Canada Trip.co.uk

Its Friday, I’d be still in bed if i was in Canada right now, but i could just about go for a Tim Hortons breakfast with a double double right now.. Still, after some of the storms some of us had yesterday, at least here at the moment it seems sunny, and I’d hope the rain showers forecast tomorrow don’t make it a miserable day hm? So, again – we’ll think about things to do outside, and I’ll feature another of Algonquins Trails. Today – Booth’s Rock Trail.

Booth’s rock trail starts one kilometre south of the Rock Lake Campground Office. After skirting two small lakes, it climbs to the top of a large cliff known as Booth’s Rock – where the trail gets it’s name funnily enough, descends the far side of the lookout and loops back to the starting point. The trail is 5.1kilometres long and fairly rigorous but may be easily covered in a couple of hours by an active person. From the cliff top you will have a magnificent view of Rock and Whitefish lakes and several hundred square kilometres of Algonquin Park will lie before you.

The trail guide for this trail tells you many things about how man has once again changed and is – or could change Algonquin Park and some of its hidden treasures. Not always for the worse though. On one side for example, it talks about Rosepond Lake. People have always found Rosepond Lake to be particularly intimate and enchanting. Hidden away from the rest of the planet by its whispering cordon of gaunt and lonely Black Spruce, the little lake lives a life of its own. The delicate orchids and the cool, deep moss near the water’s edge, the basking frogs and the furtive schools of minnows all seem to be as remote and secure from man’s troubled world as they could possibly be…
And yet, the truth is that Rosepond Lake is not nearly so safe as it may appear. The highly industrialised North American societies smelt ores and burn coal and oil in enormous quantities, The trouble is that we try to get rid of the smoke and gasses created – by releasing them up giant chimneys into the atmosphere. The pollutants may indeed travel hundreds of kilometres from their sources but eventually they do come back down to earth. Usually washed out of the sky by rain and snow – which is why, even here in Algonquin Park, the rain is often so acidic that no fish could live in it. (more…)

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Friday once again, and although the UK may be forecast a poor weekend of weather, we’ll once again look positively towards the rest of summer, and Algonquin park, where – this weekend, unlike the gales and cold weather we have coming, there it’ll be sunny with a few clouds, and temperatures of 27 degrees Celsius – So on that note, today’s article is on Algonquin Park’s Lookout Trail.

The Lookout Trail, situated 39.7 kilometres from the West Gate, is a 2.1 Kilometre loop which climbs up through a young Algonquin forest to the top of a high cliff, follows the cliff brow for 100 metres, and then descends back down to the parking lot.
In addition to the spectacular view from the cliff top, the trail affords several good opportunities to observe a variety of Algonquin Park’s geological features.
As you walk along the trail, you are surrounded by life. There are trees and shrubs and then, down in the dead leaves and decaying wood on the forest floor, millions of microscopic plants and animals create the organic soil which sustains the forest. It is only on the trail path itself that we can even glimpse the underpinnings of this great living system; thousands of hikers have worn away the soil and exposed jumbled assortments of rocks, sand, and gravel. (more…)

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Well i hope those of you who visited the Canada Day event in London had a great time! But it’s once again Friday, so it’s time for another article, and yes, I’m going to be featuring Algonquin Park once more, bulking out our coverage further of this amazing Provincial Park.

Today’s featured trail is the Centennial Ridges Trail.

The Centennial Ridges Trail is a 10 kilometre loop which takes you along two high, parallel ridge systems and features some of the park’s most outstanding scenery. It is a very demanding trail that visits five separate cliffs and involves much climbing. At the highest point you will be 170 metres (560 feet) above the parking lot, but because the trail has several major rises and descents, the total vertical distance you will have to climb during your outing is approximately 360 metres (1,200 feet). It’s not advised to head out on this trail unless you are in good health and good physical condition. And with this Trail its absolutely essential that you wear sturdy, ankle-supporting boots, and give it six hours to take on this challenge!… And of coarse, if you do happen to have kids who are as adventurous as you – the cliffs are not fenced, so keep them close to you at all times.

The trail was opened in 1993 as part of Algonquin’s centennial celebrations and, at its various lookouts and scenic viewpoints, it honours 11 representative historic people who have helped shape the present day park and make it so famous as a place to understand and appreciate the natural world. (more…)

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Well, it’s been a pretty hot weekend, the weather, other than the odd thunderstorm has managed to keep its act together for us, which makes a nice change to the cold wet snap we had earlier in the month – so since it’s a great time to be outdoors, i thought we’d have a look at another Algonquin Provincial Park trail – The Beaver Pond Trail.

The Beaver Pond Trail winds two kilometres through rugged Algonquin terrain, offering excellent opportunities to observe the roll of the beaver in the park environment. You may or may not actually see beavers during your walk, but everywhere about you will see signs, informing the observant hiker of their presence, activities and influence.

The Beaver is considered one of Canada’s national symbols, up there with the moose, the maple leaf and ice hockey – so this Trail is perfect if you want to enjoy a hike through the Algonquin landscape, while learning more about these special creatures. The trail takes you round in a circuit, visiting ponds, lakes, rivers, dams and meadows – and these features were not necessarily there all the time, As the trail guide explains to you, Beavers have had a significant impact on the landscape they live in.. an impact so significant that their effect on the environment is second only to humans as far as tailoring the landscape to their own needs.

At post two on the trail you visit a typical beaver pond – one of thousands in Algonquin Park. It is such a common place sight in fact, that we sometimes forget what an extraordinary thing it is. By damming the stream,. the beavers have actually changed the environment to suit their own needs – from a forest with a stream trickling through it, to a wide open pond, one or two meters deep. (more…)

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It’s Friday – and its the big day of the Royal Wedding! So talking about Royalty, when you’re in Niagara next, why not treat yourself like Royalty – and stay in one of the best hotels in the city – the Hilton Niagara Falls.

If you’ve been following me by Twitter you will probably have spotted a retweet about this offer yesterday! The offer is $129 for a one night short break in Niagara Falls. It treats you to a Deluxe Cityview Two-Bedroom Jacuzzi Suite with a fireplace and includes a $40 dining voucher for Romano’s Macaroni Grill for your dinner at the hotel, Full buffet breakfast for two, valued also at $40, and Two passes for a winery tour and tasting at Peller Estates, also valued at $40!

The offer is being run through TravelZoo.com and to have a look at full details of the offer click the following link: http://www.travelzoo.com/ca/hotels/ontario/1021136/

These rooms are available now through until June 15th, but you must book by the 10th May and these rooms are likely to sell out quickly, so the sooner you book the better! If you are flying to Toronto to stay there or near and around Niagara Falls – planning a trip there, this is not an offer you should miss! If your journey is particularly long and don’t fancy driving back at night – stopping at a hotel is very much recommended. Not only do you get to avoid a night time drive, you get to enjoy the atmosphere and the vibrancy of the colourful Falls when they’re lit up at dusk – and at all time you have the peace of mind of knowing that you’ve got an incredibly comfy and cosy suite to head back to for a good night’s sleep.

Treating yourself has just got a lot more affordable! (more…)

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It’s Monday! It’s also March tomorrow, so how about we stop thinking about those post-Christmas diets now hm?

If you haven’t been to Canada yet, you’ll almost certainly walk into restaurants and find something on the menu called Poutine. Now, don’t be scared of its particularly unique name! Poutine is actually something that most people in the UK can relate to.. We have all (well.. most of us) gone to the chip shop and got either Chips with Gravy, OR Chips with Cheese .. Well .. although technically it wouldn’t be technically correct – if you had cheese and gravy on the same tray of chips, that is almost poutine! Now, i say almost because for it to be truly poutine, the cheese needs to be cheese curds, not just your normal cheese.

As you can see from the picture, poutine is definitely not the most elegant looking of foods, but lets face it, it beats the looks of mushy peas now doesn’t it! Besides, Canadians have always been known for their no-nonsence approach, and food in my opinion should always be about flavour, and not looks. (more…)

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When i was a kid, i loved science. I remember one birthday my parents took me to Eureka in the UK, and i still remember it fondly! One of the things special about Eureka is that it’s a Science Museum which allows kids to learn through play, and the place I’m looking at today; Science North, looks at things in the same way.

Science North is an interactive science museum in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. The complex, which is Northern Ontario’s most popular tourist attraction, consists of two snowflake-shaped buildings on the southwestern shore of Lake Ramsey, just south of the city’s downtown core, as well as a former ice hockey arena which includes the complex’s entrance and an IMAX theatre. The snowflake buildings are connected by a rock tunnel, which passes through a billion-year-old geologic fault. This fault line was not known to be under the complex during the construction of the building in the early 1980s. Where the walkway reaches the larger snowflake, the Inco Cavern auditorium is frequently used for temporary exhibits, as well as for press conferences and other gala events. (more…)

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While i was over this October i decided to once again shine a light on Gravenhurst.. mainly since i knew my photos didn’t really do it justice. We went on a pretty miserable day which didn’t show exactly what the place truly was like.. So – we headed back on a glorious sunny Autumn day to have a wander round the lake and have some lunch at the Sunset Grill. We were also lucky enough this time to go on a day where the Muskoka steam ships were running! Unlike the previous visit!

As you can see, its quite a contrast to the grey-sky photos on my previous Gravenhurst article!
The Sunset Grill was as good as last time, and this time i made sure to have the peameal Bacon sandwich – along with a coffee. It was the first time I’d gone to Gravenhurst with my partner in crime – and although i did mention that the coffees were free-refill he had a hot chocolate – that although very nice – my free refills did make him jealous! Where as i had my sandwich with the trademark chunky veggies (raw carrot and cucumber sticks with a dip) – he had a toasted bagel as something lighter.
(more…)

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Of all the animals in the world, the wolf is probably one of the most popular animals.. to at least those who love wildlife. In history it was both man’s best friend and one of man’s hated competitors. In the UK, wolves are extinct.. hunted until every last one had been killed. However in Canada, these awe inspiring animals still survive, and if you go to the right place at the right time you may even be able to experience the haunting howls of these superb creatures.

Gray wolves are slender, powerfully built animals with large, deeply descending ribcages and sloping backs. Their abdomens are pulled in, and their necks heavily muscled. Their limbs are long and robust, with comparatively small paws. The front paws have five toes each, while the back paws have four. The forelimbs are seemingly pressed into the chest, with the elbows pointed inward, and the feet outward. Females tend to have narrower muzzles and foreheads, thinner necks, slightly shorter legs and less massive shoulders than males. Wolves are very strong for their size, possessing sufficient strength to turn over a frozen horse or moose carcass. (more…)

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One thing you will have to experience while out in Canada, is something everyone in the UK has to have heard of or seen in various movies – the Drive-In Cinema. If you’re in Canada in drive-in season (typically May to October) Make sure you look out for your nearest Drive-In. Sadly they aren’t as common as they once were, but some passionate owners keep them going for your enjoyment. One such place is the Muskoka Drive In. They charge VERY reasonable prices and your admission usually includes two films played back to back, with a short break in between.

The Cinema comes complete with a snack-bar, toilets and even a kids play area so while you wait for the sun to set you can let your kids go to the play area, which is thoughtfully placed just below the screen so you can sit in your vehicle and watch the kids without having to strain your neck or turn your car around!

The very reasonable ticket Prices at the cinema are as follows:
Adult (2 Movies) $9.00
Adult (Add Bonus) $10.00
CARLOAD THURSDAY $15.00
DUSK ‘TILL DAWN $12.00
DISCOUNT TUESDAY $5.00
Child (6-12) $2.00
5 and under FREE (more…)

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