Canada Archives - Blasdale Home

Banff a Spare Day

Posted on June 2, 2025 by SteveJune 21, 2025

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.

Travelling to Banff

Posted on May 31, 2025 by SteveJune 21, 2025

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.

Spiral Tunnel on route to Lake Louise

Posted on May 29, 2025 by SteveJune 20, 2025

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.

Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre

Posted on May 26, 2025 by SteveJune 19, 2025

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.

Mission Hill Winery

Posted on May 25, 2025 by SteveJune 19, 2025

25th May 2025

Today was a hot day (27C). We went out for brunch at Bliss Bakery in Peachland, followed by a walk and wander around the artisan market. Peachland was a cute location right on the water. In the bakery we bought some dark rye bread for our trip. It turned out to be the best bread we had in Canada. Orca speedboats!

Back in the car, Peter drove us to Kelowna itself and the Waterfront Park where there were fish, Herons, Turtles and Ospreys. I should have taken the long lens with me, always the case, wrong lens.

In the evening, we left their house to walk up to the Mission Hill Family Estate Winery. The winery buildings and the restaurant were of concrete, sculpted into an Italian style, there was even a bell tower, with its bell cast in Europe, and a Henry Moore sculpture on display. Lovely surroundings which transported you to a different time & space.

We were there for a wine tasting followed by a gourmet meal with paired wines! Well done, Anne! During the tasting, we heard about the problems of growing grapes in the region; early frosts can devastate the grape crop. To continue production, grapes are sometimes imported from New Zealand.

Our starter of asparagus and tomato tart was light & flavourful. There was a choice of halibut or lamb to follow. Both yummy. Majari chocolate cheesecake & blue honeywuckle berries for dessert. You get the picture. The food and wines really were excellent. The owner is trying for a Michelin star. Our table overlooked Okanagan Lake. Unfortunately the wind was strong when we were seated (it’s on a terrace), so mesh blinds were down. But, towards dessert, the wind did abate, so the blinds went up to give us a clear view of the lake. What a wonderful resource to have on your doorstep! There were many elegantly dressed women visiting, compared with the rather scruffy men.

In the Winery shop there was a book about the history of the BOAC airline (odd choice for a Canadian winery?), which even had a picture of the BOAC Junior Jet Club book, just like mine. I should have bought the book.

Walked up, well repleted. We were met by Anne & Peter two black cats. One is rather cranky, hisseing & muttering at us when we try to stroke it. A shock for cat-loving R!

I really should have included a floorplan of A&P’s house, to explain what happened to me that evening. One long side of the entrance hall is open at half wall-height to another room. On coming to bed, I told R, already in bed, that I was v worried cos I couldn’t see myself in the large mirror in the hall. Had I turned into a vampire, perchance?? “What mirror in the hall?” “The long one on the side.” “That’s an opening to another room!” Not a vampire, then.

Pinegrove Campsite

Posted on May 23, 2025 by SteveJune 18, 2025

23rd May 2025

We dumped the tanks at the allotted place in the Campsite. R went to pay for the dump. The campsite manager was quite surprised, she said she would never have known. Just as R was saying how delighted she was seeing the hummingbird, two arrived at the manager’s hummingbird feeders whereupon a large cat came out of the manager’s cottage, ignoring the hummingbirds.

Today it was quite a short drive, the intention being to stop at sights on the way. Actually, there were few of these. Stopped at the metropolis of Clearwater where we bought lunch and provisions for the evening. Nice stop at the North Thompson River Provincial Park, where we sat by the river eating our lunch and watching the trains go by on the other side. Very well laid out area, including a camping ground, and lots of men with STIHL strimmers, neatening the area up for the summer. By the by, there are masses of dandelions along the roads. R’s brother, just like their dad, hates them and dug several out of his lawn when we stayed. Some roads would have been a major challenge for him.

We continued the drive at a sedate 85kph and made the campsite, Pinegrove Campground and RV park. Smallish campsite, very pleasant staff. Road quite near, and train line on the other side, but annoyingly out of view.

As is usual, we had our own picnic bench where we could lay out supper.

The showers had a warning notice about the stinky, but harmless, water, and yes, the water truly was stinky. It was some Sulphur mineral in the water which caused the smell.

R again spotted a cat. He was staying in a large RV, but was flaunting the regulations about being on a leash “at all times”. Or did that apply only to dogs?

Washing was performed, at what seems the standard $7 CAN price.

Jasper National Park Icefield

Posted on May 19, 2025 by SteveJune 17, 2025

19th May 2025

The day started off sunny as we drove in the direction of Banff. We were on our way to the Jasper National Park Icefield to see a glacier. It was more than an hour’s drive. We arrived in the nick of time. Not even time to buy a coffee. There was a short coach trip, across the road and up a dirt track to the base of the glacier. Here we transferred to an off-road vehicle, designed for travel on the ice and used in the arctic. We continued a little way up the Glacier Moraine and then down a steep hill to the Glacier. We disembarked to be herded into a small safe area. This is to ensure we do not fall into a crevasse and pop out in a stream at the bottom. You may laugh, but this did happen to an explorer here, and it seems to have happened recently to a skier. After 20 minutes on the Glacier, we returned to the transport, ground our way up the hill, and then onto the coach. Next stop was the Skywalk.

The Jasper Icefield Skywalk is a platform that overhangs the valley complete with a glass floor. It is meant to be scary, but it is not as scary as the Calgary Tower we subsequently visited which also had a piece of glass floor. I think this is because on the Calgary Tower you can see objects below that you can relate to, while on the Skywalk, scale is not so apparent in the rock formations below. There was an attendent there who kept the glass sparkling clean. They apparently change the top “sacrificial” layer of glass every year to maintain a clear view.

Back to the centre’s café for a Starbucks. We watched a film which showed interesting views of the mountain. But they had to wind a story into it of an old man and children who were in the mountains. A lost stone, picked up by the man, placed in the stream and picked up by the children. Why do they do this?

Outside it had started to snow, but thankfully very lightly.

Back we drove to Jasper, parked in a small carpark and bought some food also visiting a liquor store for gin and beer. We went to the campsite’s foul water dump, where we discharged our tanks. All went well.

Sausages for supper. Odd number in a pack. Five.

The campsite looks pretty empty now the weekend holiday is over. The smell of burning seemed more intense.

Some elk in the campsite. Our little furry animals, being sensible creatures, were not out in the cold weather. We had seen them this morning.

Hinton and around about

Posted on May 17, 2025 by SteveJune 16, 2025

17th May 2025

Today, there was no driving for us, Stephen (R’s brother) took us all on a tour of the sites around Hinton. First up was the Solomon Lookout to view the Black Cat Mountain. There were good views of the mountains, and down below the valley. As luck would have it, there was a long goods train passing up the valley.

Why Black Cat Mountain? One mountain side had once been spectacular, but there had been the inevitable forest fire, and when the forest regenerated, the trees were a different colour to the surrounding ones. They created an image which looked like a high backed, scared black cat. Years later, like now, you need a particularly good imagination to see it.

Then on to Switzer Provincial Park, where there is a lake. Some trees showed evidence of claw damage. Here there were some birds flying around. I managed to get a photo of a dark-eyed Junco, an American Tree Sparrow, a Yellow Rumped Warbler and of course a Canada Goose.

Back at Hinton we stopped at a café for coffee, before going on to the Northern Rockies Museum of Culture and Heritage.

Back at Steve & Marilynn’s, we had a chicken BBQ supper. Bit too chilly to sit out on their deck, so we ended up eating indoors, after BIL Steve had braved the elements to be chef-of-the-day.

Hinton and Beaver Boardwalk

Posted on May 16, 2025 by SteveJune 16, 2025

16/05/2025

A tour of the house now meant R could picture Steve and Marilynn at home.

Much talking & reminiscing.

A short walk from their home is the Beaver Boardwalk. The very boardwalk which Michael Portillo walked on a few years ago on his Canadian train trip! Since then, the boardwalk had started to fall into disrepair but was now being renewed. We didn’t see any beavers, but did see their home, their dam, and various trees which had been chewed down. Not only is there the boardwalk, but there are miles and miles of tracks through the forest. An incredibly special place.

We discovered the local squirrels chatter rather like a petrol engine starting up. We also discovered that many Canadian squirrels are small & red! (Later we were told by others that Canadian folklore says it is the nasty European grey squirrels who cause problems!)

We sat on their rather splendid deck watching the local birds & squirrels.

Supper out at a local diner, specializing in European foods, including Greek. R had souvlaki, while I ate prawns.

The weather had started out dry but was rather wet when we exited the restaurant. A drive around the town seeing the sights of Hinton after dark.

Picking up our RV in Calgary

Posted on May 14, 2025 by SteveJune 14, 2025

14th May 2025

We had a lovely lie-in, and a good breakfast at the Elk + Avenue in Banff. Breakfast was the usual North American affair of eggs benedict (or ‘benny’) etc etc. No toast and marmalade! Most of the staff appeared to be from the (British) Commonwealth. We heard how people starting in life would get work visas for a couple of years, working in these resorts

Our Trailfinders chosen driver picked us up from the hotel at 11.00, very promptly. Drove us to the RV pickup. About a 90 minutes drive. He would point out stuff on route, especially the cattle. As we neared Calgary, the land became flatter.

RV pickup was rather slow and inefficient. Keys didn’t work in some locks on the outside cupboards, and much was glossed/hurried over.

We set off, stopped at a Walmart, where we spent far too long buying far too little. Spent a long time looking for the beers etc. Ha! We needed a Liquor Store. Adventure at the Shell filling station where the payment machine misbehaved. It cost more 153 CAD. (Oh they preauthorised 250 CAD. You can set different limits.)

Arrived at Rocky Mountain House Campsite at 7.ish. Reception was closed, they had closed at 5, not 8, as we’d read. We did walk into the unlocked reception, so the owner came down. She had actually emailed us information, and there was a pass key outside the reception for us. The owner offered us coins for the washing machine and tumble drier, 1 dollar coins, called loonies and 2 dollar coins called toonies. R thought a wash & dry for 7 CAD a bargain.

Loaded the washing machine, then drove to our pitch. Actually made up the bed in the table, banquette area of the van. But never again, far too much hassle and not that good.

Pitched. R went off to the laundry, came back 30 minutes later (having walked around & around) not being able to find.it. I went off to the laundry. Loaded the tumble dryer and waited for its completion. Hour later back at van in the dark, not happy.

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