Photo: Daniel BaylisSooke, BC

Sooke Potholes (out and back)

A ride described at Gravel Buddies

How we describe routes →

Ambitious A real undertaking. Demanding on a couple of fronts, like rough surfaces plus steady climbing, or a long stretch on busier roads.

Difficulty Our overall read of how demanding a route is. We score surface roughness, climbing, singletrack, and how far it runs from services. The route publisher's own rating, a lot of busy road riding, or sheer scale can push the tier up, never down.

Derived from OpenStreetMap. Good data, not perfect. Spot something wrong? Tell us.

How we describe routes →

The beloved beginner overnighter: from Swartz Bay, follow the Lochside Trail through Saanich farmland and the Galloping Goose's rail-trail wilderness to Sooke Potholes Provincial Park, about 75 km each way with barely a hill, 95% of it on trail. Camp near the river and spend the evening swimming in the famous rock pools; the park squeezes cyclists in even when sites run out. Bike shops and resupply sit right on the route, and the trail never strays far from help. Bring cash for the campground and a book for the beach.

Get the route on Gravel Buddies →Free route map on Ride with GPS ↗

Where this ride goes#

Approximate lineGet the real route ↗

Map key & layers

Show stops Mute other bike trails

Food & DrinkAttractionsSuppliesCampingAccommodationBike Services

Dashed line = our rough sketch of where the ride goes. The rideable route lives at get the route from Gravel Buddies.

☕Stops worth stopping for207 along this route

Six Mile Pub: British Columbia's oldest pub, operating continuously since 1855. · View Royal

Communities along this route#

Saanich 58 Langford 41 Sidney 31 Colwood 27 North Saanich 14 Central Saanich 13 View Royal 12 Sooke 9 Metchosin 1 Victoria 1

Saanich (58)

Adrienne's Restaurant & Tea GardenWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Crust BakeryWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Hey HappyWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Galey FarmsInfo· Farmers' Market

Trini to D BoneInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Cosmos Pizza & PastaWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Delicious Pizza & PastaWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Des PanjaabWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Emily Carr Library BranchWelcoming· Library · Free

Ono PokéWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Plus the fast-food chains — Puerto Vallarta Amigos, roast, Ali Baba's +14 more

+31 more in Saanich →

Langford (41)

Green Man BikesAccredited· Repair Shop

Origin Bakery & CafeWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Sushi LangfordWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Bucky's TaphouseInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Liberty KitchenInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Pizzability GlenlakeInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Sizzling TandoorInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

WestShore BicyclesInfo· Repair Shop

FreshiiWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Real Canadian SuperstoreWelcoming· Grocery Store

Plus the fast-food chains — Romeo's, Edo Japan, Fatburger +12 more

+16 more in Langford →

Sidney (31)

Mary Winspear CentreWelcoming· Community Centre · Free

Sidney Information CentreWelcoming· Visitor Centre · Free

Sidney Museum and ArchivesWelcoming· Museum / Gallery · Free

Russ Hay's The Bicycle ShopAccredited· Repair Shop

900 BistroWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Alexander's Coffee BarWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Charles Dickens' PubWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Fish on 5thWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Fresh Tandoori Flavour Indian Restaurant SidneyWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

J Kitchen Korean & Japanese RestaurantWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Plus the fast-food chains — Mariner pizza, Panago, Scotty's Dog Shack +5 more

+13 more in Sidney →

Colwood (27)

Habitat CafeWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Juan de Fuca Recreation CentreInfo· Community Centre · Free

Asian Noodle HouseInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Burger CrushInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Greenleaf Pho GrillInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

House of NutritionInfo· Specialty / Health Food

Juan de Fuca Library BranchInfo· Library · Free

Momo Sushi ColwoodInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Thrifty FoodsWelcoming· Grocery Store

CanexInfo· Convenience Store

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, BarBurrito, Firehouse Subs +8 more

+6 more in Colwood →

North Saanich (14)

Patricia Bay Visitor CentreWelcoming· Visitor Centre

Red Barn MarketInfo· Grocery Store

Smonećten (McDonald) CampgroundInfo· Public Campground

Stonehouse PubAccredited· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Lands End CaféWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Salish Sea Beach HouseInfo· B&B / Inn · $$$$ · Upscale

Sandown Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Canadian TireInfo· General merchandise

Co-opInfo· Convenience Store

Plus the fast-food chains — barBURRITO, Domino's, Firehouse Subs +2 more

Central Saanich (13)

Harvest Rd.Welcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Heritage AcresInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

Michell's Farm MarketInfo· Farmers' Market

Silver Rill Corn & Produce MarketInfo· Grocery Store

Marigold CafeAccredited· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Quality Inn Waddling DogInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range

Waddling DogInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Co-opInfo· Convenience Store

Motel 6 Saanichton, BC - Victoria AirportInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Super 8 Saanichton Victoria AirportInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Plus the fast-food chains — McDonald's, Tim Hortons

+1 more in Central Saanich →

View Royal (12)

Six Mile PubWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Coastal CyclesInfo· Repair Shop

COBS BreadWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Nest at the LakeWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Quality FoodsWelcoming· Grocery Store

Cascadia Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Serious CoffeeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Six Mile Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Plus the fast-food chains — Starbucks, Subway, Tim Hortons +1 more

Sooke (9)

Charters River Salmon Interpretive CentreInfo· Visitor Centre · Free

Spring Salmon Place CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

Ayum Creek Regional Park ReserveInfo· Park / Nature · Free

Seek & SurfInfo· Outdoor Gear

Sooke Oceanside BreweryInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Stickleback West Coast EateryInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Sunny Shores Resort & MarinaInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

The Bike ShackInfo· Repair Shop

Daniel's MarketInfo· Convenience Store

Metchosin (1)

Pedder Bay RV ParkInfo· Private Campground

Victoria (1)

Recyclistas Bike CollectiveAccredited· Repair Shop

Slice and dice these stops in the directory →

These stops come from our directory of welcoming places across BC. Spot something wrong, missing, or closed? Tell us and we'll fix it.

⛴Getting here, bike and allSaanich

Getting to this ride, bike and all#

Saanich is the handiest transit doorway for this ride. Buses, the SkyTrain, and ferries will carry you and your bike there:

Langfordbest: bus
Nanaimobest: bus
Vancouverbest: bus
Kelownabest: bus + SkyTrain + ferry

Also on the bike-transit map: Langford · Sooke · Victoria

Or pick any two places on To & Fro →

🪶Traditional territories

This route travels through the traditional territories of the Á,LEṈENEȻ ȽTE (W̱SÁNEĆ), Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla, Lekwungen/Songhees, MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat), S’Klallam, Sc’ianew, Semiahmoo, and Te’mexw Treaty Association.

Territory data from Native Land Digital, for educational purposes only.

Ready to ride it?

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