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We caught up with Elin Havard, team leader of the Wales YFC Canada Trip to hear all about their travels!

“On Tuesday 25^th June, 12 members from all over Wales made their way to London Heathrow to embark on the trip of a lifetime: a 2-week YFC Travel adventure to Canada. Most of us began the journey as strangers but our shared experience and love of the organisation, coupled with pure excitement, meant that in no time we were true friends.

We landed in rainy Vancouver minus one suitcase but let neither issue dampen spirits, donning our raincoats and walking for miles to take in as much of the city as we could before meeting our guide and boarding the minibus to embark on our road trip through the Rocky mountains.

Our first stop was beautiful Brandywine Falls, on route to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre where we learned all about the two indigenous communities that coexist in the Whistler area, making our own medicine bags and enjoying their traditional Bannock for lunch. The famous mountain resort of Whistler played host to a number of events at the 2010 Winter Olympics – the perfect destination for a group of thrill-seeking young farmers! We zip lined through the trees at speeds of up to 100km/h and feasted our eyes and taste buds as our Japanese chef showed off his flame-cooking tricks.  

The journey from Whistler to Kelowna was as scenic as they come, with Seton Lake being the most picturesque of spots for a swift lunch and swim, and wine tasting at the Vibrant Vine a well-deserved treat after a day on the road. From Kelowna we made our way to Revelstoke, with an unconventional mid-morning stop for ice cream in the rain at the incredibly popular Dewitt’s Holsteins. The snow may have disappeared but the slopes are open all year, so up Revelstoke mountain we went by gondola, returning back down by coaster.

July 1^st marks Canada Day and there was no better place to be than the picture perfect Lake Louise. Every bit as breath-taking as it looks in photos, we hiked up through the trees to Mirror Lake and Lake Agnes. In Banff we donned our flags and hats to join in the festivities. We made the most of the opportunity to get some more steps in before hitting Calgary, hiking Tunnel Mountain, Lake Minnewanka and Johnston’s Canyon. Lunch at the famous Grizzly House, where we cooked our own buffalo, wild boar and venison on the hot rock and indulged in cheese and chocolate fondues, was well-earned!

We arrived at the final destination of our tour, Calgary, feeling at home in our hotel as soon as we saw the straw bales in the lobby! There really was no doubt that the Stampede was in town! But before heading out to find some cowboy gear, there was one last road trip in store for us. We hired some cars and drove to the outskirts of the city to see the Hamilton family. Their 6000-acre farm is home to the renowned HF herd of Angus cattle, one that has had significant success and influence both domestically and internationally, and we felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit.

Having had a taste of Canadian agriculture, it was time to truly embrace Western culture. We headed to the famous Ranchman’s bar and line danced into the early hours (whilst watching the General Election results come in!). This warmed us up for the main event! The final two days of our trip were spent at The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth: Calgary Stampede. It had a lot to live up to given we were a group of Royal Welsh enthusiasts, but it really did – a must for any bucket list! From the fire breathers and acrobats at the Evening Show, to the cattle penners, bull riders and steer wrestlers at the rodeo, the endless choice of wacky but delicious food stalls and cracking live music, it had it all! This was the perfect finale to an incredible trip.

We are grateful to Wales YFC for the opportunity and would urge all members to take a look at the YFC Travel programme, reach out if you have any questions and don’t think twice about submitting an application. YFC membership is your passport to the world…use it before it expires!”