Coombs BC: Food and Market Stops

Coombs BC is a roadside village on the road to Port Alberni, near Parksville, and most visitors know it for one building. The Old Country Market is a Norwegian-style market with a sod roof. Goats live on the roof in the warm months, and the market sells produce, baking, cheese and ice cream.

Cathedral Grove, with its old-growth trees, lies along the highway a little farther west. Buy food you can eat in the car: a pastry, a sandwich, a piece of fruit or a cone.

What is Coombs BC like?

A small community in the Nanoose and Errington area, set among farms and forest on the road from Parksville to the west coast. The village is a handful of shops and stands around the market, with a country feel. Visitors stop for a break on the drive to Cathedral Grove, Port Alberni or Tofino.

What is the Coombs Old Country Market?

A family-owned market and restaurant under a living roof, selling produce, baking, cheese, ice cream, deli items, gifts and hot food. The Geekie family has run it for years. Inside, aisles of food and goods fill a barn-like space, and outside there are picnic tables and a garden. It is a landmark, so it can be busy in summer.

Do the goats really live on the roof?

Yes, in the warm months. The market's history says a herd goes up in spring and stays for a few months, then comes down for winter. The goats are the village's mascots, and visitors line up to photograph them. A rule of thumb is to look up as you arrive. If the roof is empty, it is probably winter.

What is Coombs ice cream like?

A soft-serve or scooped treat that many visitors buy before they leave. Ice cream stands and shops in the market sell cones and cups, with seasonal flavours. A cone on a hot day under a goat is a rite of passage. Share one if you are saving room for lunch.

Where do you buy Coombs cheese?

At the market's deli and in nearby farms, where small producers sell island cheeses. Ask what is local, and taste before you buy. Cheese travels well in a cooler, and it is a good picnic item with bread and fruit. The island has other cheese stories to taste elsewhere.

What makes a good Coombs Vancouver Island stop?

A short walk, a bite and a view. The drive from Parksville takes about fifteen minutes, and the stop breaks the longer journey west. Plan an hour: ten minutes for the goats, twenty for browsing, twenty for lunch and ten for the car. Bring a layer, because the forest air is cool.

What else is nearby?

Cathedral Grove, with its old-growth trees, lies along the highway a little farther west. The beaches of Parksville and Qualicum Beach are a short drive east. The Parksville fish and chips guide offers lunch after the beach. A drive combining forest, beach and a roadside market is the island at its easiest.

How do you eat well on a short stop?

Buy food that you can eat in the car: a pastry, a sandwich, a piece of fruit, a cone. Or sit at a picnic table with a plate from the restaurant. Ask for something local. Hungry travellers should not skip the bakery, which is a village highlight. Drink water, and watch the time.

How do you rate a roadside stop?

Name what you bought and how it was. "The cinnamon bun and a coffee, a Sunday at ten, warm and generous, goats in sight" is a rating that tells a story. Add Bakery, Market Stall or Family Friendly tags where they fit. A photo of the roof is a nice addition.

How can you keep a drive list?

Use the Mosey app to rate each stop, and file the keepers in a list called Island road trip. Invite friends through a link, and tag the people in the car, so they can add their ratings. Places new to Mosey are added, and we'll check their details.

What does the roof tell you about the season?

A good deal. Goats on the grass mean summer and a busy car park. An empty roof means the cooler months, when the market is quieter and the pie shelf is warmer. The place is open all year, so there is no wrong time to stop. Winter visits trade photographs for elbow room, and a hot drink inside the market is a pleasure. Check the weather and the road before you go.

Is it open in winter? The market keeps year-round hours, but the goats go down. Check ahead.

Is it good for children? Yes, with goats, ice cream and open space.

For more of the coast, read the farmers markets guide, and for the province start at the Food in British Columbia page, and for further afield try the Canadian food guides.

Before you leave the car park, open the Mosey app, rate the cone that came with a view of the roof and keep the list for the next drive.