Douglas Firs reminiscent of the 1800's when an early pioneer John Page established a farm on this property. Now operated as a bed and breakfast Inn, Page Point has 11 rooms including three of the original rooms in what is called the old quarter, six new rooms and a duplex cabin that is ideal for families. The dining room has been reopened to its original size and, as well as catering to couples on romantic escapes, the restaurant is proving a popular attraction to area residents who are drawn by the fabulous food prepared by award-winning chef, Ian Ter Veer. How good? Imagine dishes like Moroccan Crusted Rack of Lamb, Banana Leaf Wrapped Halibut or Breast of Muscovy Duck and you're beginning to get an idea of what's on the menu. The wine list features a good selection of local and imported labels, which Chef Ter Veer changes with the seasons to give guests the best pairing with his seasonal vegetables and seafood. And no matter what you choose to eat or drink, it's all enhanced by the view from the restaurant or deck where you can look across the harbour to the heritage town of Ladysmith. In the early 1900s, Ladysmith (which takes its genteel name from the British Victory at Ladysmith, South Africa during the Boer War) boomed with the production of coal and timber. It became known as the San Francisco of the North and was the stop-off point for many an adventurer en route to Yukon's Gold Rush. While those days are long gone, Ladysmith has a special charm with its frontier shop fronts and heritage buildings that have been lovingly restored. Little wonder why in 2000, Harrowsmith Country Life magazine named Ladysmith as one of the "ten prettiest towns in Canada". If you come to Page Point by boat, you can share moorage with Dame Pattie, the elegant 1967 Australian 12 metre America's Cup Challenger. Dame pattie can usually be seen thrilling guests as she moves out of the harbor under full sail, or simply for others seeking a unique experience, sleep on board. Even if you arrive by road, you can still enjoy fun on the water. Oyster Harbour provides protected and calm currents for sailing, canoeing, paddling or rowing (these boats are provided by Page Point free of charge to guests). At the marina, you can rent a 20-foot Gazelle sailboat and kayaks are available through a local outfitter. Off the water, too, there are a variety of activities: hiking, golfing and bicycling are just three suggestions to soak up the West Coast ambiance. There's a 40-minute round trip hike to the top of a local mountain - a medium challenge - which provides an awesome view of the harbour. You can also cycle this route or follow Shell Beach Road for up to 10 kilometres to some secluded area beaches. Looking for more urban entertainment? By driving 30 minutes north or south, you can enjoy an amazing variety of local culture. In Nanaimo, there are concerts of all sorts at the Port Theatre plus four multi-plex cinemas or, heading south, the Chemainus Theatre offers live theatre for the whole family plus a whole town full of historical murals painted on all the buildings. And both of these places offer a wealth of shopping from fashion to antiques. Page Point Inn 4760 Brenton-Page Road Ladysmith, BC, V9G 1L7. Phone: (250) 245-2312. Fax: (250) 245-7546. E-mail: info@pagepointinn.com Web site: www.pagepointinn.com Driving North from Victoria, turn right off of Highway #1 onto Brenton Page Road just north of Ladysmith. Follow the blue signs for five km. Driving south, the turn off is 15 km. from Nanaimo. Air Travellers can access Page Point Inn from the Nanaimo Airport, located on Highway #1 about three km. north of Brenton Page Road. An air float plane can be arranged from either downtown Vancouver or downtown Seattle to Oyster Harbour.