7 minute read
Autumn Colours
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CANADA’S FALL FOLIAGE IS WORLD FAMOUS
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 fl eece to my chin then pull on my wool hat – headgear that Canadians call a tuque. It pays to be appropriately dressed for hiking and there’s a 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 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. Yesterday we must have stopped the car a dozen 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 fi rs interspersed the rich yellows of birch leaves.
It’s easy to understand why the red maple leaf is Canada’s national symbol after
WINE AND CHEESE IN BANFF NATIONAL PARK
SASKATCHEWAN GOVERNMENT
PUMPKIN PICKING IN SASKATCHEWAN BIKING THROUGH ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK
CELTIC COLOURS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, NOVA SCOTIA
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 off er 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 fl ourish 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.
Brightwater Holidays’ 10-day Gardens and Wildlife of Western Canada tour, departing September 15, 2023, includes visits to The Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island and the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver – two of British Columbia’s toprated locations for viewing fall colours.
“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,” comments Richard Forde, Head of Trade Sales at Newmarket Holidays
“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,” adds Forde.
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 fl ights 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
AGAWA CANYON TOUR TRAIN THROUGH SAULT SAINTE MARIE GETTING LOST IN ALBERTA’S CORN MAZE
Richard Forde, Newmarket Holidays
most southerly tip, where Arctic skuas and fl ocks 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
ROBERT PRSTMA private dining venue. From mid-September to mid-October that off ers opportunities to gaze at the golden foliage of Banff National Park’s larch trees from above. fairmont. com
Learn about autumn hunting
traditions: At Kwäday Dän Kenji, the Long Ago People’s Place in the Yukon, visitors can learn about the signifi cance of each of the seasons to the people of the Champagne and Aishihik nations and discover some of the traditional activities associated with them. yukonfi rstnationculture.com Be a-mazed: Each autumn cornfi elds 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 Festival is draws wine enthusiasts to visit Kelowna 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 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 fl ying 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.
Book it with...Newmarket Holidays
Newmarket Holidays 10-day escorted tour along the Maple Leaf Trail includes return fl ights from Heathrow or Manchester, all transfers and room-only accommodation. Autumn 2023 prices start at £1,965pp on a route including Niagara Falls, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City and Montreal. newmarketholidays.co.uk
