Situated on 9.6 acres of lawns, forest, meadows, and trails, Creekbanks Cottage is only 10 minutes from Courtenay, yet offers guests privacy, peace, tranquility, and a chance to re-connect with nature. A salmon-bearing stream meanders through the property, and bird, animal, and plant life abound. Eagles, ravens, and blue herons regularly surveil the property from the heights of the ancient Douglas Fir tree that graces the vista from the cottage and the lawns. Your closest neighbours are horses; other regular visitors include free range chickens, ducks, geese, wild rabbits, deer, racoon, mink, and, of course, various types of salmon during their respective spawning seasons. The property has grapes and blackberries, as well as apple, pear, walnut, and hazelnut trees. Guests are welcome to pick anything that's in season.
Built in 1936, with a sunporch added in the 1970's, the cottage has been updated to offer comfort, character, and the charm of an earlier era of family farm living. The one-and-one-half story house has central heating, and (for those who enjoy the look-and-feel of old-fashioned radiant heat) a built-in gas fireplace in the living room and a free-standing gas fireplace in the kitchen/dining area. The main floor has nine-foot ceilings, a completely renovated bathroom and one bedroom with a queen bed. The sloping ceilings of the upper half-story offer charm and character, although headroom is reduced in places for anyone over six-foot-one-inches in height. There are two bedrooms upstairs, both with double beds, and one with an ensuite half-bathroom (toilet and sink). Light floods into the cottage from all directions, and every window offers an unobstructed private view of the property.
Your hosts, Ted and Hitu, live in a second house on the property located on the other side of the stream. The two houses are separated by forest and meadow; each has its own driveway.
Additional Amenities:
*The cottage is thoroughly and professionally cleaned between guests (please help us to keep the portion of this cost charged to guests as low as possible by cleaning up any of your own spills or messes).
*The cottage has a fully equipped kitchen with fridge, dishwasher, gas range, toaster, toaster oven, pots & pans, baking pans & sheets, dishes, cutlery, etc.
*We supply bed linens & towels, wireless high-speed internet, Shaw TV, Radio & CD player.
*Laundry facilities are available onsite. These are shared with our brother John who lives with his cat, Shadow, in a private suite of rooms located in the basement and accessed by a separate entrance.
*The Comox Valley with its distinct villages, towns, and settlements is surrounded by beaches, farms, parks, forests, lakes, rivers, and mountains. The valley offers a great range of things to do and explore: arts, culture, and heritage; shopping, dining, farm, and culinary tours; fishing, marine adventures, and wildlife tours; golf, hiking, cycling, and mountain biking. The Mount Washington Alpine Resort is nearby and open year-round. For more information visit The Comox Valley’s Tourism Vancouver Island website at: https://experiencecomoxvalley.ca/
Notes:
*Sewage from the cottage is treated in a Septic Tank system that is carefully maintained to ensure against contamination of ground water seeping into the salmon-bearing stream. Do not flush anything other than bodily waste and toilet paper. Everything else should go in the bin provided.
*Ted’s family has lived on this property for almost three-quarters of a century and restoring and enhancing the cottage and grounds is both a labour of love and a work-in-progress. Creekbanks is an old house with “strong bones” and a good heart. While her plumbing has been upgraded, she does require the assistance of a few pumps to boost her circulation. Please don’t be alarmed if you occasionally hear some soft pump-related burps and gurgles.
*Our brother John (resident in the basement) doesn't drive; however, you might see an occasional car using the driveway to pick him up or drop him off. On sunny days, John sometimes likes to sit and read in the shade of the spreading Maple tree beside the carport. Otherwise, apart from the area around our house on the other side of the creek, you have the property to yourself. Feel free to explore it in its entirety. During the warmer weather, the flow of the creek is usually gentle; younger children, however, should always be supervised when near the water.
*We hope you enjoy your stay with us. Please let us know if anything is missing or deficient, or if you have any suggestions for improvement. If you are interested in considering a longer duration stay in the future, ask us about our significant discounts for one, two, or three or more week stays.
