Canada's insider blog

Sc…sc….scary? Not really.

Spectacular? Absolutely.

Cliffwalk is Vancouver’s newest thrill at its oldest attraction – the Capilano Suspension Bridge.

It’s a series of narrow walkways, bridges and staircases that hug the canyon wall far above the rippling Capilano River and higher than the famous suspension bridge.

The whole thing is surprisingly elegant, especially the U-shaped bridge that’s cantilevered away from the cliff wall. It defies gravity yet feels so secure – it’s fastened to the rock wall with steel rods – and it may just make you reconsider your fear of heights.

Handrails and mesh netting allow everyone from kids to grannies to go safely out on a limb. “My grandma came last week, she’s 92 and she totally loved it,” Stacy Chala told me as we admired the new views from the Cliffwalk.

Chala, who works for Capilano Suspension Bridge, pointed upstream to a wide, shallow spot in the river where the water was so clear we could see stones on the bottom. “We couldn’t see that pool before,” she smiled.

All around, Douglas fir, hemlock and cedar trees soar skyward. Large ferns and moss spill down the canyon walls.

That’s the best part. Cliffwalk does nothing to spoil this pristine paradise on the edge of the city as it winds around the cliff. Its entire environmental ‘footprint’ is just 11 square metres. Ain’t nothing scary about that.