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Its Monday, and yeah, Saturday ended up being a big disappointment, at least for the north of England as far as weather was concerned — but – lets forget about that and talk about another one of Algonquin Provincial Park’s trails – The Track and Tower Trail.

I always state the same basic information on all of these trails: 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 $16.00 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 (aka the Information Guide) 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 Track and Tower Trail, beginning at km 25 on Highway 60, offers two major opportunities for the more abitious hiker wishing to see some outstanding examples of Algonquin Park scenery and history.
The main loop trail, including a visit to the old Skymount fire tower location and view out over cache lake, is a 7.5 kilometres long round trip. There is also an additional 5.5 kilometre side trail off the main loop leading east down the old railway bed to the Highland Backpacking Trail, the old Two Rivers airfield, and the Mew Lake Campground. The most efficient way to do this part of the trail is to leave a vehicle at one of the east-end parking possibilities and arrange to be dropped off at the Track and Tower trail entrance to start your hike.
In addition to these two major choices, the trail joins and leaves canoe route portages and a bush road in several places and it has two short-cuts, making it important to refer to the trail map and to carefully consider the distance and time (more…)

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While we were out this last trip we thought we’d call off at one of the attractions in Sudbury that is registered in the Guinness book of world records as having the world’s largest coin.

The Big Nickel is a nine-metre (30 ft) replica of a 1951 Canadian nickel, located at the grounds of Dynamic Earth (which we will cover in another article in the future) in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records, as the world’s largest coin. The twelve-sided nickel is located on a small hill overlooking the intersection of Municipal Road 55 and Big Nickel Drive at the westernmost end of the Gatchell neighbourhood.

The idea for the Big Nickel began in 1963 when Ted Szilva, at the time a 28-year-old City of Sudbury fireman, read about a contest in the Sudbury Star. The contest, sponsored by the Sudbury Canada Centennial Committee, chaired by Maurice Lacourciere, requested that citizens of Sudbury forward suggestions on how they would like to see the City of Sudbury celebrate the Canadian Centennial. Among the many entries, Szilva put forward the suggestion for a major tourist attraction featuring a giant replica of a five-cent coin, an underground mine and a mining science centre. Szilva’s idea was rejected because the committee felt that “it did not have sufficient use for the citizens of Sudbury as such”.

By this time, Szilva had independently researched his idea, and had concluded that it could indeed be a very viable and worthwhile project. He began to make this dream a reality by scouting out all of the highest hills in Sudbury to find the best location. On December 11, 1963, he purchased 17.5 acres (7.1 ha) of land from Walter Holdich for $1,000.00 with a $25.00 down payment. The land was ideal because of its unique location just between Sudbury and Copper Cliff. From the west, the large, rocky mountain provided a sensational view of the INCO mining and smelting complex, including the nightly slag dump, while from the east one had a beautiful view of the city of Sudbury. (more…)

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Monday and back to normality again. During the last couple of weeks we visiting Algonquin Provincial Park a few times, visiting all the trails on the map of the Information guide you pick up at either East or West Gate – so expect to see a lot of the trails in the coming weeks! So on that note its probably fitting to start the new articles off with one of these trails: Algonquin park’s Hemlock Bluff Trail.
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. 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 $16.00 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 (aka the Information Guide) 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! (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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Easter Monday is here, back to work tomorrow for some – but the next four day weekend is still to come!
Since it’s been such a beautiful weekend.. well except for yesterday, i thought I’d continue down the park path in Toronto, and specifically feature the museum which is in High Park, Toronto.

Colborne Lodge is a historical museum located in an 1836s home in Toronto’s High Park. John George Howard, an architect, engineer, and prominent Toronto citizen built this house, which became the property of the city following his death in 1890.

Built in 1836 by City Surveyor John George Howard to house himself and his wife Jemima Frances Meikle, it is perched on the top of a hill overlooking Lake Ontario. When built, the area was considerably to the west of the city. The house is a classic example of the Regency cottage style, and one of the first such buildings in the city. The small house tries to blend in with the landscape around it, in sharp contrast to the rigid formalism of Georgian architecture that was then the standard Toronto style. It was originally one storey, but Howard later expanded it by adding the upper level. The house was named after Sir John Colborne, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada from 1828 to 1836 and first Canadian patron of Howard’s architecture. (more…)

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It’s Friday, and since its Good Friday, and I’m sure we’re all enjoying the beautiful weather this holiday, it makes sense to think of somewhere outdoors – somewhere to be able to spend some of the warm sunny days you’ll have out in Canada this Summer!
High Park is the largest park entirely within Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Rouge Park is the city’s largest park, but the park extends into Markham, Ontario). It spans 161 hectares (398 acres). It is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state, with a rare oak savannah ecology.

The park is located to the west of downtown, north of Humber Bay. It stretches south from Bloor Street West to The Queensway, just north of Lake Ontario. It is bounded on the west by Ellis Park Road and Grenadier Pond and on the east by Parkside Drive.

In 1836, John George Howard purchased a 160-acre property in the County of York, to the west of Toronto, for a sheep farm, at the cost of $1,000. It was here that Howard designed and built Colborne Lodge, a Regency-style picturesque cottage in 1837 to complement its natural surroundings as the residence for himself and his wife Jemima Frances Meikle. The Howards named their property ‘High Park’ as it was situated on the highest point of land along the Humber Bay shoreline. After a successful career as architect, engineer and land surveyor to the City of Toronto, Howard retired here in 1855. (more…)

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Fenelon Falls is a village in Ontario, Canada, part of the city of Kawartha Lakes. Nicknamed the “Jewel of the Kawarthas,” it has a population of 1,800 permanent inhabitants, which swells in the summer due to tourism and cottaging. Fenelon Falls is home to lock 34 on the Trent-Severn Waterway between Sturgeon Lake and Cameron Lake. It is primarily a tourist town and therefore is most active during the summer season. The main street of Fenelon Falls is called Colborne Street.

The falls that give the village its name, are hidden from plain view, because the main road crosses over the river just upstream; however, the falls are easily viewed from a nearby restaurant or from a path on the north band of the Fenelon River. The falls powers an hydro-electric dam, which diverts some of the falls’ flow.

Fenelon Falls, originally named Cameron’s Falls, was renamed after the township, which was named after François de Salignac de La Mothe-Fenelon (1641-1715, not to be confused with his more famous half-brother of the same name), who founded a mission on the Bay of Quinte. (more…)

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Monday again! But, none of us can really say we didn’t have some amazing weather this weekend huh? With all this sunshine, it’s really got me in the mood for holidays – and i got my Canadian Dollars for the trip in just under four weeks!
So today, I’m shining the spotlight on somewhere you can tag onto a day to Toronto Island Park – Centreville Amusement Park!

The Centreville Amusement Park is a children’s amusement park located on the Toronto Islands, offshore of the city of Toronto in the Canadian province of Ontario. Centreville Amusement Park is nestled in over 600 acres of parkland just across the harbour from the city. With over 30 rides and attractions and more than 14 food outlets. The park was built in 1967 with a 1900 turn-of-the-century theme, and includes a miniature railway and the Far Enough Farm. An 1860s cast iron planter in the centre of the park was originally located in front of St. Lawrence Market and a 1907-vintage carousel are still located in the park! (more…)

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It’s Friday again, and less than one month until we head off to Canada again to bring back lots of new recommendations and places to visit!
I’ve pretty much covered Toronto’s major attractions over the last couple of years, but I happened to have left one of the biggest ones out – until today!
A short walk from the CN tower takes you to Ontario Place, perched on the edge of Lake Ontario.

So, what is Ontario Place? Well, Ontario Place is a multiple use entertainment and seasonal amusement park in Toronto, Ontario. It’s focus is entirely on family orientated entertainment, especially for kids. The park has a seasonal operating schedule and is closed from October through until April, with the exception of the Cinesphere IMAX so remember to have a good look at their website if you’re planning on going through the autumn/winter months.

The Cinesphere is known as the world’s first permanent IMAX theatre with single large screen as big as six storey building and is a geodesic dome-shaped structure which contains the theatre. It is similar in style to ‘Spaceship Earth’ at Epcot in Orlando Florida, except the latter is a complete sphere. You can enjoy Hollywood new releases or variety of educational and documentary films on different subjects. It is really worth to watch a movie here. So I suggest you to ask about the show times when you get there to ensure that you get a seat for your preferred movie! (more…)

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I’ve been going to Canada for six years now, but Niagara Falls is still one of my favourite places. Even if you don’t like all the touristy stuff, make sure – if you’re in the area that you drop by. The falls are worth a visit any day of any month – because they are guaranteed to take your breath away!
I’ve featured various attractions at Niagara Falls before, but this one is a slightly atypical attraction; Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory is a butterfly zoo operated by the Niagara Parks Commission in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It is located about 10 minutes by car, north of Niagara Falls on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens & School of Horticulture.

The conservatory was opened in December 1996 with a gift shop, 200-seat theater/auditorium room, and a climate-controlled greenhouse. The conservatory has over 2,000 tropical butterflies from over 60 different species. The conservatory glass dome is 1,022 square meters (11,000 sq ft) in size with 180 meters (590 ft) of paths inside the greenhouse portion, which has a wide variety of foliage. The conservatory can accommodate up to 300 visitors per hour. Since captive butterflies usually have a life span of 2–4 weeks, the conservatory imports up to 3,000 butterflies per month from world butterfly farms in Costa Rica, El Salvador, the Philippines, and Australia. Special netting along the inside of the glass dome keeps the butterflies from getting stuck to it and from dying from hypothermia. Butterfly food plants at the conservatory such as Lantana, Cuphea, Zinnia, Ixora, Liatris, and Pentas are replaced every 2–3 weeks because caterpillars have large appetites. (more…)

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