Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for travel writing
The Badlands of Canada
By Linda Tancs
Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded by wind and water. In Canada, they’re particularly prevalent along the Red Deer River in Drumheller, Alberta. Overall, they span east from Drumheller to the Saskatchewan border and south to the United States. Legend has it that the term “badlands” there originates from early French explorers who considered the region’s steep-sloped mesas and deep, winding gullies as “bad lands to cross.” That’s hardly the sentiment today, with hiking being a key attraction. Head to Drumheller, touted as the best of the badlands, where Horseshoe Canyon provides a dramatic introduction to the terrain. Its sand and clay formed the internationally recognized hoodoos, which you can navigate via a heavily trafficked loop trail. You can also walk, bike or splash your way through 11 miles of pathways. Get your maps and guides from the Visitor Information Centre, which is located at the base of an 86-foot-high fiberglass Tyrannosaurus rex that is considered to be the world’s largest dinosaur. The views from its jaws aren’t bad, either.
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Wildlife of Skomer
By Linda Tancs
Designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the Welsh island of Skomer is a haven for wildlife. Over 22,000 puffins reside there alone. Also, together with its sister island Skokholm, Skomer has the largest known concentration of Manx shearwaters in the world. In addition to its wildlife wonders, the island sports a standing stone of unknown origin known as the Harold Stone as well as two large 19th-century lime kilns that were used to heat lime for mortar and fertilizer. This season is a great time to visit. During spring the island is covered in a display of bluebells so vast that the whole island appears blue. Just off the coast of Pembrokeshire, the island (open from April to September) is accessible by boat from the village of Marloes.
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The Canyon Lands of Georgia
By Linda Tancs
Water-carved canyons and caves are part of the rugged geology of the Cumberland Plateau found in Georgia’s Cloudland Canyon State Park. The canyons may not measure up in size to those in the West, but the park’s thousand-foot-deep canyons, sandstone cliffs, caves, waterfalls, creeks, dense woodland and abundant wildlife make it one of the most scenic state parks in the South. Enjoy the vistas from popular trails like the Overlook Trail, Waterfalls Trail and West Rim Loop Trail. Located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, the park is about a two-hour drive from Atlanta.
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Older Than the Rockies
By Linda Tancs
Twice as old as the Rocky Mountains, the 500-foot-high bluffs at Wisconsin’s Devil’s Lake State Park were formed nearly 2 billion years ago. They overlook—what else—Devil’s Lake. To see the lake from the cliffs, take the West Bluff Trail. Conversely, to see the cliffs from the lake, take the popular Tumbled Rocks Trail. As the name suggests, it cuts through a boulder field along the lake’s shoreline. The park is situated along the state’s Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
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The Grand Canyon of Texas
By Linda Tancs
America’s second-largest canyon lies in the Texas Panhandle at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, It’s about 120 miles long, 20 miles wide and up to 800 feet deep. The canyon features four geologic layers of distinct colors in its walls as well as otherworldly hoodoos. Living in those canyon walls is one of the park’s smallest inhabitants, the Palo Duro mouse. About 8 inches long, it lives in only three Texas counties, one of the largest populations being in the park.
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London’s Oldest Bookshop
By Linda Tancs
Hatchards is London’s oldest bookshop. It was established in 1797 by publisher John Hatchard and has occupied its current space at 187 Piccadilly since Georgian times. Far from a crusty old bookstore, it shelves are lined with the latest bestsellers and contemporary works along with time-honored classics. The store’s dedicated team can even source out-of-print titles. As one might expect, they’re the Official Bookseller to the Royal Household.
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The Legend of Dead Horse Point
By Linda Tancs
According to legend, Dead Horse Point was used by cowboys to herd wild mustangs roaming the mesa top. Even more legendary, though, is the view, one of the most photographed scenic vistas in the world. Located a short distance from Utah’s Arches National Park and Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point State Park‘s namesake overlook provides sweeping views of the canyons as well as the Colorado River 2,000 feet below. As if that view weren’t good enough, Bighorn Overlook is a worthy rival, an off-the-beaten trek providing canyon views that most visitors wouldn’t even know existed. The park is about 32 miles from Moab.
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England’s Woodland Memorial
By Linda Tancs
A site of national remembrance, England’s National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire is a woodland oasis featuring 25,000 trees with a collection of nearly 400 memorials honoring those who have served and sacrificed. The memorials are diverse in size and scope and represent a broad population of society, from military associations and charities to emergency services, fraternity groups and individuals. The 150-acre site is located on the edge of the National Forest on Croxall Road in Alrewas, close to all the Midlands motorways.
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Whales in Oregon
By Linda Tancs
Whale watching in Oregon begins in late March as gray whales travel north on their way toward Alaska. And there are approximately 200 whales that remain in the state’s coastal waters during the summer migration. A good viewpoint is Cape Falcon Marine Reserve and Protected Area, which is located adjacent to Oswald West State Park. Just 10 miles south of the popular seaside town of Cannon Beach, the park is also known for Short Sand Beach (Shorty’s), a popular surfing and boogie boarding destination surrounded by forests and sandstone cliffs. Park in one of four parking lots along Highway 101 and enter one of the best preserved coastal rainforests in Oregon.
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Eye of the Sea
By Linda Tancs
The Tatra Mountains form a natural border between Poland and Slovakia and are the focal point for Tatra National Park, so-named on both sides of the border. One of the most indelible images on the Polish side is Morskie Oko, which means “eye of the sea.” Legend has it that the name harks back to an ancient belief that the lake’s bottom has a hole connecting it to the sea. It may lack a hole, but it doesn’t lack a superb reflection of the surrounding Tatras. You’ll find the lake in the middle of the park in southern Poland near the resort town of Zakopane.
