falling for Canada

From Nova Scotia to Québec to the Canadian Rockies, Canada’s autumn colours put on a spectacular show, says Stuart Forster

Izip my fleece to my chin then pull my wool hat – headgear that Canadians call a tuque – down over my ears It pays to be appropriately dressed for hiking and there’s a jarringly chilly bite to the air on this lateSeptember morning.

The upper slopes of Mont Jacques-Cartier received a light dusting of snow overnight.

Peaking at 4,160ft, the mountain named after the French explorer who was the first to travel the Gulf of Saint-Lawrence has the highest summit in the Chic-Choc Mountains in Québec.

As I discovered in the Parc national de la Gaspésie Visitor Centre, the region’s rolling landscape is part of the Appalachians and shares its geological heritage with mountains in the Scottish Highlands.

Yet the autumn foliage here in eastern Québec is way more vibrant than anything I’ve seen back home in the UK. Y

Yesterday we must have stopped the car a dozenor so times to snap photos of landscapes depicting the season’s multitude of vibrant colours.

On the route west from Gaspé, we uttered appreciative wows on seeing hillsides where the evergreen foliage of firs interspersed the rich yellows of birch leaves.

It’s easy to understand why the red maple leaf is Canada’s national symbol after visiting the Gaspé Peninsula in autumn. The leaves hang reminiscent of patriotic bunting on trees and lie strewn by footpaths and roadsides, leaving a colourful trail.

Like a grey ribbon patterned with two yellow lines along its centre, the highway tapered into the distance between trees whose gradually drying, slowly dying, leaves rustled in the breeze. Seeing that prompted yet another photo stop, adding time to our journey and causing a delayed arrival at Gîte du Mont-Albert.

Staying at the remote property means we’re well placed for a day of hiking on an undulating circular trail amid woodland providing habitat for caribou.

Hopefully, we’ll experience plenty of animal and bird sightings in this wonderfully kaleidoscopic countryside.

Leaf peeping in Canada

Viewing autumn foliage is informally known as ‘leaf peeping’ in North America.

The rich colours of deciduous trees’ leaves before they are shed have long inspired travel to New england, yet Canada’s eastern provinces annually offer fall colours to match those south of the border. Due to Canada’s northerly location, leaves tend to turn colour slightly earlier than in the USA, meaning an itinerary incorporating both countries is possible.

Yet precisely when the vibrant fall colours will be at their boldest and for how long they can be viewed is largely dependent on the weather. Typically, the autumn colours flourish between mid-September and midOctober but Canada’s vastness and local microclimates create exceptions.

Says Patricia Pardy, Tourism Nova Scotia’s Market Development Specialist, UK and Germany: “Nova Scotia comes alive in the fall with hues of golden yellow, crimson red and burnt orange. This colourful backdrop sets the stage for the Celtic Colours

International Festival on Cape Breton Island, a not-to-be missed annual signature musical event. enjoy spectacular hiking, stunning coastal drives and delicious fall menus featuring locally harvested vegetables and, of course, fresh seafood.”

Leaf peeping is not exclusively an east coast phenomenon. Out west, larches in the woodland around Banff, Alberta, are famed for their yellow autumn hues.

And in British Columbia, The Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island is one of the top spots for viewing the fall colours.

Golden witch hazel, fiery red burning bush and thousands of chrysanthemums give The Gardens a glowing radiance as all 55 acres undergo their seasonal transition from summer to fall.

In Vancouver, Stanley Park and the Capilano Suspension Bridge are also toprated locations among leaf peepers.

“In light of pent-up demand for travel to Canada, it’s recommended that clients book early to view the country’s fall colours in 2023,” advises Nathan McLoughlin, Travel Trade Manager, Destination Canada.

“Customers have been planning their wish lists during the pandemic and Canada is popular because there are options for all tastes. Autumn tours of the Canadian Rockies, the Fall Colours of Canada and New england, Canada’s Maple Leaf Trail and the Five-Star Alaska Cruise and the Canadian Rockies are all booking brilliantly through travel agents.”

Snap up these experiences

View fall colours from above:

Between mid-September and mid-October, Georgian Bay Airways operate a 45-minute Fall Colours tour. Departing from Parry Sound, 150 miles north of Toronto, the flights are a great way of viewing red, golden and russet foliage in the UNeSCO-designated Georgian Bay Biosphere in Ontario, famed for its 30,000 freshwater islands. georgianbayairways.com

Observe migrating birds: Seasonal migrations bring opportunities to view birds at the likes of Point Pelee National Park, mainland Canada’s most southerly tip, where Arctic skuas and flocks of blue jays can be seen. Accommodation is available in 24 oTeNTik shelters – a comfortable accommodation that’s a mix of tent and A-frame cabins – meaning opportunities to stay in the park and view wildlife. pc.gc.ca

Dine with golden views: Renovation of the chateau-style Fairmont Banff Springs hotel is due for completion in 2023. Between two and 10 guests can enjoy brunch, Royal Afternoon Tea or dinner in the 745-room property’s 360° Dome private dining venue. From mid-September to mid-October that offers opportunities to gaze at the golden foliage of Banff National Park’s larch trees from above. fairmont.com yukonfirstnationculture.com

Learn about autumn hunting traditions: At Kwäday Dän Kenji, the Long Ago People’s Place in the Yukon, visitors can learn about the significance of each of the seasons to the people of the Champagne and Aishihik nations and discover some of the traditional activities associated with them.

Be a-mazed: Each autumn cornfields across Canada are converted into massive mazes. They include corn mazes at edmonton edmontoncornmaze.ca in Alberta, Chilliwack greendaleacres.ca in British Columbia and Strawberry Ranch strawberryranch.ca in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. After successfully weaving through the maze, seasonal snacks and drinks are available.

Raise a glass: Vineyard visits, wine tastings and dinners accompanied by regional vintages count among the reasons for gourmets to visit British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Coinciding with the harvest, the Okanagan Wine tourismkelowna.com during late September and early October.

What’s new

Hotels: Within easy walking distance of Mont Royal Park and the Old Port, where maple leaves turn a deep red, the Hyatt Place Montréal – Downtown hotel has 354 rooms and is connected to Berri-UQAM metro station, with easy access to many city attractions. hyatt.com

The recently opened farmhouse accommodation Planters Ridge allows wine lovers to wake on one of Nova Scotia’s wineries during the grape harvest, which coincides with ‘leaf-peeping’ season (mid-September to the end of October).

Planters Ridge is also well placed for visiting the orchards of the Annapolis Valley and Landscape of Grand Pré UNeSCO World Heritage Site. plantersridge.ca

The 178-room Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville hotel is set for a November 2022 opening. It will be an ideal option for those in the city to viewing 2023 autumn foliage.

Nearby popular spots include High Park – see the colours at Grenadier Pond and watch the Northern Shoveller ducks feed at the pond before flying south for the winter – and the misleadingly named evergreen Brick Works where you can hike up to the top of the Lookout Path for a spectacular view of the Toronto skyline and its seasonal coat of many colours. hilton.com