Situated on one of B.C.’s premiere fishing lakes 300 km west of Williams Lake, this small, one-room cabin, that is now a TLC rental property, has a long and cherished past. TLC, The Land Conservancy of BC, came to own the cabin, and land on which it was built, through a generous donation in 2002 by long-time Williams Lake resident and naturalist, Winnie Bennie.
Winnie and her husband Fred lived in Williams Lake for most of their adult lives. They travelled extensively throughout the Cariboo-Chilcotin in the early 1950s. In the mid-1950s they purchased the Nimpo Lake property. Fred, with the help of friends, built the cabin in Williams Lake and then had it moved out to Nimpo Lake. By the early 1960s they were regular summer visitors to the cabin. They spent their time canoeing, fishing, and in particular, viewing wildlife.
Throughout her life, Winnie was an avid naturalist, and in particular, she was a keen birder. Over the decades she amassed an impressive amount of information about the nesting of loons on Nimpo Lake, so much so that she eventually became known by the locals as “The Loon Lady”.
When one travels out to the cabin it feels like an epic journey; it’s a long drive on a narrow highway from Williams Lake. When you arrive you are humbled by the sheer size the lake, the sound and spectacle of hundreds of jumping fish, and the majesty of the snow-capped Coast Mountains that loom in the distance. It is hard to imagine what the journey to this small and secluded cabin must have been like for this couple that began enjoying this area some 50 years ago.
A passion for a sense of place and for the wildlife that she and Fred enjoyed at Nimpo Lake inspired Winnie to donate her cabin to TLC. It was her wish that it would be used by people who appreciate nature and remain undeveloped. Today, a handful of adventurous individuals make their way to this very special place to enjoy the rugged beauty that is Nimpo Lake.
Book your stay at Nimpo Lake Cabin by calling 1-888-738-0533 or visit www.conservancy.bc.ca.
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