Welcome to our little home on the net. We are Steve & Rosemary and live in Buckinghamshire, UK. This is a blog of our life, sometimes interesting, but mainly boring. It is very picture orientated as Steve loves to take pictures, especially of wildlife. Sometimes he has his arm twisted by Rosemary and takes the odd snap of a weed.
Glastonbury 2025 Music PlayLists
These playlists have been created by Glastopia, a Glastonbury fanatic. They have been created on Spotify, and I have converted them to YouTube Music. There is a complete lineup playlist, and a stage by stage playlist. Check Glastopia’s Blue Sky account for new playlists and updates. The YouTube Music playlists nearly match the Spotify playlists. The are the occasional missing tracks where the software was unable to match the track.
Neil Young
Calgary and Flying Home
4th-5th June 2025
Today was our last day in Calgary and Canada. We were flying home in the evening. First, we had breakfast in the hotel, checked out, luckily being able to leaving our bags at the hotel. We were going to try the level 15 route through the city. Not sure why it is called level 15, because it is only 1 or two storeys up. Many of the tower blocks are connected by bridges across the streets and avenues by this level 15 route. At this level in the tower block are restaurants and shops. You can walk between these areas, across the covered bridges into other areas without venturing outside. It is a bonus in winter when it can be -20. Entry for us was in the elevator in our hotel. We soon got lost and had to leave. The system breaks down where the bridges take you to tower blocks under renovation. I think all the routes out of our area were blocked.
Instead we took the train which is free in the central part of the city. We took it as far as we could, the city hall. We visited the public library where we had a coffee. Then we did a slow walk back to the hotel, stopping at the Local Public Eatery again. for lunch and a beer.
Picked up our luggage and caught a taxi to the airport. We arrived rather early and had to wait for the check-ins to open. Then it was on through security (where R had her waist swabbed for explosives), customs, onto the flight and back to Heathrow where Phil was waiting to take us home.
It was now 5th June, so all a bit confusing. That night, I wandered along the landing to the loo. “Why are there stairs here?” I queried, half-thinking I was in yet another hotel. I will not repeat R’s reply, but she did mutter asking me to draw a clock……
Calgary and Cruise Canada
3rd June 2025
Today we left the campsite fairly early, because we needed to be back at Cruise Canada, Calgary, by 11.00 am, with the van filled with propane and petrol. We had discovered there were no propane gas filling stations in Banff (due to National Park regulations, it was suggested) but someone had recommended Canmore. After a tour of filling station in Canmore, we still had not found one. Next we stopped at a filling station on the main road, on First Nation land, out of the mountain region. It had diesel, petrol, Tesla chargers and a casino, but no propane gas. We at least had a coffee and snack at a Timmys (Tim Hortons).
I decided there might be one near Cruise Canada, and yes there was. Even without asking a man came out and directed us to the propane tap and filled us up. Must be a popular site for topping up the propane before returning the van less than a mile away. We also topped up the petrol to 3/8.
Took the van the next mile to Cruise Canada and phoned ex-Walker colleague Chris D, who kindly set out to pick us up.
Van left, deposits returned, checks on the van were minimal, propane level and fuel level. R asked for an email address so she could update them with various snags we’d found with the van.
Chris turned up and graciously took us into the centre of Calgary for our hotel, the Sandman Signature on 8th Street. We waved him off. Discovered we could not check in until 3:00. So, we went for a walk around the city, and had some lunch in a nearby bar/restaurant, called the Local Public Eatery. Nice beers and reasonable food all served by smiling staff. We then went to the Calgary Tower. When it was built it was the tallest building in Calgary. Since then, tower blocks have all shot up all around it. Still, it was a good place to visit. Good views of the city and a scary glass floor bit where you can see the street below you. We thought it better than the Vancouver Tower.
Back at the hotel, we showered and prepared for dinner. Chris D & his wife Sue were coming at 4:30 to pick us up to take us out for an early dinner of Alberta Beef. We were early, and so was Chris. He drove to CF Market Mall, which is North of the river and to the West.. The venue was ‘The Keg Steakhouse + Bar’. We all ate medium rare Sirloin, including R. She and I deemed it delicious, tender with enough bite so you knew you were eating beef. At Sue’s suggestion, I tried the local invention of a Caesar cocktail, which turned out to be rather like a Bloody Mary. The staff were exemplory, advising us where we needed help. Afterwards we were dropped back at the hotel. Great to see Chris & meet Sue and astonishing how quickly we were chatting away as though we’d seen each other recently, rather than years ago.
Banff a Spare Day
2nd June 2025
Today, a quite day, indeed it was a spare day because we had done two activites on the day before. We decided to stay in Banff. We caught the bus into town, and looked at the shops. I bought some batteries for the mouse.
We walked over to the Brewsters, aka Pursuit, offices where Rs great nephew son works, and asked to see him. Taken to his office, he was totally unsure who we were!! Anyway, all sorted after a chat. Poor lad what must he be thinking about these two old doddery people surprising him.
Then we wandered around looking for a place to drink. Noon seemed the magic time. We found a brew bar, had an amazing 5/5 on Google (not many reviews as new to the town). Not yet 12:00 as we walked up the road to find it.
At noon we went in and chose a couple of beers. I demolished mine quickly. R enjoyed hers at a slower pace. Other people came in, some leaving when they realized it did not serve food. The Brewery was based in Canmore. I then did a 6 beer tasting menu. Some really surprising beers in there.
Back to the campsite, and some snoozing, packing and cleaning. Oh, and a Coyote was spotted on the campsite near to the road and path to the site. Managed to get some reasonable shots the Coyote before it disappeared into the wood.
Banff Gondola and Lake Minnewanka
1st June 2025
Rained during the night, so we were not expecting a good day. The weather forecast seemed fine, but they had got the night wrong, so we weren’t sure. We caught the free bus to Banff centre, but we wanted further buses. We used the ticket machines and bought a day season, but strange thing is they do not say how much they are taking from your card until the transaction completes. We ended up buying the wrong ticket, spending $15, instead of $5 for the day. The difference being, the $5 one is for local travel, while the $15 one allows fotr travel to Canmore.
Banff Gondola
We caught a bus up to the mountain lift. We had issues with our pre-bought excursion tickets. We were at the lift instead of the lake,and the tickets looked out of date. They kindly sorted it so we could ride the Gondola that day, but told us we’d have to contact our travelagent to sort out the Lake trip. Didn’t sound very likely. We rode up in the Gondola, walked to the cosmic ray detector, and photographed the resident goats. The walk was on a wooden platform and steps, these were swept to remove snow and ice. R saw a tiny stripey ground squirrel and fell in love with it. From the sounds of all the cooing females, she wasn’t alone.
The Gondola lift had not been built for ski-ing; instead it was so people could go to the top for a good view. There is a restaurant at the top, where we could have had a meal.
Lake Minnewanka
We caught the bus back down to Banff. R had a brainwave. She decided we could sort out the tickets for the Minnewanka Lake trip at the Elk & Avenue hotel, where there was a Pursuit Adventure Centre. Pursuit owns and runs many of the tourist attractions. The staff there sorted out everything very quickly so our trip was scheduled for this afternoon.
Oh – the name, you may laugh at it. The locals say “Wonka” as in Chocolate Factory
Bus to the lake (on the expensive day ticket). The bus stopped at a few other locations enroute. We arrived an hour before the trip, so spent the time walking around the beach. R booked us in, and we boarded the boat a few minutes before it was due to depart. The trip takes you about halfway along the lake. The lake is artificial. It is a reservoir for electricity generation. It has been expanded twice, the last time as WWII finished.
Apparently, the lake is good for diving, because you can see old homes and a 1930s sedan at the bottom, which all date back to when the area was flooded for the reservoir.
Unfortunately, some young kids on the boat were noisy, although they did actually keep quiet for 30 seconds during a requested silent period. Not sure why people take really young children on some holidays. They won’t remember it.
We arrived back after an hour, and then walked up the road to catch the return bus to Banff.
Campsite
Back at Banff centre where we found a much better supermarket, and of course a beer and wine liquor store. I do love the way there is a refrigerated section for all the canned beer. When I say refrigerated section, the whole area, the size of a small shop, is refrigerated. At the campsite, we had sausages, for supper along with some WCIPA.
A female elk and some ground squirrels, or were they marmots?, presented themselves for their portraits.
Travelling to Banff
31st May 2025
Today, onwards to Bannf. Packed up and did an unload of grey and black water. Refueled with some water. Though we had electricity, there was no hookup for water.
We took the 1A to Banff. This was the main road, but has been bypassed by the faster 1. Much of the 1A is restricted to 60 kph and was a tourist road. It was very quiet, with lots of cyclists out, and hardly any other road traffic. We stopped at numerous places along the route for views, plant photos and also breakfast burrito and a Canadiano.
One of our stops was Morant’s Curve. Here the river and rail line curve with the mountains behind. This image was used in the 1900s on posters to advertise the Canadian Alps.
R found several flowers at other stops and photos were taken.
The road was busier as we progressed, with both more cars and more cyclists. This became more pronounced as we approached Johnstons Canyon. Johnstons Canyon features a stream and waterfalls. It has been decked out with platforms and steps. I left R in a queue (!) at the bottom falls and proceeded to the upper falls. R queued for more than an hour to go through the cave to see the falls and sprays. People are so selfish taking ages to get the best selfie photograph.
The walk does continue above the Upper Falls to the Ink Pots, but I did not do these.
On leaving we found the road to Bannf was closed, so we had to backtrack to the entry on to highway 1. Later talking to our campsite neighbours, we discovered the road was closed during the summer, except for pedestrians and cyclists. They had hired electric bikes and cycled up to the waterfalls. The road west of the waterfalls is open to allow cars entry. We had only to backtrack a few miles to where there was a road off to the main highway. Getting on was chaos because of large yellow line (yes, yellow, not white) painter vehicles on the sliproads which had decided to stop, or to go slow.
Banff was chaos, I left R to buy food, drove on past and by chance found a free 15-minute park. R was not happy with the shop, saying it was overpriced with a very limited range of food.
Our campsite was on top of the ridge looking down into the valley and the wood, and also out towards the mountains There was a female elk just below the campsite. Alas gone by the time I had my camera ready.
We discovered there are local buses, with a frequent service from the campsite. Free to go down, but $2 to come back or for any other trip.
Lake Louise
30th May 2025
It was a bad start to the day. We had planned a walk up to Lake Louise, but alas the path had just been closed for environmental reasons. The walk up the road was gross. Back to the nearby visitor centre where we asked where the footpaths were. The lad showed us on the map. R was still unconvinced, so asked about buses. He could book us on one, but that was not until 4pm. We mentioned we were staying in the campsite, and he then produced a timetable of a local bus service for residents and those staying in the village. A bus was due to go shortly, so we rushed off to board it . It was $2 rideup on the bus. We could have driven up, but that would have been $47 for parking. I think that is more than Londonn parking.
We took the small bus up to the Lake, where it dropped us at a carpark within 100 meters of the Lake. The lake is Glacier fed, so it is a bright blue, R says turquoise, colour from the very fine rock particles the glacier ice grinds out. A lovely blue day, alas too early in the season. Despite it being early in the season, there were still hundreds of people taking selfies on the shoreline. The lake is also spoilt be a huge hotel built on the shore. It dominates the lake. It also is about the only place where you can buy refreshments. There were some cafes in the mountains surrounding the lake, but they were not open until the 6th June. Some of the walking trails were also closed because of snow cover. The walk up to Lake Agnes was open on the hotel side of Lake Loiuse, but the walk up from the far end of the lake was closed because of snow.
I left R on the shore, she was going to amble along the shoreline of the Lake. Meanwhile I was going to walk up from the hotel side of Lake Louise, passing Mirror Lake and then up to Lake Agnes, passing near the Lake Agnes Tea House. Lake Agnes was still frozen over. At the far end of Lake Agnes, I intended to climb up the Beehive Mountain. In this I failed this, because there was still deep snow to go through, before starting up the slopes. I was also wary about the time it would take. I did see someone start walking across the snowfields, only to turn back.
I then retraced my steps along the shore of Lake Agnes, the water to my right, and the steep hillside to my left. I and another group just in front of me were lucky not to be hit by some large ice boulders which broke away from a mountain stream. The largest boulder was a metre in width, and 15 metres in front of the other walking group. I had contemplated overtaking the other walkers, thankfully I had not, otherwise I may not have been here to write this. Yes, those ice boulders were that close. That would have caused my IFA some work sorting out my affairs.
I continued the walk down hill, on occasion running, but in most cases moving fast. I met up with R, she was sitting on a bench looking at Lake Louise. She had walked to the far end of the lake and back.
We caught the bus back down, getting off at a stop near to the campsite. It was still hot and sunny and a few beers did not come amiss.
Asparagus and beer (separately) for supper.
Spiral Tunnel on route to Lake Louise
29th May 2025
Today we were driving on to Lake Louise. Quite a long drive, with various stops planned. First one, to see some plant, called the Skunk Cabbage. We had seen these from the train, here was our chance to get up close. But, alas, the boardwalk there was dangerous and closed, so no Skunk Cabbage. (We’d also seen the plant in Coton Manor Garden in Northamptonshire.)
Our next stop was the Rogers Pass Memory Garden. Originally built for the victims of the 1910 avalanche.
We did stop to see the spiral tunnel. You can see the train below, and then it comes out of the tunnel higher up. You can see the carriages exiting, as those below are still passing by on to the entry. Unfortunately, trees are in the way so you can see the entry.
The track then goes under the road, and into another tunnel to reappear above the road. Again, all this is hidden by trees.
It would make a great tourist attraction, just need the hillside cleared of trees!
Further stop for lunch.
Lots of work on the motorway, but I am not impressed by the road markings, and very short turnoffs across the traffic lanes. I feel some of these roads are dangerous. Canadians have a lot to learn from Europeans on road safety.
We arrived at the village of Lake Louise, it had the look of a tourist site, complete with charging for car parking. Thankfully, there was a small supermarket to purchase some food, and more importantly, a liquor store to buy some liquid refreshments. After stocking up, we drove the short distance to the campsite, where we hooked up our electric supply. In the UK we call that a ‘hook up’. In Canada, it is called a Shore Line. These ‘Shore Lines’ are hugely unwieldy, caused by the low voltage of Northern American power supplies. This campsite, the pitches were drive through, so after several attempts of driving through in different directions, we ended up parked with the door on the side we wanted. We were in the hardsided campsite. There was also a softsided one, ringed by an electric fence to keep the bears out, but it wasn’t open yet. Shower/toilet blocks were some distance away.
Revelstoke – Hydroelectric Power Station
28th May 2025
It was a really hot day today. In the morning we visted the railway museum, and then the Revelstoke hydroelectric power. The museum had various models of bridges, and tools which were used on the creation of the railway. There was a steam engine on show, this was powered by burning oil and not coal. There were also carriages from the days the one line was running with passengers.
There was also a fabulous model railway (not running, unfortunately). In the yard there was rolling stock: snow ploughs, tankers, goods trucks and an early diesel electric, all awaiting renovation.
In the museum there was also an explanation of the spiral tunnel, which we would see tomorrow, and had been through.
Next we drove up the hill to see the Revelstoke Hydroelectric Dam scheme. This dam is one of the many dams on the Columbia river generating power. When it was first installed it had four turbines, this was increased to five. There are plans to install the final and last turbine which can be fitted. When this is complete, it will be the largest Hydro Electric power plant in BC.
Next we drove up the hill up towards Mount Revelstoke. Unfortunately, the way was blockaded at a turnaround. There was still snow on the road further up, and there was no other safe turnaround. I went for a short walk up the hill, 80 minutes up a path and back. As you can see from the pictures, the higher I reached, the more snow there was in the forest.
Back at the campsite, we decided not to have a fire. Our friends had left, so no axe, nor lighter and therefore no fire.
Revelstoke – Snowforest
27th May 2025
We said more emotional goodbyes and headed off to Snowforest in Revelstoke. We had already seen Revelstoke, we had passed through it on the Rocky Mountaineer. I had grabbed a few pictures of the railway museum as we passed by.
Took a long time getting going, the traffic into Kelowna was horrendous. It took an hour to get into and through Kelowna. The traffic on the bridge was horrendous, all being slowed down by the red traffic lights in the city. There should be a better way.
On route we stopped off at the Last Spike, we had seen this as we passed through on the train. This was where the last rail was laid in the construction of this railway. The last spike, holding the rail to the sleeper was driven in. We bought ice creams; they had obviously thawed out and refrozen as some stage. Loads of Swallowtail butterflies.
When we arrived in Revelstoke we bought food. I filled the van with petrol, while R was buying me beer. R asked the guy running the liquor store for cloudy IPA, and preferably brewed locally. So, I ended up with a Revelstoke IPA. It was very nice.
In Snowforest where we were off-grid. The toilets, showers and dish-washing facilities all look good. There was a store of wood, which I helped myself to (the pitch fee included it).
We went for a short walk through the forest, along one of the footpaths. No bears or elks to be seen or heard. But we talked loudly, just in case.
I tried to light a campfire in our pitch’s alloted firepit, failed. The couple next door sorted us out. Actually, they sorted us out several times, first with the can opener, ours was worn out, then, their axe to split the wood, then, their gas torch to light the fire, and then they supplied us with dry kindling. The wood here was a little damp. The couple came from Calgary.
Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre
26th May 2025
Today was much cooler. A&P’s neighbours wild birds posed for me, so lots of bird pictures, which I have trimmed down.
We took a trip down, to visit the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre reservation site, near to East Osoyoos. It started to spot with rain, and then it deluged & finally hailed heavily. Peter drove sedately through it all. The Centre has well-planned & landscaped trails to illustrate the plants and lifestyle of the Osoyoos Indian Band. Thankfully the rain stayed away while we visited.
On the way back, we stopped at a the ‘District Wine Village’. a winery, beer and food place. Lots of little shops, but as it was a wet Monday out-of-season, so there was not much open, but we did have a light meal there.
