The Speyside Way Whiskey Tour – Scotland, September 4 to 14, 2019 by Nicola Ross “Let’s go on a hiking trip together sometime,” my friend Susan suggested. My response was immediate: “Where? When?” We decided on Scotland, a year hence. Meanwhile, I came across information about the Speyside Way Whiskey Tour, and since I didn’t care where in Scotland, and Susan is a single-malt-whiskey enthusiast, it was agreed. The only fly in the ointment was…
The EEOR hike (short for east end of Rundle) near Canmore is an out and back scramble that will test your mettle. It's steep from the get-go with an elevation gain of 875 metres over just 2.9 kilometres. For many people the EEOR hike will be a challenge. It's got lots of loose rock which is unsettling for some - and a cliff band with rock ledges along with some exposure near the top to…
Valhalla Provincial Park is home to one of the best hikes in BC. The 6 km trail into Gwillim Lakes is take-your-breath away beautiful, especially in the evening light. You'll find meadows to explore, mountain ridges to climb and lakes for skinny dipping. Also look for well-spaced tent pads, a kitchen area and a couple of outhouses. You could easily spend a few nights here. This post includes some affiliate links. If you make a…
The fabulous 3.5 km King Creek Ridge hike off of Highway 40 in Kananaskis Country offers truly exceptional mountain scenery. But it's definitely not a beginner or even a family-friendly hike. Once you reach King Creek Ridge itself after about two kilometres of hard, steep hiking, the grade moderates and the rest of the hike is positively glorious. It's one of the best ridge walks I've done - though I'd also highly recommend nearby Pocaterra…
Have you ever heard of the Choquequirao trek in Peru? I had not until I spent some time looking through active vacations on the G Adventures website. I don't know how this superb 8 day trek slipped by me. I'm familiar with the other three treks that deposit you at Machu Picchu - the Inca Trail, the Salkantay trek and the Lares trek. But the Choquequirao trek is the only one I'd recommend, now that…
The Mount Lady MacDonald hike out of Canmore is one of a handful of early season hikes that delivers a great workout along with spectacular views. It's a popular trail as we discovered, with most hikers turning around at the heli-pad. If you don't mind a little scree - or snow if it's spring time, then continue up past the heli-pad on the Mount Lady MacDonald hike until you reach the knife-edge ridge. You'll have…
If you're a skier or boarder from Alberta or British Columbia there's a high probability that you've been to Kicking Horse Resort, one of Canada's world-class downhill skiing destinations. While it's renowned for its spectacular alpine setting, long runs and abundant snow in winter, it's equally beautiful in summer. From the top of the Golden Eagle Express Gondola enjoy sweeping Rocky Mountain views. Then look way down and you'll see the Columbia River Wetlands snaking…
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, located between Calgary and Cochrane is an excellent four season destination. Over 1,300 hectares of fescue grasslands, some of it rare, are protected along a section of the Bow River. Explore approximately 30 kilometres of paved trails running through these grasslands on foot, by bike or on snowshoes in winter. In summer there are even golf carts for those with mobility issues. Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park is a delight for the…
If you're looking for a long but glorious out and back day hike in Kananaskis Country then the Centennial Ridge hike up to Mount Allan should fit the bill. If you want to turn it into an epic day, do the Centenial Ridge hike one-way and then from the summit of Mount Allan descend to Dead Man's Flats. You'll need a car shuttle to do that. Finding the trailhead(s) for either end of the Centennial…
The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is one of the top long distance hikes in Europe, and in fact the world. It delivers superlative, pristine mountain scenery day after day for over a week. The hiker's Tour of Mont Blanc is a 168 kilometre loop around the base of Mount Blanc, the highest peak in western Europe at 4810 metres (15,782 feet). Most Tour du Mont Blanc hikers start just outside of Chamonix, France if…