Lochside Hike

These images contain historical information about Blenkinsop Lake and its surrounding areas: In 1858, Blenkinsop Lake was initially called Lost Lake by the Victoria District Office, and it was divided into two properties owned by Henry Von Allman and George Blenkinsop. The lake may have been named by a British Naval officer who got lost, and by the early 1900s, "Blenkinsop" replaced the name "Lost Lake." William Mercer bought 125 acres in the early 1900s and expanded his dairy farm into mixed farming in the Blenkinsop Valley, which had been officially opened for farming in 1906. By 1909, Mercer's farm had grown to 200 acres and continued to operate until 1981 when the last of the land was sold. Twelve wooden trestles once spanned the area, with only two still remaining, Swan Lake and Brett Street, as reminders of that era. The Canadian Northern Pacific Railway was built during World War I but was abandoned by 1935 due to its steep grade and limited utility.