Canada: Calgary to Lake Minnewanka to Banff

Lake Minnewanka is a glacial lake located in the eastern area of Banff National Park in Canada, about five kilometres northeast of the Banff townsite. The lake is 21 km long and 142 m deep, making it the 2nd longest lake in the mountain parks of the Canadian Rockies. Banff is a resort town in the province of Alberta, located within Banff National Park. The peaks of Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade, part of the Rocky Mountains, dominate its skyline. On Banff Avenue, the main thoroughfare, boutiques and restaurants mix with château-style hotels and souvenir shops. The surrounding 6,500 square kilometres of parkland are home to wildlife including elk and grizzly bears.

Continue ReadingCanada: Calgary to Lake Minnewanka to Banff

UK: Scotland Crianlarich & Ben More 2006

Crianlarich is a village in Stirling council area and in the registration county of Perthshire, Scotland, around 6 miles north-east of the head of Loch Lomond. The village bills itself as "the gateway to the Highlands".Ben More is a mountain in the Breadalbane region of the southern Scottish Highlands, near Crianlarich. Rising to 1,174 metres, it is a Munro and is the highest of the so-called Crianlarich Hills to the south-east of the village. There is no higher land in the British Isles south of Ben More.

Continue ReadingUK: Scotland Crianlarich & Ben More 2006

UK: Scotland Loch Tay 2003

Loch Tay is a freshwater loch in the central highlands of Scotland, in the Perth and Kinross and Stirling council areas. It is the largest body of fresh water in Perth and Kinross, and the sixth largest loch in Scotland. The watershed of Loch Tay traditionally formed the historic province of Breadalbane. Schiehallion is a prominent cone-shaped mountain of the Breadalbane in Perthshire, Scotland. Schiehallion has a rich botanical life, interesting archaeology, and a unique place in scientific history for an 18th-century experiment in "weighing the world".The Schiehallion experiment was an attempt to measure the mass of the earth using a pendulum and a mountain (Mount Schiehallion). The mass of the mountain was approximated and the deflection of a pendulum due to the gravitational force of the mountain was measured.

Continue ReadingUK: Scotland Loch Tay 2003

Tanzania: Kilimanjaro 1998

Kilimanjaro's huge snow capped summit dome rises high above the surrounding savannah. At 5,896m it is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free standing mountain in the world. It has three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. The highest point on Kibo is Uhuru Peak - summiting Kili is an essential part of a visit to Tanzania!

Continue ReadingTanzania: Kilimanjaro 1998

Nepal

Nepal takes pride in being home to the highest mountain in the world: Mount Everest standing at 8,849m. Kathmandu has a fabulous hippy vibe and everyone should visit the famed Rum Doodle Bar & Restaurant after completing a Trek. We did the Around Annapurna when Trent was 5 years old and every minute was spectacular.

Continue ReadingNepal

Nepal: Annarpurna Circuit

It is supposed to take a minimum of 18 days to do the trek around the entire Annapurna massif, visiting the Tibet - like country on the northern slopes of the Himalaya and the dramatic Kali Gandaki Gorge. It is easiest and safest to cross Thorung La at 5,416m from east to west. We however had to to do the trek in 13 days and from west to east as we were meeting a friend who was doing the Jomsom part of the trek with us ... which meant that we had to make a 1,300m climb plus a 900m descent in one day.... and all with a 5 year old who sped ahead of us!

Continue ReadingNepal: Annarpurna Circuit

Thailand: Chiang Mai & Golden Triangle 1995

Chiang Mai is a city in mountainous northern Thailand. Founded in 1296, it was capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom until 1558. Its Old City area still retains vestiges of walls and moats from its history as a cultural and religious center. It’s also home to hundreds of elaborate Buddhist temples, including 14th-century Wat Phra Singh and 15th-century Wat Chedi Luang, adorned with carved serpents. The “physical” Golden Triangle is the area where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet at the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers. A marker stands at the spot from where you can view these three countries. The Golden Triangle region has historically been known for opium production and smuggling. In the 20th century, the mountainous area at the intersection of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos was the world's largest opium-producing region. We travelled to little villages, Mae Sai border; trekked up mountains and drifted down the Mekong River to Chiang Saen on bamboo rafts which we accessed on elephant back. Remote and wonderful.

Continue ReadingThailand: Chiang Mai & Golden Triangle 1995

New Zealand: Arthur’s Pass – Cape Foulwind – Abel Tasman 1995

The mountain ranges of Arthur's Pass National Park have been a climbing mecca since 1891. Mt Rolleston (2275 m) near the summit of Arthur's Pass is a popular climb for novice mountaineers to cut their crampons on. Cape Foulwind short walk takes you from Tauranga Bay along a rocky headland to a viewpoint overlooking a New Zealand fur seal breeding colony. Abel Tasman National Park is a wilderness reserve at the north end of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for the Abel Tasman Coast Track, a long trail winding over beaches and across ridges between Marahau in the south and Wainui in the north. The headland at Separation Point is home to New Zealand fur seal colonies. Little blue penguins, bottlenose dolphins and seals inhabit the Tonga Island Marine Reserve.

Continue ReadingNew Zealand: Arthur’s Pass – Cape Foulwind – Abel Tasman 1995