Photo: Let's Go BikingLochside Trail

Lochside Trail

A ride described in Let's Go Biking

How we describe routes →

Easy Smooth surfaces and gentle climbing.

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 Lochside Trail runs 29 km between the Swartz Bay ferry terminal and downtown Victoria, flat rail-trail riding through Central Saanich farmland, along seaside stretches, and past some of the region's best birding flats. The natural first ride for anyone arriving by ferry with a bike, and a lovely day out for locals, with Sidney's bookshops a short spur away.

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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 book from Let's Go Biking.

☕Stops worth stopping for108 along this route

Communities along this route#

Saanich 50 Sidney 31 North Saanich 14 Central Saanich 12 Victoria 1

Saanich (50)

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

Red Lion Inn & SuitesInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget

Delicious Pizza & PastaWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Emily Carr Library BranchWelcoming· Library · Free

Ono PokéWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

The Monkey Tree PubWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Yoshi SushiWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Plus the fast-food chains — Puerto Vallarta Amigos, roast, Ali Baba's +13 more

+24 more in Saanich →

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 →

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 (12)

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

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

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

Tonolli's Deli & CaféInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

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

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: 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), Semiahmoo, and Te’mexw Treaty Association.

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

Ready to ride it?

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