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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   Canada (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/)
-   -   Thinking of Canada - advice please! (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/thinking-canada-advice-please-830873/)

Paul_Shepherd Apr 10th 2014 1:22 pm
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by burks (Post 11213318)
Doesn't that depend on location, both where you are coming from and going to?

I am surrounded by mountains which offer dozens and dozens of hiking/biking trails, there are a few lakes which offer beaches, water sports and swimming, a couple of rivers that are full of salmon for fishing and have well maintained trails along their embankment, and there is numerous campgrounds all within 20-25 minutes. Then there are several city owned parks which have well maintained sports fields and running tracks for your morning/evening run and recreational sports.

Back home my outdoor lifestyle involved walking to the pub and then walking home from said pub. Don't get me wrong.. I miss that pub, but doesn't really qualify as an outdoor lifestyle.
:goodpost:

Spot on! I like to describe Canada as having "the best backyard in the world", don't get me wrong the UK does have a good playground, when I lived there I did a lot of outdoor stuff, hiking, mountain climbing, mountain biking and I enjoyed it all....but there is so much more on offer in Canada winter and summer.

Even "civilised camping' is far better here....in the UK it was mown green field and no camp fires allowed at most of them, at least here in Canada...well Ontario, they are set in forest parks with a fire pit, and an overall rustic feel, and many with a lake nearby that is actually warm enough to swim in.

Even though I love the UK countryside and I have spent a lot of time in it, for the choice of outdoors stuff to do all year round, (dont forget Canada actually gets a winter, there hasn't been a winter in the UK for years) the UK it doesn't compare to Canada for the outdoors, just wish I could get someone interested in it! All my Canadian friends I have made here so far seem very blaze about how amazing the outdoor playground is of the country they live in.

However as for taking in the country pub on your outdoor pursuits......(very important!) that's where Canada just cannot compete with the UK.....that part of it is sorely missed, but I suppose you cant have everything.

Piff Poff Apr 10th 2014 2:19 pm
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by R I C H (Post 11213930)
It's very much dependent on where you live, surely?

I'm located at a ski resort, so snow/ice based activities, hiking, ATVing, dirt/mountain biking etc are all on the doorstep. There's 1000kms+ of lakeshore within a 40 minute drive, where I moor a boat. I couldn't possibly have had all that anywhere in the UK.
Yes, it is dependant on where you move to, of course it is and as the OP hasn't said it's a rhetorical quedtion isn't it? All I'm trying to say most outdoor except snow sports are also on the doorstep in the UK and the outdoor lifestyle isn't necessarily any more accessible in either country.

burks Apr 10th 2014 5:18 pm
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by Piff Poff (Post 11214010)
Yes, it is dependant on where you move to, of course it is and as the OP hasn't said it's a rhetorical quedtion isn't it? All I'm trying to say most outdoor except snow sports are also on the doorstep in the UK and the outdoor lifestyle isn't necessarily any more accessible in either country.
I challenge you to find a mountain on the door step of anyone in South East England :)

dbd33 Apr 10th 2014 11:38 pm
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by Paul_Shepherd (Post 11213975)
Even "civilised camping' is far better here....in the UK it was mown green field and no camp fires allowed at most of them, at least here in Canada...well Ontario, they are set in forest parks with a fire pit, and an overall rustic feel, and many with a lake nearby that is actually warm enough to swim in.
There are many excellent campgrounds in Ontario Parks, some rustic, some like Butlitz, most inbetween, Long Point and Pancake Bay are a couple I especially like, but I'd be very cautious about visiting one in a National Park again. The National Park campgrounds in Cape Breton are just fields into which as many tents as is physically possible are crammed. There are many dogs and there are people who drink domestic beer. It's something better than a Bangui refugee camp and worse than one of those Gyspy encampments the UK government moves along.

dbd33 Apr 10th 2014 11:41 pm
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by burks (Post 11214168)
I challenge you to find a mountain on the door step of anyone in South East England :)
The Alps. The Alps are a range of tall mountains as near to South East England as the Rockies are to people in those bits of Canada that have lots of wheat. And there are trains, some of them cheap trains, to the Alps.

Teaandtoday5 Apr 10th 2014 11:59 pm
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by Paul_Shepherd (Post 11213975)
:goodpost:


Even "civilised camping' is far better here....in the UK it was mown green field and no camp fires allowed at most of them, at least here in Canada...well Ontario, they are set in forest parks with a fire pit, and an overall rustic feel, and many with a lake nearby that is actually warm enough swim

.
Have to agree about the campsites.

Also second son taken on two night canoe trip, with wild camping, by the Scouts. Although I'm too scared of being eaten by a bear to do this he had a fantastic time (moose, beaver and turtles no bears) and could never have done it in UK, even if someone had attempted the risk assessment. All for $25 (excluding registering for scouts/fundraising, obv)

christmasoompa Apr 11th 2014 12:17 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by Teaandtoday5 (Post 11214542)
Have to agree about the campsites.

Also second son taken on two night canoe trip, with wild camping, by the Scouts. Although I'm too scared of being eaten by a bear to do this he had a fantastic time (moose, beaver and turtles no bears) and could never have done it in UK, even if someone had attempted the risk assessment. All for $25 (excluding registering for scouts/fundraising, obv)
??? My son is going camping and canoeing with Beavers in the UK (the canoeing is a regular thing, they do it once a term), total cost for the weekend is £32. So I've no idea why you think Scouts in the UK don't do something similar! :lol:

Moses2013 Apr 11th 2014 12:34 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 11214561)
??? My son is going camping and canoeing with Beavers in the UK (the canoeing is a regular thing, they do it once a term), total cost for the weekend is £32. So I've no idea why you think Scouts in the UK don't do something similar! :lol:
It's funny how people see things. You have this image of Canada and everyone has a huge garden, camps and goes fishing every day. You can have the same quality in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Rep of Ireland and depending on location it's mild all year round + we have more daylight during summer and no visa required. As people mentioned, you can live in a tiny flat in Canada close to the city, or move out where there are no jobs and have a bigger house. The same happens here, only that you don't need 1 hour to get to the next shop.

bats Apr 11th 2014 12:53 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
In Canada you can sit on your front porch and drink wine watching the world go by. That's about as outdoorsy as I get plus I never did this in England.

Moses2013 Apr 11th 2014 12:59 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by bats (Post 11214623)
In Canada you can sit on your front porch and drink wine watching the world go by. That's about as outdoorsy as I get plus I never did this in England.
Why can't you do it in England? You can do that in any country really if you have a porch. I wasn't drinking wine, but was sitting outside with a cup of tea watching the sunset.

christmasoompa Apr 11th 2014 1:13 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by Moses2013 (Post 11214629)
Why can't you do it in England? You can do that in any country really if you have a porch. I wasn't drinking wine, but was sitting outside with a cup of tea watching the sunset.
The one thing I miss about where we used to live in the UK was sitting out in the front garden with neighbours drinking Pimms/wine/other beverages with neighbours whilst the kids played. We lived at the end of a cul de sac and it was great for that (most people even had little tables and chairs outside their front doors for that very purpose!), now we live in the middle of nowhere so can't do that anymore. :(

bats Apr 11th 2014 1:48 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by Moses2013 (Post 11214629)
Why can't you do it in England? You can do that in any country really if you have a porch. I wasn't drinking wine, but was sitting outside with a cup of tea watching the sunset.
I said that I had never done it not that you can't. Apart from that how often do you see it? Maybe a senior wanting some human contact or someone sitting on the doorstep smoking a fag. It's a normal thing to do here but not common in England.

Moses2013 Apr 11th 2014 2:13 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by bats (Post 11214675)
I said that I had never done it not that you can't. Apart from that how often do you see it? Maybe a senior wanting some human contact or someone sitting on the doorstep smoking a fag. It's a normal thing to do here but not common in England.
Again it probably depends on the area you live but why not set a trend then? I'm sure that there are Canadians who don't do it either and the ones that do it aren't bothered. I know plenty of people who sit outside where I live (not only seniors).

burks Apr 11th 2014 2:53 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 11214524)
The Alps. The Alps are a range of tall mountains as near to South East England as the Rockies are to people in those bits of Canada that have lots of wheat. And there are trains, some of them cheap trains, to the Alps.
What has that got to do with anything? I am not in the Prairies so their distance to the Rockies means nothing to me.

christmasoompa Apr 11th 2014 3:04 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by burks (Post 11214741)
What has that got to do with anything? I am not in the Prairies so their distance to the Rockies means nothing to me.
You were specifically asking about mountain ranges in easy reach of South East England, I assume that the point was that mountain ranges aren't in easy reach of all of Canada either. :lol:

dbd33 Apr 11th 2014 3:08 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by bats (Post 11214623)
In Canada you can sit on your front porch and drink wine watching the world go by.
You can but, at least in Toronto, that's an "open container" violation. I was fined $52 for exactly that. Joints are ok though, you can have tea and a spliff.

bats Apr 11th 2014 3:13 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by Moses2013 (Post 11214694)
Again it probably depends on the area you live but why not set a trend then? I'm sure that there are Canadians who don't do it either and the ones that do it aren't bothered. I know plenty of people who sit outside where I live (not only seniors).
Do you live on a council estate?

bats Apr 11th 2014 3:15 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 11214776)
You can but, at least in Toronto, that's an "open container" violation. I was fined $52 for exactly that. Joints are ok though, you can have tea and a spliff.
No one in authority goes by here. :lol: I don't think we have that here, I think the restriction is drinking in a public place and your front garden isn't public though it is in public. If you see what I mean.

burks Apr 11th 2014 4:00 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 11214765)
You were specifically asking about mountain ranges in easy reach of South East England, I assume that the point was that mountain ranges aren't in easy reach of all of Canada either. :lol:
'On the doorstep of' .. The Alps are hardly a dog walking option from Essex! :p

bats Apr 11th 2014 4:37 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by burks (Post 11214842)
'On the doorstep of' .. The Alps are hardly a dog walking option from Essex! :p
12hours drive. It would take me 40 odd hours to get to the Rockies from here.

Teaandtoday5 Apr 11th 2014 4:39 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 11214561)
??? My son is going camping and canoeing with Beavers in the UK (the canoeing is a regular thing, they do it once a term), total cost for the weekend is £32. So I've no idea why you think Scouts in the UK don't do something similar! :lol:
I typed out a whole I see both sides/both are great comment but then thought why bother? But I am off to drink wine on my porch!

burks Apr 11th 2014 5:30 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by bats (Post 11214898)
12hours drive. It would take me 40 odd hours to get to the Rockies from here.
The point that I was making is that I live with mountains close by.. I didn't in England. I would be leaving the country to go to the Alps, whereas now I can take a 10 min drive and walk the dog up one!

This therefore makes the outdoors lifestyle better in my case.

bats Apr 11th 2014 6:59 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by burks (Post 11214947)
The point that I was making is that I live with mountains close by.. I didn't in England. I would be leaving the country to go to the Alps, whereas now I can take a 10 min drive and walk the dog up one!

This therefore makes the outdoors lifestyle better in my case.
Ahhh, in YOUR case.

ann m Apr 11th 2014 7:04 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by bats (Post 11214675)
I said that I had never done it not that you can't. Apart from that how often do you see it?
You don't do it in the UK because someone would nick your table and chairs! ;)

Moses2013 Apr 11th 2014 8:06 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by bats (Post 11214782)
Do you live on a council estate?
No I don't, but nothing wrong if you do. We live about 20 mins from Galway now and it's quite rural with roughly 15 houses along the street. Most plots are around 0.5 acres and plenty of fields around.

bats Apr 11th 2014 8:17 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by Moses2013 (Post 11215136)
No I don't, but nothing wrong if you do. We live about 20 mins from Galway now and it's quite rural with roughly 15 houses along the street. Most plots are around 0.5 acres and plenty of fields around.
So you aren't in the UK then.

bats Apr 11th 2014 8:19 am
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by ann m (Post 11215057)
You don't do it in the UK because someone would nick your table and chairs! ;)
Good point :sneaky:

Piff Poff Apr 11th 2014 12:07 pm
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Originally Posted by burks (Post 11214168)
I challenge you to find a mountain on the door step of anyone in South East England :)
Didn't think we were talking about the view:p

Shirtback Apr 11th 2014 1:07 pm
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
Given that the OP hasn't returned to the thread, I'll stick with my original reaction - rather than my comments - which was/is : have you visited/spent any time in the area of Canada which you are thinking of moving to??

(Okay, I can't resist a comment ;)! ) :
I'm what is usually described as an "outdoorsy" sort of person. I've been here a while. I have to say that I probably profit from/enjoy the "outdoors" lifestyle a lot less in Canada than I did elsewhere in the world. When it gets to below -20, very few outdoor activities are fun for more than a very short time, cost more, require significant travel time/preparation.

Space/house size? I'll wait until the OP comes back to comment.

rivingtonpike Apr 11th 2014 2:13 pm
Re: Thinking of Canada - advice please!
 
In London we had a "nice" house of about 1800sq ft including the integral garage. Here we have a crappy house with about 3500sq ft and a 3/4 acre plot. Personally I prefer it here. It's all about what you want. Year by year we're improving our house and gardens. In London we'd reached the point where changing the toilet roll was considers renovations! If you put our house and grounds into a SW London context it would be worth (guessing) about £1.5 - 2 million.

But we don't live in SW London any more - so it depends entirely on what your priorities are and what you want out of life.

Only come to Canada if it is because you really want to and you're sure of your convictions. As many have said on here before - it's not a utopia that makes everything that's wrong with the UK better, it's just a different place.

For us it works pretty well; for some, not so much.

Good luck though......


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