Those who leave themselves open to love well know that romance can happen anywhere. My hunch is that it more often occurs outdoors, in a natural setting, than inside. After all, nature conspires to bring couples together. On occasion, I have offered the warmth of my gloves, scarf, hat, or-that most gallant gesture of all-my cloak (or at least my anorak) to a companion who underestimated the chill of a spring breeze. Sharing warmth is often the first step in a lifetime journey together.

When it comes to uncovering an amorous setting, a wealth of possibilities lie within easy reach. If you're feeling spontaneous, head for Lighthouse Park or Cypress Falls Park in West Vancouver. Farther afield, spend a night or two on the southwest corner of Vancouver Island, where you'll be wrapped in mist and sheltered by Sitka spruce at any of a dozen near-deserted beaches.

Lighthouse and Cypress Falls parks are each so easy to slip into that it feels like a natural fit from the moment you arrive. Both are characterized by stands of ancient forest that have survived fire and nearby housing developments. Lighthouse Park, in particular, boasts one of the last remaining stands of old-growth trees in the GVRD. Similar stands in much of Cypress Falls have been only slightly disturbed by logging and prove equally sheltering. Soft pathways lead through each park to hidden corners where far fewer visitors venture, especially on weekdays.

I was introduced to one of my favourite such sites in Lighthouse Park by Randy Stoltmann when his Hiking Guide to the Big Trees of Southwestern British Columbia appeared in 1987. Unchanged since then, the highest point in the park is still one of the lesser-visited spots, accessed by a trail that quickly leads from the park entrance up a salal-choked cleft. The panorama of light playing on the ocean seems intended for your private enjoyment. Follow the trail clockwise from the summit past the Group of Four giant Douglas firs, including the park's largest tree, about 77 metres tall.

Nothing quite that massive dominates Cypress Falls's skyline. Still, that park's two cascades drop from admirable heights, particularly the lower falls, where a granite gorge collects and reflects the roar created by millions of water droplets on a collision course. Steal away for an even more romantic view via a rough trail that leads downhill and connects with an old roadway heading upstream to a good lookout above the canyon at the foot of the falls.

Surf thumps the southern Vancouver Island coastline west of Sooke with the explosive force of a waterfall. Indeed, in places such as Mystic Beach, some cataracts spray directly into the ocean. The low clacking of pebbles caught in the undertow mimics the spritz of champagne bubbles. One of my favourite places to capture this sensation-and be captivated by it-is at Point-No-Point Resort, an easy hour's drive west of Victoria. Regardless of whether you're spending the night in a cabin at the resort that shares the point or just stopping by to stroll the small beaches on each side of the modest promontory, be sure to venture out on the wooden walkway that leads to a viewpoint from where Juan de Fuca Strait is revealed. Not only will the vastness of the open ocean win your heart, so will the sensuous gurgling and spuming of the swells as they rise and fall in the point's crevasses, where multilegged starfish cling in shades of purple, crimson, and orange.

When the breeze off the strait begins to wear on your ears, seek shelter in the narrow pathways carved through the salal, which invariably lead to the resort's quaint restaurant. Point-No-Point (www.pointnopoint .com/) has a well-established reputation for seclusion, and its 25 cabins are frequently booked far in advance. They also sit in the shade of a tightly spaced, second- growth forest that even on the sunniest days filters out much of the light. For a more open environment, and one that also features private hot tubs on the outer decks of its six suites, check out the Fossil Bay Resort (www.fossil bay.com/) a short distance north of Point No Point. However, for the full one-on-one effect of romancing the elements, nothing compares with overnighting at the provincial campgrounds at French or Juan de Fuca parks. -

ACCESS: Lighthouse Park is just south of Marine Drive in West Vancouver, a short distance east of Horseshoe Bay. The turnoff is prominently marked by a wooden sign. Turn south on Beacon Lane; a wooden bus shelter is also located here. After a short stroll or drive through a residential neighbourhood, you reach the parking lot. There is regular bus service from Park Royal Shopping Centre to Horseshoe Bay and Lighthouse Park; take the #250 Horseshoe Bay.

Quick access to Cypress Falls Park is from the Caulfeild-Woodgreen exit (#4) from the Upper Levels Highway. Once on Woodgreen Drive, follow it to the third street on the right, Woodgreen Place. The park lies at the end of this street; the trail to the falls begins there.

You can travel to Cypress Falls Park on West Vancouver's Caulfeild bus (#253). For more information, call 604-985-7777.

For accommodation in the Sooke region, contact the Sooke Visitor Info Centre (1-866-888-4748; www.sooke.museum.bc.ca/srm/) or Tourism British Columbia (1-800-435-5622; hellobc.com/).