Ontario Parks should reopen backcountry access to help fight the ‘echo pandemic’
Open letter to Jeff Yurek, MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London and Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks As Ontario begins to consider its careful and considered reopening after the pandemic period, it would be prudent and wise to return the province’s treasured outdoor spaces to its residents. Parks Canada announced on April 15 that it will […]
Paddling the River Liffey with City Kayak Dublin
On a December day, we lowered ourselves into the River Liffey, right next to the historic Jeannie Johnston tall ship – the only emigration vessel used during the famine said to have never lost the life of a passenger. In a similar vein, our guide Lee assured us that he’d never seen anyone tip in […]
Bottle Lake in Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park
Bottle Lake is admired by canoe campers for its ease of access, sandy beaches, and nearby waterfalls. Join the Urban Paddlers as we set out to explore the lake and the waterfalls at the north end of Bottle, and on Catchacoma Lake as well.
The one thing you need to know to rent a kayak in Vancouver
I recently took a business trip to Vancouver. Upon arriving in my hotel room overlooking the harbour between the city and Stanley Park, I immediately wanted to rent a kayak. Little did I know my aspirations would be foiled because I lakced one crucial piece of knowledge. With a colder-than-usual spring in Toronto pushing back […]
Potter’s Creek and Tom Thomson Lake loop in Algonquin Provincial Park
What could be more Canadian than backcountry canoe camping through Tom Thomson Lake over the Canada Day weekend? That’s the question I posed to my friends when I was organizing a four-night trek into the Algonquin backcountry, starting July 1. Though judging from their responses in the negative, I guess it did little to stoke […]
Bell-David Lake Loop and Silver Peak hike in Killarney Provincial Park
Interactive map | How to do it Urban Paddler has returned! After a brief three years in dry dock, we’re packing up our food barrels, strapping the canoe to the car, and getting ready to dip our paddles into the waters of some exciting outdoor adventures once again. Stay tuned for some new posts detailing […]
Kayaking the Wisla River in Krakow, Poland
Kayaking down the Wisla River immediately to the south of the old town isn’t the most popular activity in Krakow, Poland in the middle of May – but it is possible. After asking a few locals who spoke English about where I could rent a kayak and eliciting some strange looks, I was eventually helpfully […]
Paddle The Don, 2012
In the five years that I’ve participated in Paddle the Don event, I often get a reaction of mock-horror whenever I explain it to someone. “What if you tip into the water?” they exclaim, as if this would be tantamount to plunging headfirst into a nuclear waste pool without a HazMat suit. Well two years […]
Paddling the Minesing Wetlands near Barrie, Ontario
The Minesing Wetlands Conservation Area intrigued me because of its proximity to Toronto. Just to the west of Barrie, it can easily be driven to within an hour, yet it offers much of the appeal of more northerly destinations – a winding river to paddle on, a lively ecosystem full of wildlife, and just a […]
Kayaking to Billy Bishop Airport near the Toronto Islands
Usually paddlers are looking for a little bit of peace and quiet when they set out in a canoe or kayak. But when you live in the heart of a high-density urban area, that’s not always an option. Sometimes, rather than trying to squeeze the best nature experience you can get out of a city, […]