BANFF (
We
left Calgary on Tuesday 10th June 2014 and headed for Banff,
the highest town in Canada with an elevation of 4,537 ft (1,383m). As we left
the outskirts the snow covered Rockies could be seen in the far distance and
the views just became better the closer we got.
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Our first glimpse of the Rockies |
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Lac de Arcs interpretation board |
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Cafe, with a view in Canmore |
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Tim Horton's in Canmore |
Banff Township was not far and
we soon found our hotel, The Ptarmigan Inn.
Prior to leaving the UK Bob had
checked on-line with Park Canada about permits for staying in the various
National Parks and found that we had to obtain the permit on arrival. We
visited the local tourist information and after paying $136.40 for a permit; we
became legal, which would see us through the holiday. Banff Township was not far and
we soon found our hotel, The Ptarmigan Inn.  |
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Inside The Ptarmigan InnThe Ptarmigan Inn was on Banff Avenue but many of the Street names in Banff are indicative of the 'wild life' - Grizzly Street, Muskrat Street, Beaver Street to name but a few! |
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Wolf Street - Decorative Street sign
Prior to leaving the UK Bob had
checked on-line with Park Canada about permits for staying in the various
National Parks and found that we had to obtain the permit on arrival. We
visited the local tourist information and after paying $136.40 for a permit; we
became legal, which would see us through the holiday
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Banff National Park
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Main Street in Banff looking North |
Banff is surrounded by mountains
and bordered by ‘The Bow’ and ‘Spray’ rivers; the town itself caters for
tourists with all the facilities one would expect. We soon found an outlet
where we bought $135 tickets which would give us a horse ride, a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain and
a swim in the Hot Springs. On the way to the hotel we saw lots of white water
as we walked back along the Bow River.
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Looking South to Sulphur Mountains |
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An 'Old Timer' |
On the way to the hotel we saw lots of white water as we walked back along the Bow River.
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Bow River |
Wednesday saw us heading out for
our horse ride, www.horseback.com where
we learnt the art of Western style riding which differs from the UK in that the
reins are held in one hand the other holding the pommel. The ride took us
past the natural sulphur hot springs through the woods and then back alongside
the Bow River, whose source the Bow Glacier and Bow Lake, flows through Banff
and then winds itself all the way to Hudson's bay. We enjoyed the horse ride
seeing the valley from a different perspective and neither of us suffered with
sore thighs!
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Bob resisted the temptation and decided to stick with his walking boots! |
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Warner Stables - Sundance Road |
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Which one is Calamity Jane? |
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Riding through the trees alongside the Bow river |
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Canoeist on the Bow River |
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An enjoyable ride - safely back |
In the afternoon we took the
eight minute journey in the gondola up Sulphur Mountain, to the Summit Upper
Terminal ( 2,281 m [7,486 ft] ).
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Riding the Gondola up Sulphur Mountain |
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Views toward Banff and area |
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Views toward Banff and area
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Views South, looks wild nad cold! |
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Truly Awesome!
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The Board walk to the summit |
We then walked along the summit ridge that leads to Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site of Canada, and the Samson’s Peak Meteorological Station; the views were breath-taking in their beauty and grandeur!
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Breathtaking views!
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Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Staion
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More views from board walk
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The Gondola Board walk to the summit
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The Golden Mantle Squirrel We were entertained by the Golden Mantle Squirrels before taking in more amazing 360 panoramic views of surrounding mountains on our way back down to Banff. |
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A Golden Mantle Squirrel
I am smiling! |
It isn't just armies that march
on their stomachs and man cannot live by bread alone -we too needed
sustenance!! By luck we found an excellent organic vegetarian restaurant, Nourish Bistro on Bear Street, where they
serve the most delicious food such as Shroom Ravioli, Curries and an exquisite
Shepherd’s pie. They also have live acoustic music and to quote their blurb-‘ A
visit here nourishes the mind and soul as much as it feeds the body’. We
visited twice whilst staying in Banff; little did we know we would find an
excuse to visit a third time!
On the Thursday we drove out to Norquay Ski Centre and saw our first large wildlife in the shape of Big Horn Sheep. These animals are attracted to the mineral licks along the roadside. Both the male and the female Big Horn sheep have horns, although the male ram’s horns are curled and much larger.
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A Big Horned Sheep |
We then drove 25km Northwest of Banff to Johnston Canyon along the Bow River Parkway. The canyon has two main magnificent water falls, Lower falls and Upper Falls and rapids. There is a walkway built along and over the river route. The thunderous noise of the falls, the spray and the strata of the rock formation is not to be missed!
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Interpretation boards at Johnston Canyon
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Map of Johnston Canyon
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Fast moving water at Johnston Canyon
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Thunderous waterfalls with log jams in winter at Johnston Canyon
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The board-walk that makes the fall accessible to all
Narrow Gorge
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Johnston Canyon Lower Falls
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Fast moving water at Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon Upper Falls
Johnston Canyon Upper Falls
Johnston Canyon Upper Falls- having a natural shower
On our way back to Banff we called
in to see Minnewanka Lake.
Minnewanka meaning ‘Lake of the Water Spirit’, is the largest lake in the
National Park .
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Sign for Lake Minnewanka
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Lake Minnewanka
Anyone who knows Bob knows that
he gets withdrawal symptoms if he is not cycling, canoeing or walking; he ‘just
happened’ to notice whilst walking around Banff that a cycling festival was
starting on Friday and a mountain bike challenge was starting at 07.30 that
morning. This was a major challenge as it finished in Mexico and was ‘self-supporting’.
The alarm was set for 7am and Bob left
the hotel early, in the pouring rain, not the weather the riders wanted on Day One.
There was a large contingent taking part and the bikes were all kitted out for
the journey ahead.
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'Self-Supporting' Cycle Trip to Mexico |
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Well-packed bike! |
Well-packed bikes!
Bob returned for breakfast and then we both braved the rain to walk down to see the Bow River Falls, an impressive piece of water. On the way back we spotted a large stag on the opposite side of the river.
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Footbridge across the Bow River |
Footbridge across the Bow River
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Bow River Falls
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Bow River Falls
On the way back we spotted a large stag on the opposite side of the river.
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Bow River Falls- Who is looking at whom?
After lunch we set off for our
swim in ‘Banff Upper Hot Springs’ www.hotsprings.ca - this
takes the form of an outdoor swimming pool set against a backdrop of
spectacular alpine scenery.
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| (Click on pictures and blue links) Banff Hot Springs in the rain |
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Banff Hot Springs in the rain; with a spectacular backdrop of alpine scenery!
Neither of us wore a ’Heritage’ bathing costume which could be hired from the Hot Springs!
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