At the ready: an accessible guided tour

Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites

Parks Canada aims to increase equality, diversity and inclusion. This tour offers an accessible version of a site brochure with additional wayfinding information and interesting historic content.  

Screen readers such as VoiceOver(iOS) and TalkBack(Android) are compatible with this tour. We encourage visitors who prefer using them to enable their screen readers before beginning this digital tour. Otherwise, an integrated screen reader is available at each stop throughout the tour.

In addition to the self-guided tour, physical copies of the site guide are available from the Welcome Centre free of charge. A PDF copy of the site guide can be downloaded here.

This tour begins at the Welcome Centre. Navigational information leads visitors across the national historic sites from stop A through to stop Z (26 stops total). There is a bonus stop, not marked on the map, dedicated to the oTENTik—a comfortable camping experience that can accommodate individuals with mobility concerns. Visitors may choose to skip stops at any time or visit stops in any order. Each stop has navigational tips on how to reach the next stop.

Sneak peek 

Warrant Officer’s Quarters

A photo of the Warrant Officer’s Quarters house
  • Orientation: The Warrant Officer’s Quarters is a square two-storey house made of red brick. At the peak of the gabled roof is a white concrete plaque with “1897” written in black, marking the year it was completed. Below the plaque there are two second-storey windows and below those are the first-storey windows and the front door.
  • Accessibility notes: The Warrant Officer’s Quarters is to the right of the main path. The interior of the building is closed to the public. A small paved pathway surrounds the building, allowing a closer view of the brickwork. Picnic tables are available in the grassy area beside the Warrant Officer’s Quarters.
  • A black and white photo of the whole Buxton family. From left to right are Percy “Titch” Buxton, his wife, Phoebe, and their children, Leslie, Kenneth, Fred, Bill, Phoebe, Doris, Phyllis, Hazel, Jim, Dick, Patricia, Frank, Dave, and little baby June.
  • About the Warrant Officer’s Quarters: This building was the peacetime home to the senior non-commissioned officers at Fort Rodd Hill.
  • Storytime: Completed in 1897, many people have called the Warrant Officers’ Quarters home. Some of the most notable residents were Percival “Titch” Buxton, his wife Phoebe, and their 10 children. The Buxtons lived at Fort Rodd Hill for a long time and many of their children were born here. Some of them had Fort Rodd Hill listed as their place of birth. Several descendants of Titch and Phoebe still live near Victoria and continue to visit Fort Rodd Hill.
  • Directions to the next stop: The next stop (L – Fitter’s Shop) is accessible via a small paved pathway on the left side of the Warrant Officer’s Quarters. The Fitter’s Shop is 50 m straight down this pathway.  Alternatively, continue down the main paved pathway in front of the Warrant Officer’s Quarters. After 20 m, the path forks. Continue down to the right for 60 m, to the next major stop (N – Canteen).