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Hatley Park at Royal Roads

Hatley Park, home to Royal Roads University in Colwood, blends rich history, stunning gardens, and scenic coastal trails, all anchored by the iconic Hatley Castle

Location

About

  • The Royal Roads University campus is located on the ancestral lands of the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations

  • As the original stewards of these lands, living in harmony with the environment has always been a way of life

  • Community members continue to harvest and prepare traditional foods, gather medicines, and pass down the teachings and stories that have sustained this region for generations

  • The surrounding waterways once served as vital travel routes, connecting communities across the landscape

  • Today, plants like camas are still harvested, as ongoing efforts aim to restore and protect these cultural ecosystems

  • Nestled within 260 hectares of lush parkland, the Royal Roads University campus in Colwood offers a breathtaking blend of natural beauty and history

  • Explore scenic trails surrounded by vibrant West Coast flora and fauna

  • Take in sweeping views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with the majestic Olympic Mountains rising in the distance

  • The historic 40-room Hatley castle can also be found on the grounds, once home to one of Vancouver Island’s coal barons, James Dunsmuir and designed by Canadian architect Samuel Maclure

  • Construction started in 1908 and was completed in 18 months with over 100 builders, 25 detail carpenters, and 60 skilled stonemasons involved in helping to bring James’ vision to life

  • At the outbreak of the Second World War, contingency plans were made to relocate King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and their daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, to Canada—specifically Hatley Castle—should Germany invade Britain

  • Although the federal Crown-in-Council purchased the estate in 1940 for this purpose, the royal family ultimately chose to remain in the UK

  • From the late 1940s to 1995, before Royal Roads University was established, the estate and castle were used for the Royal Roads Military College, a naval training facility

  • For over 80 years, the grounds have also been used for many TV shows and movies

  • Some of the productions include Smallville, X-Men, Descendents, and Amazing Race Canada

  • You’ll find three gardens on the grounds, an Italian, Japanese and rose garden, and during the Dunsmuir era, 100 gardeners and groundskeepers maintained the estate

  • The Italian garden was completed in 1914 and it pays homage to the medicinal gardens popular in that era, when families often kept plots near their homes to grow plants for healing and therapeutic purposes

  • The Japanese garden has an upper and a lower section, both dating back to the 1910s

  • The upper Japanese garden was the first to be created, designed by Isaburo Kishida who also designed the Japanese garden at Esquimalt Gorge Park and Pavilion

  • Nestled beside a lake and crossed by gentle streams, it showcases Japanese maples and flowering cherry trees brought over from Yokohama

  • You’ll find azaleas and primroses here and if you listen closely, you’ll hear the splashing of a wooden water wheel

  • The lower Japanese garden, designed by Tadashi Noda, was built between 1916 and 1919

  • It wraps around a tranquil lake, where visitors can admire towering Pink Pearl rhododendrons

  • A path follows the lake’s edge, leading to an arched wooden bridge

  • Crossing over the bridge, you’ll find a small island adorned with century-old rhododendrons and a pavilion that stretches out over the water

  • From here, you might spot trout leaping from the lake and hear the sharp call of kingfishers as they dart across the surface

  • The best time to visit the rose garden is in June and you’ll find several types of roses there including Narrow Water and David Austin

  • There is one type of rose that still exists from the original garden plan – a deep pink American Pillar

  • On either side of the property are several trails to explore, and to the south (lower campus) you can access Esquimalt Lagoon

  • In the upper campus and east campus, you can explore Charlie’s trail, a nature path that winds along Colwood Creek

  • Its name honours Charlie Johnson, whose generosity—along with his wife Sue—helped revitalize the trail years ago, making it possible for everyone to enjoy native plants, ancient firs and cedars, and local wildlife

  • Following Charlie’s passing in 2007, the trail was renamed in his memory

  • Guided walking tours are held daily from May to September (visit hatleypark.ca for more details) 

Lands

Amenities

  • Walking trails

  • Benches

  • Paid parking

  • Public washrooms

  • Seasonal gift shop and museum (museum only accessible during guided walking tour)

  • Event rentals (weddings, photoshoots, corporate events) 

Online

Videos




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