Shuswap Family Camping
- Jocelyn Timmermans
- 25 minutes ago
- 5 min read
August 5-9, 2026
Every other year our family gets together at Scotch Creek campsite on North Shuswap Lake. This tradition started when I was only 6 years old! As I was driving towards the campsite after leaving Hwy 1, a lot of memories came flooding back to me. How my parents started out with a big old army tent that my mom paid for with pennies she'd saved up in a big glass jar. We helped her count them and put them into rolls. And at the age of 13 how I got hit on for the first time by a boy named Robert. I caught him spying in the bushes by our campsite. And how my father who rarely gets angry, was livid when he had to rescue me & Case off of the lake as we were paddling back from Copper Island in a small rubber dingy during a lightening storm.
I also noticed how things had changed. Gone is the forest from the highway to Adams River. The 2024 fire also took the historic pioneer barns with it and Jack Frost icecream which the clan used to go to regularly. The horse ranch on the corner where we used to get rides as kids has been gone for a while as well as the overflow Franks campsite across from Scotch Creek campsite. Back in the day when we did not do reservations, we usually had to stay in Franks for a few days first. Gone are the large circular fire pits on the beach where mine and Case's parents went to watch the meteorite show in the clear night sky. And gone is the wood raft in the lake that we used to play on for hours, trying to knock others off by tipping it to one side.
Thankfully the campsite remains the same. Another playground has been added and more sites with hookups. The old grocery store has been replaced by a new one. There are no longer restuarants in the vicinity but pop-up food trucks.
This year the only other sibling of mine that went was Wendy & Jerry Beintema. All of their four children and grandchildren were also there. And three nephews from my other sisters. All of my children came except for Chelsey and Jordan who'd just had a baby on the 3rd.
The whole time we were there the air was ladden with smoke, with the highest UV index rating being 11, which can present an "extreme risk of harm to unprotected sun exposure". So we avoided going to the beach till late afternoon.
Aug. 5
Our clan staked out their spot on the beach. I arrived at 5:00pm and went to join them.
Renee is due in November. Jeanette and her youngest, 2-year old Tom.
The best entertainment for the kids was playing with their cousins.
Happy Hank.
There were no mosquitoes but lots of bees. Corwin was trying to attract and catch some of them.
Nephew Jake and Julianne just floating around.
Zoe lost one of her front teeth (Renee pulled it out). The other one just "fell out" at breakfast a few days later.
I asked Julianne to look and she leaned forward to intensely peer into my lens.
Aug. 6
Marie is unintentionally poking Willow in the eye. Willow just calmly takes it. I think she's used to baby play.
Just hanging around.
Going for my morning speed bike ride. I used to ride up the hill to the dump but the road has become too busy. This quiet side street has some old farm relics and barns that used to be a museum.
Chicory
The upper northern arm of Shuswap Lake with Scotch Creek just left of the middle. Adams Lake above it.
You couldn't even see the other side of the lake because of the haze.
After a presentation on how to fish at the amphitheatre, the kids got fishing rods and got to try them out. Back in the day, there were programs every evening at the amphitheatre. Now no more. The displays in the Nature House haven't changed but remain interesting. They do offer a scavenger hunt with prizes and the T-shirt painting.
Copper Island (the only island on the lake) in the distance.
Julianne had painted some rocks and sold them for $1.00 each. This inspired the other kids. Later Scott and Roger were selling ice-tea and earned $13.00! They were pretty proud of themselves.
Not sure what they're looking at. Birds?
At noon us women had our traditional visit to the Celista Winery. It's Canada's most northern grape winery.
Emily (left) is the wife of my nephew, Jon VanEgmond who works for our company, doing the estimates.
After dinner I bought icecream for my family (plus a few extras in the upper left corner). Peter & Floker were our dutch 2024 students and have come back for a visit. I went a bit ahead of time and warned the lady that I needed 28 icecream cones. She ran a tab, keeping notes as they ordered.
After that we headed to the playground next door. My sons were trying to out-do one another (not for the first time).
Neil having a great time.
Aug. 7
Another hazey Friday morning. As planned, Jeanette's family left for home as well as Corwin's. Nathan's family left later in the day because of the poor air quality. Penelope was getting headaches.
You don't go to Shuswap without bicycles. They came in very handy in this spacious 275 unit campsite.
All of our campsites were close together, including the Beintemas.
My sister, Wendy with her eldest grandchild, Christopher.
A stop at the nature house. Corwin said I could buy the kids only one bubblegum slushy so with five straws and fast sucking, they make quick work of drinking it.
Ready to roll out.
No she's not injured, mommy is giving her a tatoo.
You really have to keep an eye on this one. She's just like her father was at that age, constantly getting into things.
Camille grabbed my camera and took this shot. Marie kept pulling the lids off of the felt pens and chucking them.
Then the kids did some T-shirt painting at the nature house.
The many facial expressions of Marie. In the last photo she's showing Mr. Peter her belly button.
I knew four of my children had artistic talent but didn't realize Nathan does as well. They didn't have a T-shirt small enough for Marie and I'd already paid for three so Nathan did one.
A critter on Zoe's arm.
Heading back to the campsite.
Another afternoon on the beach. The late nights were catching up to Renee's girls.
Saturday Aug. 8th, I did't take any photos. I spent most of the day with the Beintemas.
Aug. 9 - As I drove home I wittnessed billows of smoke from nearby forest fires. The haze was worst in Merrit but about 1/2 an hour's drive past Merrit the smoke dissipated. It was so nice to come home to clear air. I hadn't hiked for 9 whole days so did the Abby Grind in the late afternoon.
Sumas Prairie from Abby Grind viewpoint.
looks like it was a wonderful get together. Too bad about the smoke. Great photos as usual. Nice that Camille got one of you.....