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Like all good places for people to visit, there is always a Visitor Centre, and naturally, Algonquin Provincial Park is no exception. Located at km 43′s marker, Algonquin Visitor Centre is there to help you gain a little more understanding about the history and ecology of the park. No visit to Algonquin Provincial Park would be complete without a stop at the Visitor Centre at Km 43, opened in 1993 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Algonquin Park and the entire Ontario provincial park system.

The Visitor Centre has world class exhibits on the Park’s natural and cultural history, a relaxing restaurant, an excellent bookstore, and “The Algonquin Room” featuring ongoing exhibitions of Algonquin art. A theatre presentation sums up the Park story and then takes you out to the viewing deck from where you can admire a breathtaking panorama of wild Algonquin landscape.

Look out for the large sign by the side of the road indicating you have arrived and head up the road to the centre. Its a longer road than i first expected but you’re there sooner than you know. When we went the car park was only half full, so it seemed that it had plenty of parking – though i would imagine at some points in the year the car park may get rather busy! Remember if you’re going to park up anywhere in Algonquin Provincial Park or do any of the trails, you’ll need to pull up at the gates (big buildings just off the side of the road either end of Highway 60) and go in to get a Permit. These are $15.00 currently but the rates do change depending on the time of year, so remember to check out their website (linked at the bottom of the article!). (more…)

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Well, its Friday again! Time for the last (for now) of the trail articles from Algonquin Park, we could only cover a few of them on our visit as there simply is so much to do, I’d recommend you take at least three days if you want to hit on the best parts of the park! But don’t worry, if you’re wanting more Algonquin Park trail articles, we’re heading back in October to try catch the Autumn colours, and we’ll see what trails we can go on then!
The trail in this article is the Whiskey Rapids Trail, the very first of the trails along Hwy 60 on the left. Remember if you’re going to park up anywhere in Algonquin Provincial Park or do any of the trails, you’ll need to pull up at the gates (big buildings just off the side of the road either end of Highway 60) and go in to get a Permit. These are $15.00 currently but the rates do change depending on the time of year, so remember to check out their website (linked at the bottom of the article!)

Make sure you’ve picked up one of the Algonquin park news papers while you’re getting a permit, they’re free and they’re very .. VERY useful to use the map on the back so you know where you are going!

Before you go on any of these trails, remember to have brought with you, proper walking equipment – for example decent walking shoes with a good degree of tread, and comfortable clothes suitable for what ever the weather may be on the day you go on the trail. Another thing you’ll want to factor in is the bugs! If it’s forecast to be warm, chances are you’ll be up against the Mosquitoes and or Black Fly – so bring your bug repellent!

The Whiskey Rapids Trail is a 2.1kilometre loop starting on Highway 60, 7.2 kilometres from the West Gate of Algonquin. For about half of its length, the trail follows the Oxtongue River and culminates on a fine view of the picturesque Whiskey Rapids. The trail guide for this particular trail helps you understand the role of rivers in the natural and human history of Algonquin Park.
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Another Friday, and another article visit to Algonquin Provincial Park. This time, we’re not looking at a trail, just one of the small stop-offs which are along highway 60.
If you head down Highway 60, when you get to km 23.5, you’ll see the entrance to the Cache Lake Historic Site Exhibit car park. It’s actually a very big gravelled car park, so you’re likely to find parking at most times, though this car park as far as i can see can be used as a small boat marina as well as for the historic site.

Basically what you will find is an interesting spot – which although is historical, is the result of the removal of various previously essential components of the early park. You’ll arrive at the Car park and walk up to the right where you’ll find your first sign explaining the site. The sign explains that you are now standing at Cache Lake, the hub of Algonquin Park from the 1890s to the 1950s. Park Headquarters, a major railway station and a large hotel occupied this site during those years. As it says, all you need to do is take a 250 metre round trip along the old railway station platform to view four other historical panels which will explain what was there during those 60 years.
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Well, it’s Friday once more – and time for another trail review.. though this is a serious trail.. And one i have to admit i haven’t walked fully, mainly as you will need to dedicate your whole day to this trail – it’s the longest trail Algonquin Provincial Park has on highway 60!

First, I’ll say it again.. this is a beast of a trail. You really have to be serious about this one, it’s going to truly take the majority of your day to walk this one, and with a difficulty rating of “Difficult” you’ll need to make sure you’re properly equipped for the job too!

The Mizzy Lake Trail is an 11-Kilometre loop (not counting a two-kilometre optional side trip) beginning on the Arowhon Road just in from km 15.4 on Highway 60. The trail visits nine small lakes and ponds with a view to maximising your chances of seeing wildlife, particularly moose and beaver. Results obviously cannot be guaranteed but the possibilities are good, especially if you are at the prime areas early in the morning or later in the evening. (Try to avoid the middle part of summer days. That is by far the poorest time to see wildlife.)
You should wear good, solid, water resistant footwear and allow SIX HOURS to do the trail. If by some chance you have misjudged your rate of progress and want to avoid finishing the trail in darkness, you may walk back to the parking lot via the Arowhon or Weldwood roads, both of which connect to the old track part of the trail. (more…)

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It’s the 1st of July 2010 – and that means its Canada Day!!

Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada), formerly Dominion Day, is Canada’s national day, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act (today called the Constitution Act, 1867), which united two British colonies and a province of the British Empire into a single country called Canada. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as internationally.

Frequently referred to as “Canada’s birthday”, particularly in the popular press, the occasion marks the joining of the British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867. Although Canada is regarded as having become a kingdom in its own right on that date, the British Parliament kept limited rights of political control over the new country that were shed by stages over the years until the last vestiges were surrendered in 1982 when the Constitution Act patriated the Canadian constitution. (more…)

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When someone says Niagara Falls, immediately you think of gushing torrents of water descending down a giant horseshoe shaped fall, misting up into a great cloud that rises up into the sky.. but there’s something that’s still nature going on there – though slightly more man made. As you walk down the pavement with the falls to your right, over the road on your left – is Niagara Falls Queen Victoria Park.

It’s a stark contrast from the busy casinos, amusements, restaurants and rides of Niagara’s town centre, but Niagara Falls Falls Queen Victoria Park does its job well, providing visitors with a calm relaxed open space full of life, both flora and fauna – and colour.

Queen Victoria Park is literally the “heart” of Niagara Parks. Bounded by the steep Fallsview moraine and the Niagara River Great Gorge, the Park contains a valuable collection of unique native and international plants and beautifully maintained gardens.

Walking through the Park beside the Falls, from Clifton Hill to beyond Dufferin Islands, you can enjoy a rock garden, hanging baskets, a Hybrid tea rose garden and attractive carpet-bedding displays. Park benches and well-groomed lawns provide pleasant venues for relaxation and photography.

Queen Victoria Park celebrates every season in style. In Spring, over 500,000 daffodils start the season in their bright and welcoming way. Magnificent magnolia trees, breathtaking tulips and other blooms are all there for you to enjoy. (more…)

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Well this is going to be an interestingly mixed article for the longest day of the year! But it is another foody article! One of those places i made sure i visited while out this May! The sacrifices i make for our readers!!
One of the big brands you will see while in Canada is A&W. This is a burger resteraunt but it specialises in selling its own unique brand of root beer.

That was it’s stumbling block for me.. But i promised i would go in and have a look – so i did!
When i first went in, maybe rather silly of me – i couldn’t see anywhere where it said it sold any other drinks other than root beer so i asked for just a burger rather than the combo, luckily though someone else with us had the combo and asked for a diet coke. Now I’m sorry to all those of you who love root beer.. but i really cannot stand it. For people in the UK who want to know what it is most like? Well, its most like dandelion and burdock, but it tastes completely of Germolene. . . which makes it very difficult for me to enjoy! At this point however on our trip i hadn’t tried genuine Canadian root beer, only British root beer found in a couple of supermarkets. But lets move on from my root beer dislike!

The menu does push the root beer an awful lot, all the combos are pictured on the menu with burger, fries and the trademark glass of root beer with the foam top – but worry not! A&W do sell other drinks as well as root beer, in fact they are one of the stockists of my favourite Cola – Coke. Not only do they do coke but they also do iced tea, sprite, minutemaid and a variety of Milkshakes.. oh yes and rootbeer floats too..
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Well its another of those Friday articles! Hopefully if you’ve had the appetite already this weekend you’ll be jetting off to Canada to start your Canada Trip! If not, that’s no problem – you’ll be heading out soon right? And if that’s the case, here’s another trail in that awe inspiring place that is Algonquin Provincial Park.
The trail I’m covering in this article is the Spruce Bog Boardwalk, a completely ‘paved’ trail that, although being longer than the Hardwood Lookout Trail, is actually easier, and is suitable for wheelchair users. As on all my articles on the Trails of Algonquin Park, I’m going to reiterate the usual tips. Remember if you’re going to park up anywhere in Algonquin Provincial Park or do any of the trails, you’ll need to pull up at the gates (big buildings just off the side of the road either end of Highway 60) and go in to get a Permit. These are $15.00 currently but the rates do change depending on the time of year.

The Spruce Bog Boardwalk's main Bog

Make sure you’ve picked up one of the Algonquin park news papers while you’re getting a permit, they’re free and they’re very .. VERY useful to use the map on the back so you know where you are going!

Before you go on any of these trails, remember to have brought with you, proper walking equipment – for example decent walking shoes with a good degree of tread, and comfortable clothes suitable for what ever the weather may be on the day you go on the trail. Another thing you’ll want to factor in is the bugs! If it’s forecast to be warm, chances are you’ll be up against the Mosquitoes and or Black Fly – so bring your bug repellent!

The Spruce Bog Boardwalk is a 1.5km, wheelchair-accessible loop which will take you across two separate bogs, the Sunday Creek Bog and a small kettle bog, enabling you to see at close range the little known bog habitat. About half of the trail’s length consists of boardwalk sections resting on bog mat.
To be honest, although it’s an easy trail, one of the very easiest in the park, for me it was actually the most fun. The variety of different sites sounds and environments you pass through make no section of it particularly samey.
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Yep, it’s another foody place! This time though, we’re not talking about a huge chain – this time its a single restaurant! The Sunset Grill in Gravenhurst, Muskoka.
By all accounts it was a generally miserable day weather wise, and we’d been to the Muskoka Store and it had more or less been raining continuously for a day. This is not normal weather for this part of weather.. grey skies may be common sight in Britain, but generally days of rain and cloud is not the norm here.. We’d gone to Gravenhurst to have a look around – and you’ll see a more general article on Gravenhurst in the next couple of months, but basically its a town built on the edge of a lake. Here on the wharf – with a car park right next to it is the Sunset Grill.

This is where we had lunch. If you head in – I’d recommend the Coffee, it was fantastic and with the added bonus of free refills its worth every penny! The menu has many classics – such as the BLT – or if you wanted to go for something more traditionally Canadian you could have the pea meal bacon on a bun. These sandwiches come served on a plate with veggy sticks (of cucumber and carrot), along with a separate dip, and a separate dressing for your sandwich. I had the BLT and it really was worth having – I’d recommend it to you – but .. what i liked the most? One of us couldn’t finish the Pea meal Bacon in a bun.. well there was my chance! Not only was the pea meal bacon cooked perfectly, it was really tender and thickly cut. The bread cake/bun was really soft – and of coarse it came with the veggy sticks and condiments. (more…)

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Well, i decided to break the recent double up of foody articles and include another article on the amasing Algonquin Park. I’ll say again what i always seem to say – and that should you be reading this as the first article you’ve seen about this Provincial Park, do not underestimate the size and sheer number of things to do in this place. The first time i went to Algonquin Park was in 2009 and we expected (having not done much research) the park to be similar to a UK national park such as the peak district.. but we were very wrong!
The park has many places of interest on the main route in the south, highway 60, especially trails you can go on. Just remember if you’re going to park up anywhere in Algonquin Provincial Park, you’ll need to pull up at the gates (big buildings just off the side of the road either end of Highway 60) and go in to get a Permit. These are $15.00 currently but the rates do change depending on the year.

The Trail this article is focusing on is the Peck Lake Trail.

Make sure you’ve picked up one of the Algonquin park news papers while you’re getting a permit, they’re free and they’re very .. VERY useful to use the map on the back so you know where you are going!

Before you go on any of these trails, remember to have brought with you, proper walking equipment – for example decent walking shoes with a good degree of tread, and comfortable clothes suitable for what ever the weather may be on the day you go on the trail. Another thing you’ll want to factor in is the bugs! If it’s forecast to be warm, chances are you’ll be up against the Mosquitoes and or Black Fly – so bring your bug repellent!

Peck Lake Trail is a 2.3 kilometre loop starting on Highway 60, 19.2km from West Gate of Algonquin Park. The trail takes you right around Peck Lake. The trail is of Medium difficulty, mainly due to the uneven and steep inclines you have to walk up and down. There are some fairly steep drops right by the path as well so make sure you have good footware on so you reduce risks of slipping. Remember to pick up one of the trail guides that you will find in the initial sign at the start of the trail. If you know you wish to keep the trail guide as a souvenir then put $0.50 into the pipe that is located right below it. Alternatively, you can always do this when you’ve completed your walk (or deposit the guide back in the small ‘letter boxes’ under the sign.
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