July 7, 2007
Tripping to the Beautiful Okanagan
Posted by Artseatraveller under Life, Writing, british columbia, culture, okanagan, photography, road trips, thoughts, travel, wine
A big part of what we do with our company is check out accommodations when they want to list with us. This is a great part of what we do because it means road trips. In the case of yesterdays trip it was an 18 hour return road trip from Vancouver to the Okanagan Valley and back. It sounds like a lot of driving but that’s part of it, roads through BC reveal so much about yourself and what you think you know about this province. I just never get bored of it.
To get to the Okanagan you drive through several distinct climate zones and so the landscape is always changing. The light is always changing. The trees, plants and grasses are always changing and of course the wildlife. On this trip alone we got to see several deer, marmots, humming birds, pheasant, a hawk and although not wild life some really beautiful horses.
We left in the very early am after visiting our local café. With a Latte and an Americano in hand we were set to push through the Fraser Valley with its vivid green fields and lush, lush mountains. This valley has always been a comfort to me for some reason. It is the heartland of farming in the lower mainland and makes me feel as though we could still feed the people of B.C. if we really needed to. I am glad the Valley has somewhat been able to resist development thanks to the Agricultural Land Freeze, however the local small mountains that mark the edge of the Pacific Coast Range are seeing housing development on their steep sides.
Once through the Valley we took the old Hope Princeton Hwy to get to the Okanagan. We were destined for the southern regions of the Valley so the Coquihalla Hwy which takes you into it’s central regions wouldn’t be the right choice for where we wanted to go. The Hope Princeton is a nice drive; I would call it a driver’s drive. Full of dips, turns and a few cliff hugging stretches with steep drops to the rushing river below. You have to be aware and mindful of the road all the while not being distracted by the winding rivers, majestic Cascade Mountains which make this stretch of highway really worth while.
As we worked our way through Manning Park and past Princeton the heat of this dry arid region begins to work into your bones. It’s not overly hot like you might find south in Arizona or Mexico but a good 30-35 degrees Celsius really helps push the coastal dampness out from our skin. The mountains here soften and the trees get a little sparser. Sage and grass land begins to take over from the rocky treed mountains of the Coast Mountain and Cascade Ranges. The other most distinguishing factor here is the light which changes completely to a more golden glow and combined with the heat, permeates everything; the land, the water, the air, your heart.
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Up through the valley town of Keromeos we dart onward to our appointment to check out a small inn 15 km south of Penticton, in the hills just bordering the Okanagan Valley. It’s wonderfully hot now and the pungent smell of Ponderosa Pine and Sagebrush are thick in the air. It brings on strong memories of the 10 plus years I lived in this region of BC but most of all it is just such a change from city air. As we pull around and up the driveway of our destination, a large white tail deer nibbles berries from the Oregon grape bushes, another key indicator we are 350 km from a million people.
We spend the next hour looking through the fine rooms of our newly listed inn and taking in their fine collection of original paintings and craft works from around the world. I especially liked how they accepted the fact that the inn is located in a semi arid desert area thus making some magnificent cactus the centre piece of their courtyard and garden.
Each of the rooms is blessed with great beds, an inviting bathroom and ample closet space should you decide to stay for a few days. Out of each window there are memorable views looking onto pine crested mountains. Humming birds are abundant in the Okanagan and as we gazed out the windows of the inns guest house a delightful red crested humming bird zipped by and then rested on a branch. Those little birds are really quite something.
Breakfasts at this inn are served around a massive wooden table that measures 7’x7’ and is made of heritage fir timber. It is a magnificent piece of furniture which clearly states that conversation and food is central to this inns being. We loved its placement in the centre of the house as a statement that when you are here, conversation and cordial interaction with other guest helps make your stay.
We were sad to leave but knew we had to head north to the small village of Naramata just north of Penticton. Also known as Never Matter, this little village defies time and has pretty much remained unchanged since I left this region 12 years ago. To get to Naramata you have to drive north out of Penticton on the east side of Okanagan Lake. Here the two lane road takes you through some of the most amazing orchard and vineyard areas in the whole of the valley. This drive has a distinctly different feel to it compared to say Oliver or OK Falls. I am not sure why but I think it might have something to do with the density of orchards, vineyards and housing, but I can’t say for sure. What I know is that the combination of rolling clay hills and hoodoos mixed in with all those shades of green bathed in that warm Okanagan light seem to make it magical, even mystical. If you’re thinking of visiting the Okanagan, you have to venture here.
In recent decades the wine industry has surpassed the orchard industry as the dominant agriculture in the valley. This also brings the culture of the connoisseur and therefore wineries pepper this road and the whole of the Okanagan for that matter. If you love wine, it’s another reason to find your way to never matter.
This side trip to Naramata was just to get to know the region better and keep in touch with what is changing and going on in one of our most popular vacation regions. Side roads, back roads and a dip in the lake all became part of this day’s adventure. As the sun began to sink down behind the western side of the valley we bought a big bag of cherries, another coffee and headed west for the 5 hour journey home. For the next trip to the Okanagan, I promise myself and Dana to stay for more than 6 hours. For more information on this incredible region read this.
