What's the Canadian countryside like?
May 8th 2009, 2:57 pm
#16
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2009
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 16
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
I think the Canadian equivalent is 'crown' land and there is lots of it once you get away from agricultural areas. I don't believe that there is much BLM land east of the Rockies, but there are lots of national forests...I believe there is private ownership within those.
In Ontario, you have national parks, provincial parks, conservation areas and crown lands with varying levels of access and costs.
In Ontario, you have national parks, provincial parks, conservation areas and crown lands with varying levels of access and costs.
We're probably looking at Ontario for our new home. Apart from the couple of links above, does anyone have any more links to info on the parks in Ontario?
The Provincial parks seem to be closed during winter. Are there any parks open during the winter months... or is it just too b***dy cold to go out then?
May 8th 2009, 3:01 pm
#17
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 6,842
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
Hi all,
I read a thread on the MBTTUK forum comparing the thousands of miles of countryside footpaths, bridleways, etc. that we have free access to in the UK to having to "pay to go for a stroll in Canada". I asked the OP to explain further, but haven't got much in the way of a reply yet, so I thought I'd post something here.
Can anyone enlighten me to what they were referring to? Is Canada similar to the USA, where you seem to have to drive to a National Park for a countryside experience? Or is it more like rural UK, where you can get on your bicycle or put your walking boots on at home and go into the countryside from your own doorstep?
I know, it will ultimately depend on where you live. But generally speaking, what's the countryside access like in Canada?
I read a thread on the MBTTUK forum comparing the thousands of miles of countryside footpaths, bridleways, etc. that we have free access to in the UK to having to "pay to go for a stroll in Canada". I asked the OP to explain further, but haven't got much in the way of a reply yet, so I thought I'd post something here.
Can anyone enlighten me to what they were referring to? Is Canada similar to the USA, where you seem to have to drive to a National Park for a countryside experience? Or is it more like rural UK, where you can get on your bicycle or put your walking boots on at home and go into the countryside from your own doorstep?
I know, it will ultimately depend on where you live. But generally speaking, what's the countryside access like in Canada?
We live in Edmonton and have been on plenty of walks that don't envolve paying entry fees, most of the ones we have been on apart from Elk Island have been free apart from the ride out in the car (gas fees). We are always going out on a Sunday walk and taking a picnic. I found most of these walks in a book I got from a second hand book shop it cost me a whole $3.50
I've linked some of the walks from my blog for you to have a peek.
http://britishexpats.com/blogs/Cassi...+Edmonton.html
http://britishexpats.com/blogs/Cassi...+Edmonton.html
http://britishexpats.com/blogs/Cassi...Edmonton..html
http://britishexpats.com/blogs/Cassi...Edmonton..html
May 8th 2009, 3:06 pm
#18
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
Thanks
We're probably looking at Ontario for our new home. Apart from the couple of links above, does anyone have any more links to info on the parks in Ontario?
The Provincial parks seem to be closed during winter. Are there any parks open during the winter months... or is it just too b***dy cold to go out then?
We're probably looking at Ontario for our new home. Apart from the couple of links above, does anyone have any more links to info on the parks in Ontario?
The Provincial parks seem to be closed during winter. Are there any parks open during the winter months... or is it just too b***dy cold to go out then?
Your best bet is to check out the local conservation areas. Although some are closed and the parking lots gated (presumably no point clearing snow for smaller numbers of people), many are still open for XC skiing etc. These areas are under the auspices of the local regional conservation authorites, who will have more info.
http://www.conservation-ontario.on.ca/find/index.html
Last edited by iaink; May 8th 2009 at 3:09 pm.
May 8th 2009, 3:20 pm
#20
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
May 8th 2009, 3:22 pm
#21
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
If I walk down my street I can get onto the Trailway Provincial Park (The railbed of the former Newfoundland Railway) and walk/ATV/Snowmobile all the way across the Island for nowt. (OK, for a snowmobile I need a $120 trail pass.)
If I drive a km I can access crown land and walk upto a lake & go into the woods to pick blueberries for free.
I can jump on an ATV or snowmobile and access hundreds of kms of woods roads and acres of crown land.
In the winter I can go to the west coast of NL and snowmobile in Gros Morne national park. (I believe this is the only NP you can do this in.)
I can drive 1.5km to the beach and walk as far as I want. Pretty much all beaches are public access in NL.
I can walk the East Coast trail, the Skerwink trail and others for free.
I can hike in Gros Morne for the price of a park admission.
I have enough access to the countryside to keep me happy!
If I drive a km I can access crown land and walk upto a lake & go into the woods to pick blueberries for free.
I can jump on an ATV or snowmobile and access hundreds of kms of woods roads and acres of crown land.
In the winter I can go to the west coast of NL and snowmobile in Gros Morne national park. (I believe this is the only NP you can do this in.)
I can drive 1.5km to the beach and walk as far as I want. Pretty much all beaches are public access in NL.
I can walk the East Coast trail, the Skerwink trail and others for free.
I can hike in Gros Morne for the price of a park admission.
I have enough access to the countryside to keep me happy!
May 8th 2009, 3:24 pm
#22
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
BC's outdoors is very accessible from Vancouver. The north shore has endless trails and walking routes. I've never paid anything, other than the cost of parking.
May 8th 2009, 3:26 pm
#23
Pea Brain
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: TBD
Posts: 6,005
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
Depends where you live. I'm within city limits (though 20 minutes out of the downtown core), but surrounded by countryside - most immediate neighbours have 30+ acres of land each. I can leave my property and walk straight onto Crown Land and have access to tens of thousands of acres of land to ATV, walk, horse ride or whatever on. You don't necessarily have to travel a long way out of a city to be able to enjoy the countryside for free.
May 8th 2009, 3:52 pm
#24
Sawdust making harpy
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Alberta
Posts: 11,291
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
Depends where you live. I'm within city limits (though 20 minutes out of the downtown core), but surrounded by countryside - most immediate neighbours have 30+ acres of land each. I can leave my property and walk straight onto Crown Land and have access to tens of thousands of acres of land to ATV, walk, horse ride or whatever on. You don't necessarily have to travel a long way out of a city to be able to enjoy the countryside for free.
Same here - all our adjoining nieghbours are farmers and we have beautiful trails and so on near Buffallo lake. Theres just kind of an agreement between everyone that as long as you don't let the cows out - roam free!!!! (Walking, quadding, horses, whatever!!!!)
That said I do think you have to be in Canada to appreciate the idea of "parks" and so on.
OP when you get here you will wonder what you worried about!
May 8th 2009, 4:31 pm
#25
Happy in Canada.
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: Winnipeg, manitoba
Posts: 1,440
May 8th 2009, 7:14 pm
#26
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,021
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
Not true at all.
There are large tracts of "Crown" land in Alberta some of which are leased to ranchers as grazing leases, the public has access to those lands although they are required to seek the permission of the lessee on leased lands.
According to Wikipedia 60% of Alberta is crown land, 94% of BC, 95% of Newfounland and Labrador, 48% of New Brunswick and in Manitoba 95% of the provinces forests are on crown land but no total is given.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_land
There are large tracts of "Crown" land in Alberta some of which are leased to ranchers as grazing leases, the public has access to those lands although they are required to seek the permission of the lessee on leased lands.
According to Wikipedia 60% of Alberta is crown land, 94% of BC, 95% of Newfounland and Labrador, 48% of New Brunswick and in Manitoba 95% of the provinces forests are on crown land but no total is given.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_land
2. Land that one can access by permission of the lessee is effective private, not public, that's like a rented house.
3. Newfoundland is tundra, not countryside.
May 8th 2009, 7:19 pm
#27
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,021
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
Thanks
We're probably looking at Ontario for our new home. Apart from the couple of links above, does anyone have any more links to info on the parks in Ontario?
The Provincial parks seem to be closed during winter. Are there any parks open during the winter months... or is it just too b***dy cold to go out then?
We're probably looking at Ontario for our new home. Apart from the couple of links above, does anyone have any more links to info on the parks in Ontario?
The Provincial parks seem to be closed during winter. Are there any parks open during the winter months... or is it just too b***dy cold to go out then?
May 8th 2009, 7:29 pm
#30
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: What's the Canadian countryside like?
I cant for the life of me think where they will go..there are trails there, but it on private land and the host organisation is basically involved in turning the old rail bed into a mixed use trail....its hardly the yorkshire dales...
"Trails" here tend to be the ex rail beds, complete with ankle breaking size hardcore rock coverage. Crap for walking, crap for cycling, treatcherous for horses...ideal for ATVs and Snowmobiles... My house is a short distance from the hastings heritage trail, which links to the trandscanada trail network, you would think it an ideal spot for a cyclist to enjoy. But when I get out on my bike its usually to private land in the local woods...