Martina assembled a team of eight by the Yellow Crane on Lonsdale Quay as daylight faded, close to the ice rink that set the scene for this wintry walk to look at lights. Our route took us up St George’s Avenue before briefly touching The Green Necklace, one of the North Shore’s little gems and taking us past the cafe “Andrews on Eighth” which looks to be a highly suitable stopping point on a future bike ride. East on Eighth, with the engaging snow shovelling locals explaining the address challenges of Eighth and Lyon Place for pizza delivery, before heading south down Grand Boulevard and then east to cross Heywood Street. Up to this point we’d seen lots of well decorated houses, including one that generated a round of applause as the Christmas trees lights came on, but soon we picked up the different lights of the Neptune Terminal, a bit of starless and bible black coal with a lot of snow. Next we were off to Park and Tilford. To our collective surprise, as well as that of several others in the area, the garden lights were out. Ho hum, holiday season must be over.

We strolled back west along The Spirit Trail with a bonus for those in the group that normally cycle the trail, we went on the part of the trail that includes steps and a Wobbly Bridge as well as great views of the Cargill grain silos. We successfully avoided the welcoming lights of the breweries on Esplanade before saying farewell as we went our separate ways, back across the harbour or into North Van.

This was a splendid low key kind of event, just what was needed after holiday revels.