Welcome KNC Walking Group!
We are excited to continue our Thursday morning walking schedule. Please consider joining us for Thursday's walk from Rotary Beach to Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park
For a handy refresher on our rules and guidelines, please click here.
If you're new to this activity, you'll learn that we "take a walk" every Thursday morning year-round (COVID and weather-permitting), except for a couple of weeks before and after Christmas.
Our 1 to 1 & 1/2 hour walks generally depart at 9:00 a.m. from a variety of attractive locations - from Lake Country in the north to Peachland in the south. Please review each walk's details, as the level of effort varies from week to week.
Registration reminder: We've turned 'on' the registration button to help us collect contact information, to comply with COVID19 follow-ups, if necessary. Registration is solely for the purpose of creating an attendance list with contact detail. If you register but find yourself unable to attend, please cancel your registration through your KNC calendar.
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 09:00
Rotary Beach to Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park - West Kelowna
The trail takes us along the west side of Okanagan Lake from Rotary Beach to the Regional Park where the Gellatly Nut Farm has been producing nuts for more than a century. The farm was settled in the late 1800's by Jack Gellatly, who began experimenting with nut cultivation in the early 1900s by breeding nut varieties with a view to increasing hardiness The farm opened to the public in 2005 as a Regional Park. We will wander through the orchard as desired, then return by the same walking route.
A variety of nuts are grown and for sale in the orchard, including:
-
hazelnuts,
-
walnuts,
-
buartnuts, and
-
chestnuts.
OPTIONAL: If you wish to purchase any nuts while we are enjoying the orchard, please bring a bag to put them in (the farm supplies small pails to use to collect the nuts before you transfer the nuts to your own bag to carry back to your vehicle on our return walk). Picking is from the ground only (nuts are ripe when they fall to the ground). The farm requests proper social distancing and mask use while at the park. Payment is by e-transfer to nutfarm@shaw.ca *or*$5.00 cash deposited to the payment box at the farm house.
All sale proceeds are returned to the Park for upkeep of the orchards.
Rotary Beach to Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park
Directions: (from Orchard Park Mall)
-
Turn onto Harvey Ave/Okanagan Hwy/BC-97 S
-
Continue on Okanagan Hwy/BC-97 S, (you will cross over the William R. Bennett Bridge and continue on Hwy 97) for 16.6 km
-
Turn left onto Gellatly Rd
-
Go through 1 roundabout and continue for 1.0 km
-
Turn left onto Boucherie Rd for 75 m
-
Slight right and destination will be on the right at 72 m at Rotary Park Parking Lot at 2125 Boucherie Rd, West Kelowna.
Google Map Link (starting point Orchard Park Mall):
Difficulty: EASY
Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park trail from Rotary Beach is an easy 4.5 km out and back trail located in West Kelowna that offers scenic lake views. There is minimal elevation gain along the route (32 km).
Walk Leader: Vivian Manning
Coffee and Snacks: Due to Covid19, we will not be gathering at a coffee shop / restaurant after our walk. For those who wish gather for a social chat after the walk, weather permitting, please bring your travel hot beverage mug, snacks and a camp chair and we’ll set up at the trailhead.
