THE PRESS AND JOURNAL THE PRESS AND JOURNAL 4YOUR LIFE Saturday,August 24, 2013 Saturday,August 24, 2013 YOUR LIFE 5 TRAVELABROAD

A dog-karting (or in winter, sledding) experience is a must

‘This is how we were taught The land is not something you own Land is a gift you use to live Protect it and look after it’ “HaveDinner on Us” Beautiful Settings with Summer in the Tundra Chief Vera Mitchell, Poplar River First Nation Stay on aminimum two night break Irina Birnie finds a little piece of in rom my vantage and they’ll come and check son Bay, was the last stop- Not long ago I thought that before30th September and take advantage point in a kayak at you out. ping point for supplies be- Buchan did ‘big skies’ –but of complimentarydinner the first evening F the mouth of the Dress warmly though, as fore ships headed west. skies over the Hudson Bay the Tundra, with wildlife, kayaking and skies Churchill River, I can see the best waytoencourage Local people became val- are vast by comparison, ac- of your stay! that seem to go on forever the northern boundary of contact is to lie face down ued not only for their abil- commodating amultitude Idyllic Locations -Sizzling Scottish Steaks the boreal forest, and vi- and keep still in the Arctic ity to survive a harsh envi- of weather fronts at once. Freshest Seafood -Local Ales -Great Wines brant colours of the tundra waters. ronment and mix with Summer visitors maybe SAVE on either shore. For those without under- indigenous peoples, but luckyenough to spot apo- up to £65 Spas &Hot Tubs The water is alive with water cameras, the best also for being less prone to lar bear or twoswimming, per couple beluga whales, gathering chance to catch whales on drink than southerners. or just browsing around here in their thousands for film, or simply to enjoy the Back in town at the Parks the water’s edge. But if you Don’t wander too far – polar bears have no natural enemies and therefore no fear a fewweeks each year to moment watching them museum, Ifind further want the full polar bear ex- 2n2 nightight breaks give birth, and to feed on play, was offered during a links with a resident closer perience, it’s best to visit in allowed opportunities to The warmth, food and available the marine life which flour- half-day boat tour. This to home: the renowned October and November, find beauty in the detail of ambience of my accommo- Travel facts ishes in summer. took us across the estuary John Rae, former doctor- when bears head back out some of the 400 native dation at Lazy Bear Lodge, from only £79 ‘Any luck?’ shouts my to visit Fort Prince of Wales, turned-explorer from Kirk- into the Hudson Bay in plant species –blousy left little space for the ban- Irina Birnie was a guest of per person... guide, asking if I’ve man- built in the early 18th cen- wall, and learn thathis bi- their thousands to hunt for avens, orchids, crowberries nock generously provided Lazy Bear Lodge, “Mywife, son and Ihad atwo aged to touch one of our tury to protect the interests centennial is being cele- seals. Unique local tundra –and an array of colourful by Gerald’s wife Jenafor Churchill, Manitoba night break hereand Imust say we playful and curious com- of the Hudson Bay Com- brated this year in Orkney. vehicles, designed to move lichens and mosses spat- Azure. ‘Bannock as in thoroughly enjoyedit. The family panions. Answer negative, pany in the fur trade. Once again I’m struck by smoothly on snow and ice, tered across the rocks. Selkirk?’ Ienquire, since Four-day Ultimate Arctic room was agreat sizeand everything was very clean. We so he glides up alongside, When most people think the triumphs and sorrows are used to protect passen- But don’t be tempted to the Selkirk settlers did in- Summer Adventure Tours enjoyedthe food in the restaurant. All staff were very friendly. and in no time has whales of Churchill, they might, shared by both communi- gers from curious or hun- wander far unaccompa- deed pass this way, en route include four nights in Lazy We got agreat deal on this and would recommend it.” trailing us, showing off, and likeme, imagine whales, ties –even the roots of the gry bears. nied: polar bears have no to the Red River Colony Bear Lodge, and two Eight AcresHotel &Spa, Elgin within easy reach. (Incase polar bears, snow and tun- towns’ names are in com- It was in one of these natural enemies and there- (now Winnipeg). nights in Winnipeg, from TripAdvisor Reviewer Ally B, Caithness, 14th August you’re wondering, they feel dra. I was less aware of the mon: Kirkwall, Churchill. ‘arctic crawlers’ that we ex- fore no fear, so it pays to be But no, this was tradi- $1,800 (£1,137), or $2,900 squidgy, a bit like jelly.) 4,000 years of rich human At the Eskimo Museum, plored the rockyterrain of wary of their possible pres- tional musher’s bannock, (£1,832) including return NAIRN OTLEY, Nr YORK I’ve come to spend a few history, and struck by the a poster explains that the the tundra in summer. The ence at all times. as eaten in the trapping flights from Winnipeg GOLF VIEWHOTEL &SPA* CHEVIN COUNTRYPARK HOTEL &SPA* OBAN BAYHOTEL &SPA* days on the western shores links between communi- ‘Peterhead boat’, originally crawlers offered big vistas A dog-karting (or in win- and fishing communities. ••• ••• ••• of the Hudson Bay, in the ties there and in the north used for whaling, became over glacier-sculpted rocks ter,sledding) experience is The jury’s out on that one, For more information visit ELGIN PITLOCHRY town of Churchill –not of Scotland. popular with Inuit trappers at the edge of the Bay, pur- a must. I was fortunate to as the loaves bear a striking www.lazybearlodge.com ISLE OF MULL HOTEL &SPA* EIGHT ACRES HOTEL &LEISURE CLUB* SCOTLAND’S HOTEL &SPA* only reputed capital of bel- From modest seven- and traders. And there is a ple-pink fireweed and mir- enjoy a trip through the for- resemblance to each other. ••• ••• ••• OBAN BALLATER (ROYAL DEESIDE) ugas and polar bears, but teenth-century beginnings, whole vocabulary around ror-clear pools scattered est with Gerald, given re- Either way, Icame away Dog sled rides with OBAN BAYHOTEL &SPA* THE DEESIDE INN THAINSTONE HOUSE HOTEL also, during summer the Hudson BayCompany the traditional kayak, in- across the landscape. sponsibilityfor his own from my northern experi- Bluesky Expeditions ••• ••• ••• months, an area alive with established a trading post cluding a word for that spe- Binoculars are a must, and transport at the age of 7, as ence feeling there is much www.blueskymush.com INVERARAY GLENCOE VILLAGE STRATHPEFFER the colours and sensations which would one day cover cial tranquillitywhich if you’re lucky, you might youngestof ten children we could learn from indige- LOCH FYNE HOTEL &SPA* THE GLENCOE INN BEN WYVIS HOTEL of the tundra and a hot spot a twelfth of the world’s sur- comes from being on the see an arctic fox, ptarmigan born into aMetis commu- nous peoples. Return flights from for birding. face. I discover that most of water, so difficult to de- or polar bear here, as well nity. The bond between And I couldn’t help won- to Winnipeg Whale-watching oppor- those who worked here scribe –apeace called as Canada geese and snow Gerald and his dogs was dering how the land in with Air Canada from TO BOOK PLEASE CALL 0844 950 6282 tunities aren’t limited to were tradesmen and ‘stanaq’. geese. Trips ashore to Cape plain, and, although young Scotland would appear, if £1,180 kayaking here; for those labourers from Orkney and Don’t miss an outing to Merry (a battery built to dogs may tussle between we considered it a ‘gift’ to us www.aircanada.com OR VISIT WWW.CRERARHOTELS.COM keen on getting down un- the Isles of Lewis. Seal River, a three-hour trip provide additional protec- themselves, it was clear all, which we ‘used to live’. der with these friendly Stromness, lying on the up the Bay to explore creeks tion at the river mouth), as who was leader of the I’ll start by putting blae- For John Rae Bicentennial Rates aresubject to availability and based on two adults sharing astandarddouble or twin bedroom. “HaveDinner on Us”isbased on aminimum two night stay until 30th September 2013, creatures, don a wet suit, same latitude as the Hud- for whales and polar bears. well as Fort Prince of Wales, pack. berries in my bannock. see www.johnrae200.co.uk booked on standardbest available bed and breakfast rate with complimentarytable d’hôte dinner your first evening. Full Crerar terms and conditions apply.