Exploring Calgary: Nose Hill Park

At 1,100 hectares, Nose Hill is Canada's largest urban natural environment park and at 1,230 metres, it is the highest point in the 'Clagary area'. So we just had to go and see. Temperatures were meant to be on the low side but as we left the car park we quickly shed our jackets as the breeze was warmer and we were going uphill at a pace - how else would we go!

It is possible to become disorientated but thanks to Bill, the path finder, we did not get lost. There were plenty of landmarks to guide us on our way for example the airport was in the east, the mountains ranges, shrouded today, were to the west. There were also power lines that crossed the hill and the antenna standing near the quarry which also marked the descent to the car park. We could also see the Canada Olympic Park which was not far from home

In the west the fall is not so colourful as in the east but the aspens do give a beautiful shade of gold whilst at ground level the the rose hips are gradually turning a vivid shade of red. Parts of Nose Hill are covered with groves of trembling aspens, these are native trees with round leaves that tremble in a breeze. All the aspens within a grove are genetically identical as the original tree clones itself by sending out suckers from underground roots, each of which becomes a new aspen, Some the aspen colonies in Alberta are over 6,000 years old. Interestingly all clones within a colony change colour at the same time in the fall. The groves make great hiding places for animals but we only saw robins and magpies.

Nose Hill allows you to leave the sights and sounds of Calgary behind as you walk along either grass or gravel paths. Today there were few people in the park; the odd jogger and cyclist and few dog walkers.

As we returned to the car our thoughts turned to lunch as the hunger pangs began to hit. Nose Hill Park was well worth a second visit as there were too many paths we hadn't ventured down.