VICTORIA

A 4 acre ocean-view country property with custom-built home in a fabulous setting only 25 minutes from the beautiful city of Victoria on southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It doesn't get better than this!

Swallow Hill offers a wonderful healthy lifestyle in a friendly, active, and environmentally aware community. This property is on the Galloping Goose Trail system which offers horseback riders, cyclists and runners 60 km of traffic-free trails. You can walk to Taylor beach where you will see eagles, seals, otters, and occasionally whales. 

Have you always dreamed of owning your own piece of land where you can keep horses, grow your own vegetables or maybe keep a few laying hens? Have you wished you could raise your family in the countryside where there is plenty of fresh air and the opportunity for them to explore nature? Or are you retired and wishing to escape to a place where you can find the time to develop new interests or run a home-based business? 

Create your own vision of a peaceful country lifestyle by the ocean in an area noted for its mild climate and spectacular natural environment. Located in the friendly community of Metchosin near Victoria, BC, Swallow Hill is being offered for sale for the first time since it was custom built by the owners in 1987. Upgrades include a new roof (Oct. 2007), refinished wood floors (Jan. 2007), and a complete kitchen renovation (June 2009).

Enjoy the peaceful, poetic lifestyle of this beautiful pastoral setting just 25 minutes from Victoria. Situated on land that was once part of the historic Hans & Lillian Helgesen farmstead, the house offers spectacular ocean & mountain views from all principal rooms. Sitting on an acre at the top of the property, the residence offers 5,137 square feet of bright spacious rooms and includes a separate ground-floor suite which can accommodate elderly parents or provide rental income.

THE HOUSE

The large tiled entry hall leads to the main floor living room where a picture window dominating the south wall immediately directs one’s gaze to the amazing view of the sea and mountains. The living room has 9 foot ceilings with picture rails, wide plank pine flooring and a Vermont castings wood stove where you can curl up by a crackling fire on winter evenings. The formal dining room is one step up from the living room and also takes advantage of the view. The open space concept of these two rooms offers lots of room for entertaining. There is a French door from the dining room to a private covered porch and open patio area with flower beds and a unique river rock wall hand-built by a local craftsman.

The newly renovated (June 2009) spacious country kitchen with oak flooring and newly installed maple cabinetry is the center of this family home. With its large picture windows, informal eating area, and central island with built-in gas range it is a delightful place to cook and relax. Sliding glass doors open to the expansive south facing deck where one can take in the spectacular view. 

The den has a recycled fir floor with walnut inlay, a built in oak entertainment center and a French door opening onto the patio garden. The bright, spacious master bedroom has a large walk-in closet, ensuite bath, and its own balcony. A second bedroom, 2 piece guest bath, laundry room/half-bath and mud room complete the main floor. The main floor is heated by a natural gas furnace on a programmable thermostat with a Heat Recovery Ventilation system. A 60 gallon gas fired tank supplies hot water for the house. There is also a built in vacuum system which serves all three floors.

Upstairs there is a large 3 piece bathroom and 2 bedrooms with vaulted ceilings, one opening onto a south facing covered balcony which overlooks the property as well as the sea and the spectacular Olympic Mountains which lie across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. These rooms are on electric baseboard zoned heating.

On the ground floor there is a separate 1 bedroom suite consisting of a living/dining room, a bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom, an office/storage room, and a laundry room. It is heated by the gas furnace as well as electric baseboards. This suite would provide easy access accommodation for elderly parents. Alternately it can generate rental income. The suite is separated from the rest of the ground floor rooms by an interior door which can be locked. Exterior access is provided by a pair of French doors which open onto a carport. 

In addition to this suite the ground floor also has a large unheated storage room accessible from the driveway, a movie room/office, a sauna and exercise room, and the furnace room. 

Attached by a covered breezeway is a large 2 bay garage with guest accommodation above, complete with its’ own private deck, 4 piece bath and spectacular ocean and mountain views. This suite is heated by electric baseboard and has its own 30 gal hot water tank. It has been used as a Bed & Breakfast suite for many years accommodating guests from all over the world. It would also make a great studio or writer's retreat.

THE PROPERTY

Enjoy your own apples, blackberries, blueberries, and plums. Built from the ground up this south facing property has been developed to make the most of the 4.15 acres of ALR (Agricultural Land Reserve) land. It is fenced and cross-fenced. One acre, enclosed by an eight-foot deer fence, contains two apple orchards with drip irrigation, a duck pond, a blueberry patch, a hen yard, and a pasture that would make an excellent vegetable garden. Just imagine growing your own organic food.

Municipal water on a farm meter provides the water for the barn and irrigation. There is also a well which provides excellent water to the house.

Are you a horse lover? 2 more acres comprise of a large hay field, two smaller pastures, and a barn. The 473 sq. ft. barn has two stalls, a hayloft, 3 attached open sheds (720 sq. ft..), and a fenced loafing ring (1936 sq. ft.). Excellent riding trails are accessible right off the back of the property. Swallow Hill is on the Galloping Goose trail system which offers 60 kilometers of trails stretching from Downtown Victoria to Sooke and which connects with many local horse trails as well as the Lochside trail leading to Sidney on the Saanich Peninsula. Once a railway corridor, The ‘Goose’, as locals call it, is also used by cyclists and hikers and even cycle-commuters who use the almost completely flat trail to ride easily and safely to work in Victoria. 

From the 1,294 sq. ft. workshop enjoy watching ducks paddle on the pond as the willow tree sways in the breeze. The 60 amp shop has gas fired radiant heat, a 10 ft. 4 in. ceiling and double doors with a 10’ X 10’ opening. The shop is well organized with room for several work areas and lots of storage space. Attached to the shop is a small storage shed. There is a 30 amp RV plug on the exterior of the shop.

THE COMMUNITY

The surrounding community offers a variety of recreation opportunities including boating and fishing (Pedder Bay Marina is less than 10 minutes away). If you're a golfer, there are 2 golf courses (Olympic View Golf Club & Metchosin Golf Club) and a driving range all within ten minutes. There are several parks including neighbouring Devonian Regional Park with its mixed woodland trails, creek-side paths, and cobble beach for picnicking, exploration, and sunbathing. From the beach relax and enjoy the views of Victoria with its backdrop of snow covered Mt. Baker in one direction and the incredible Olympic Mountains in the other. A five minute drive brings you to Witty’s Lagoon Park offers wonderful bird watching and Witty’s Beach is one of Victoria’s premier ocean beaches. Fifteen minutes away is East Sooke Regional Park with great beaches, hiking trails and a large field ideal for kite flying. For divers there's Race Rocks Ecological Reserve.

There are many small farms and home-based businesses and Metchosin has a wonderful farmers' market which runs from May to October and offers fresh produce, baking, and crafts. There are also many clubs and organizations in Metchosin, including a pony club, gardening club, a 4-H club, and cricket club to name just three. Local annual events such as Metchosin Day, a lively country fair with stalls and entertainment, the Metchosin Sheepdog Trials, the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts, the Bite Me Fishing Derby and the Stinking Fish Studio Tour, a self-guided art tour of local artists' studios demonstrate how vibrant the community is. There is even a community newspaper, 'The Mechosin Muse' which is delivered to every household. There are 2 schools - Hans Helgesen Elementary school and Westmont Montessori school within a 5 minute drive of this property. Older children attend Dunsmuir middle school and Belmont Secondary school both of which are on the school bus route.

In the village which is only 5 minutes' drive (or a pleasant 30 minute walk) from Swallow HIll, there is the Metchosin Country Store, the MyChosen Cafe restaurant, the Community Hall where large meetings and dances are held, the Firehall and the historic St. Mary's church. The store, like the general store of yesteryear, offers everything from groceries to hardware and even videos to rent. The old elementary school now houses art studios. Next to the restaurant is a gift shop and nearby is the Broken Paddle coffee house and a pet supply and tack store. In addition there is the Municipal Hall, the Metchosin Barn Museum, the Metchosin School Museum, the Emergency Preparedness Centre and the Community House which offers a variety of programs for citizens of every age. Metchosin is also home to Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific, an international facility educating students from 100 different countries. There are only 12 such colleges in the entire world so we are very privileged to claim one in our community.  The college works with the community in a number of ways allowing locals to meet the students and get involved with the college. 

Metchosin offers something for everyone.

CLIMATE

Southern Vancouver Island enjoys the mildest climate in Canada. Winter temperatures average around 3-7 C (37-45 F) and if it snows the snow generally lasts for only a day or so. Summer temperatures range from  22-28 C (71-82 F). The climate is described as 'Moderate Mediterranean' because the summers tend to be quite dry. In the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains of Washington State across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Metchosin gets over 2200 hours of sunshine per year and less than 76 cm (30") of rain.

ISLAND LIFE

Vancouver Island is the largest island on the west coast of North America. Its area is approx. 32,000 sq. km. making it almost twice the size of Hawaii.  Victoria, the largest city, is the province's capital. The population of Greater Victoria is approximately 331,491. Despite its small size Victoria supports a surprising variety of cultural venues and events. Highway #1, the main highway runs up the east side of the island from Victoria to the town of Port Hardy, a distance of 497 km (309 miles) about 6 hours by car. Other cities include Duncan, Nanaimo, and Campbell River and there are many towns and villages as well. The west side of the island is rugged and sparsely populated. Two of the most well known towns are Tofino and Ucluelet which bookend the world renowned Long Beach part of the Pacific Rim National Park. On the northern part of the island near Campbell River, Strathcona Provincial Park covers 2,458 sq. km. and contains the highest peak, The Golden Hinde rising 2198 meters. A variety of wildlife includes the Roosevelt Elk, cougars, black bears, and the unique and rare Vancouver Island Marmot. Adjacent to the park is Mt. Washington ski resort which offers both Alpine and Nordic skiing in winter and hiking and mountain biking in summer. 

Most Vancouver Islanders wouldn't trade life here for anywhere else but if you feel the need to get off the island for a while there is a regular ferry service to Vancouver and to Port Angeles and Bellingham in Washington State. There are also daily flights from Victoria International Airport to a number of major cities in Canada and the US. But why would you want to go anywhere else?