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Carol Patterson



Author Bio:

Carol Patterson is an award-winning freelance travel writer based in Calgary who roams Canada’s back roads looking for wildlife. She has contributed to many national and international publications including CanGeoTravel, WestJet and BBCTravel. She’s written several books on ecotourism and how to balance commercial success with space for critters. Carol was made a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2017 for spreading the word about Canada and it’s landscapes.

Website:

Posts by Carol Patterson:


Stargazing at Yoho National Park’s Emerald Lake Lodge

Posted on: April 5, 2022

Yoho National Park at night. Photo Carol Patterson Originally published April 2, 2021 As if you needed another reason to visit Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park, it’s also a wonderful place to stargaze or indulge in night photography. It’s not a Dark Sky Preserve like Jasper National Park
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Why the Irish Don’t Talk About Leprechauns (and Other Surprising Things to Discover in Northwest Ireland)

Posted on: March 5, 2022

Originally Published March 5, 2020 When you dream of Ireland do you think of leprechauns? The Irish secretly hate it when visitors ask about them (it’s akin to asking Canadians how many dogs you have in your dog sled team). Instead, plan a trip that reveals things locals are proud
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Bird Watching 101 – In Any City, Town or Country

Posted on: March 2, 2022

Originally Published March 27, 2020 Is it time to switch from the news channel to the bird channel? Watching birds can be done anywhere – even in urban environments and has big health benefits. Researchers in England revealed people living in neighbourhoods with more birds and trees experienced less depression,
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Great Bear Rainforest’s Farewell Harbour Lodge offers Leaping Whales, Backcountry Luxury, and (almost) Zero Emissions

Posted on: December 1, 2021

Flying through the air, higher than any agility dog clearing an obstacle, were two male orcas. They were killing a Dall’s porpoise! Bludgeoning it with their body weight so it would be defenceless when they moved in for the final attack. When I’d signed up for a visit to Farewell
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My Strangest Airbnb Accommodation Was…a Parking Lot?

Posted on: November 10, 2021

When I headed to British Columbia’s Fraser River Valley for fall bird watching, camping spots were as scarce as a long-billed dowitcher (rare). Fortunately, a fellow horse-lover rents out the most basic of accommodation on Airbnb – a safe place to park – next to some horses and a short
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Ranching History at Bar U Ranch: Photo Gallery

Posted on: October 11, 2021

At the annual Chore Horse Competition at Bar U Ranch National Historic Site in September, skilled teamsters (people who drive horses on long reins) harnessed up tons of horseflesh to recreate ranching work of bygone eras. For one afternoon I could sink into the historical connections between steed and horseman,
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When Horses Did Chores: Modern Twists on Ranching History at Bar U Ranch National Historic Site

Posted on: October 10, 2021

At the annual Chore Horse Competition at Bar U Ranch National Historic Site in September, skilled teamsters (people who drive horses on long reins) harnessed up tons of horseflesh to recreate ranching work of bygone eras. I come from an era of forklifts and delivery trucks; my father, whose hundredth
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Where the Wild Things are in Southern Alberta

Posted on: August 6, 2021

Where can you take your nature-loving youngster once they’ve devoured all the animal videos and picture books in your library? When children express an interest in nature, the next step might be to take them outdoors where they can encounter animals in their natural habitat. That can be intimidating if
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The Many Flowers of Many Springs Trail

Posted on: June 29, 2021

Many people are familiar with Alberta’s Waterton Lakes National Park’s wildflowers but there’s plenty of blooms on Many Springs Trail in Kananaskis Country. The flat, short(1.6km), family-friendly trail in Bow Valley Provincial Park loops around Many Springs Basin offering easy access to a colourful display of spring flowers, a dock
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Getting Spoiled at Costa Rica’s Finca 360 in off-the-Grid Family Luxury

Posted on: November 4, 2020

Editors note: COVID-19 has imposed travel restrictions of varying types in almost every country. This article was written Pre-Covid and gives us a chance to dream of new adventures when the world is open again.  If Kim Kardashian decided to become a bird watcher and live off the grid she
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