From skiing to Stampede, Canada has it all

BY JACKY HAYLER

Most people I have spoken to have been watching the latest series of Race Across the World. Several couples have to make their way across a huge distance as quickly as they can for as little money as they can. It’s not just about the destination, more about the journey itself. Now on its third season, this time they were racing across Canada – and for many it has inspired them to want to see this part of the world.

I have been lucky enough to visit Canada after my best friend emigrated 20 years ago. She is based in Calgary in Alberta but what the programme showed was that Canada is a huge, diverse country of differing landscapes, cultures and even languages.

As mediocre skiers, we first opted to visit in the winter. We landed in minus 20 degrees and marvelled at how the airport just gets on with a huge ‘dump’ of snow while Gatwick and Heathrow grind to a half with just a sprinkling of the white stuff.

There has been an explosion in housebuilding in Calgary over the last 20 years, thanks in part to it being the epicentre of the oil industry. Yet despite this, there is a wealth of green spaces and parks, with cycling, hiking, climbing and skiing being high on the list of priorities for Calgarians.

Calgary offers the perfect base to explore further afield.

Banff and Lake Louise have a rich heritage as some of the world’s most awe-inspiring mountain destinations. With easy access to pristine slopes, endless outdoor adventures, jaw-dropping sights, and a vibrant his tory and culture, there is a lifetime’s worth of things to do.

Located in the heart of Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the world-famous Banff Springs Hotel stands as a landmark in the picturesque alpine town of Banff, Alberta. Can ada’s ‘Castle in the Rockies’ has been providing legendary hospitality for more than 130 years.

Jasper is another must-see town. Not only is the three-hour Banff to Jasper drive worth your time, you might be as lucky as we were and see some of the native bears up close (but not too close!)

Encircled by the snow-capped peaks, Canmore is an authentic mining town that has become a year-round destination because of warm-weather activities like hiking, mountain biking,

The West Somerset Steam Express

Saturday 22nd July, 12th August, 16th September 2023

This series of trains from London Paddington to Minehead features haulage by two steam locomotives in one day. One steam locomotive will haul our train from London Paddington to the West Somerset Railway at Bishops Lydeard. The Heritage Railway will then provide a steam locomotive to haul our train to Minehead and back. This provides a truly fascinating day out travelling through beautiful scenery to the Bristol Channel coast.

Join us from Slough or Reading to visit Minehead.

Price and white-water rafting. Straddling the banks of the Bow River, it has a characterful downtown filled with boutiques, galleries, and bookshops. There are three breweries, two distilleries, and an eclectic food scene that attracts dining from all around Alberta. To the south of Calgary, Fernie is another winter playground. The skiing is great for all abilities but it offers more than simply wide open slopes – the traditional town has shopping, culture and world class dining. We visited The Brick House for delicious steak and live music and rounded off our trip having the best breakfast bagels ever at Big Bang Bagels.

• Standard Class £115 per person – includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

• First Class £185 per person – includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

• Premier Dining £285 per person – includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

The next time we visited was in the summer for the world-famous Calgary Stampede. Complete with cowboy boots and stetsons, the party atmosphere sees the whole city come alive for 10 days. Kicking off with a street parade, the year we attended saw it led by actor Kevin Costner. With the world’s largest rodeo, we witnessed bucking bronchos, barrel racing, steer wrestling and bull riding.

The city of Calgary has so much to offer. The Calgary Tower is 190 metres tall and opened to the public in 1968 as the tallest building in Canada outside of Toronto. The building has since been eclipsed by the rest of Calgary’s skyline, but the rotating restaurant and the glass floor offer visitors the perfect view of the city. There is the striking Saddledome, home to the Calgary Flames, their ice hockey team and the arena hosts many concerts and events.

Instead of donning our ski boots, this time we put on hiking boots and climbed a ‘hill’ in Bow Water Provincial Park before getting into a kayak. We went horse-riding ‘Western style’, tried out in the baseball nets and even went shopping for an RV (recreational vehicle).

Although they didn’t buy one on that trip, our friends are now the proud owners of Hettie, what they call their hotel on wheels - and we are already planning trips across Canada with them.

Another once-in-a-lifetime trip is to board the Rocky Mountaineer train through the Rockies. There are so many places to see. Vancouver and Whistler are next on our list. But as Race Across the World showed – with Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottowa and Québec City to name but a few, if you have wheels you can go for miles in Canada.

The Dorset Coast Express

Wednesday 26th July, 2nd August, Thursday 17th August 2023

We are offering a number of attractive summer day trips from London to Weymouth by steam train. These trains provide plenty of opportunity to visit the beautiful Dorset coast and relive the ‘golden age’ of steam. Passengers have the option of spending time at the celebrated seaside resorts of either Bournemouth or Weymouth, where both have fine sandy beaches. Each train will be hauled by a steam locomotive that was built for express passenger train work Join us from Woking or Basingstoke to visit Bournemouth or Weymouth.

Price

• Standard Class £115 per person – includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

• First Class £185 per person – includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

• Premier Dining £285 per person – includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

For a £10 per person discount please quote code: WON