Alberta

Atop Sulphur Mountain ⛰ and One Jack on Two Jack!

The world-renowned Bow Valley Parkway from Lake Louise to Banff… would have been spectacular if we had found our way onto it! 😂 Somehow, we ended up on Highway One which runs parallel.. great to see the bear bridges but limited opportunities for wildlife spotting as the entire route is safely fenced but,just past Johnson Canyon, we found a route in!

Within 10 minutes a black bear was spotted… Tom had the perfect viewpoint with his head stuck up through the roof of the car! (The only bonus of being ‘middle-seat-guy’ for this entire road trip!). Jack and Tom were both perched out of the windows – amazed at the bear just a few metres away! We nearly provided the bear with some ‘Jackberry fruit’ as Matt started to drive off without realising that JB was still balanced precariously outside of the window! 😂 His whoops of joy gave him away!

⛰⛰⛰

We made it to Sulphur Mountain with one minute to spare ready for our 10.30 meet up with Kerrie-Lynn, Lawrence’s wife! After years and years of being FB friends I was so excited to finally meet her and great to have some female company for the day!

Kerrie-Lynn and Tom
Heading up Sulphur Mountain
The boardwalk trek to the Cosmic Ray Station

The 6 of us hurtled out of the gondola station and sped up to the top of Sulphur Mountain. At the top we enjoyed the short hike up to the Cosmic Ray Station at the summit point. What views! The station was one of 99 international stations set up around the globe as part of International Geophysics Year 1958

The Cosmic Ray Station
The Banff Fairmont Hotel

Two unwelcome parking tickets awaited us upon our return… but unlike the UK where you get a ‘bonus rate’ if you pay early… here in Canada the first ticket is a ‘warning’… so a small detour to the Visitor’s Centre and we were sorted! On to Two Jack Lake!

Two Jack Lake
Callum

Poor JB had been sick last night so we weren’t sure if he’d get his chance to kayak with Kerrie .. he was flagging on the summit of Sulphur…but the fresh air and crystal clear waters were just too enticing! So One Jack on Two Jack became a reality!

One Jack (Brakenbury) on Two Jack (Lake)

Cal seems to have nailed his paddle-boarding and, despite us wondering if he’d drifted to the other end of the lake by mistake, he made it back!

Cal

Tom was totally smitten by Kerrie and would have paddled to the South Pole if she’d asked! So lovely to see him out paddling around with a big grin on his face!

Tom on Two Jack

Two Jack is a great family stop-off with water just warm enough to swim in. Darting fish and the iconic little island of spruce trees. Was great to have a walk round and enjoy the surrounding woodland!😊🛶.

Callum
Jack
Jack and Cal

Kerrie Lynn

I thoroughly enjoyed my ‘driving time’ with Kerrie …just the two of us, from Banff to Two Jack Lake and then onto Canmore for dinner…a chance to catch up and put the world to rights! A delicious dinner at the Grizzly Paw in Canmore was a perfect finish to the day!

Grizzly Paw

A huge thank you to Kerrie-Lynn for giving up her day off to ‘be a tourist for the day’… can’t wait to welcome you both to England one day soon!

Checking in at the Super 8 came just in time for Jack to crash … after a hot tub 😂 What a fab hotel and a real treat after our little bunk beds at my favourite – the Alpine Hostel, in Lake Louise.

🇨🇦🍁🇨🇦

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Sacha Brakenbury

As mum to three sons (and auntie to ten!) Sacha is kept busy trying to keep the kids alive, safe, fed and watered. Having specialised in Child Psychology and Linguistics at the University of Reading, Sacha went on to complete her Postgraduate Certificate in Education before taking up her first teaching post as Head of Boys Sport and Year 6 teacher. After 6 years, Sacha was fortunate enough to awarded a travelling fellowship from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, enabling her to undertake an extensive research project overseas. Sacha has worked with some of the world's top professional sports and educational institutions across Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand - researching ways of engaging young people through the medium of sport and in particular how this can help to reduce drug use and gang membership. After returning to the UK Sacha became Education Director at Ipswich Town Football Club, leading in the government's 'Playing for Success' scheme. She went on to establish three highly respected Study Centres back in the East of England, each of which used sport as a means of motivating children and young people. After successfully completing her National Professional Qualification for Headship in Cambridge, Sacha went on to study for her Masters Degree in Education. With the arrival of her three sons, Sacha decided it was time to 'go it alone.' She set up her own business consultancy, supporting a range of charities and organisations across the UK. Securing funds in excess of £2 million pounds, Sacha was able to 'give wings' to a wide range of charitable causes close to her heart. She continues this today with work specifically for Child First Trust. It was her own kids that were the inspiration behind her establishing Learning Academies (www.learningacademies.co.uk) - a tutoring company that has the simple mission to motivate and encourage its students to become confident and assertive learners who are not afraid to 'take risks' and challenge themselves. As a passionate photographer, Sacha is never more at home than when she's travelling, camera in hand, boys in tow. As a qualified medic with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, she is able to combine her love the outdoors with her passion for wild animals.

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