Carrs Landing Road
If you’re travelling between Kelowna and Vernon with time on your hands, consider taking Carrs Landing, which turns into Commonage Rd, in preference to Hwy-97. It’s a quiet detour that offers something of the beauty for which the area is frequently praised and is part of the Scenic Sip (wscenicsip.ca) wine route. As the road weaves through woods and small bays, the views through to the lake are enchanting. To get to Carrs Landing Road from downtown Kelowna take Spall Rd from Hwy-97, which becomes Glenmore Drive and then winds along the lake as the two-lane Okanagan Centre Rd West; then take Carrs Landing which becomes Mission Road and Commonage Road.
Osoyoos
Surrounded by half-bare, scrub-covered, ochre hills, OSOYOOS (which comes from the Syilx’tsn word suius for “narrowing of the waters”) has one of Canada’s most curious landscapes. With a mere 25cm of rain per year, this is a bona fide desert, with lizards, cacti and snakes: 23 types of invertebrate are endemic. Temperatures are regularly 10°C higher than in Nelson, less than a morning’s drive away, which means exotic fruit like bananas and pomegranates can be grown, with the temperature also inspiring the odd adobe building around town. Part of the unique landscape is Spotted Lake, one of the weirdest places on earth.
Its other great feature is Lake Osoyoos, Canada’s warmest freshwater lake, with an average summer temperature of 24°C. In summer it comes alive with swimmers and boaters while streams of RVs slow-tail their way northwards.
The relative lack of crowds and strange scenery might persuade you to do your beach-bumming in Osoyoos, though you may be pushed to find space in any of the town’s twenty or so hotels and motels during high season.
The Kettle Valley Railway and Myra Canyon
The Kettle Valley Railway operated in the Thompson–Okanagan region from 1915 until the early 1960s, to be finally abandoned in 1989, apart from a 10-mile section, which is used by a working steam engine. Since then great chunks of it have been part of a rails-to-trails programme which allows you to hike or cycle for hundreds of kilometres through the region, though the key stretch is the 215km section between Midway – on Hwy-3 near the US border – and Penticton.
However, its greatest spectacle is Myra Canyon above Kelowna. Here the series of gigantic wooden trestles which once allowed the railway to be routed between the Kettle Valley and Okanagan now provide an impressive testament to engineering. This was underlined by the spirited work involved in rebuilding the structures after 2003 wildfires ran riot – as interpretive boards along the route explain. From the eastern trailhead car park you can walk or cycle out and back along the trestles for an hour or two, or even cycle all the way to Penticton, an eight- to nine-hour ride which descends into the Okanagan Valley – with a series of tunnels and the gorgeous scenery below making it a memorable ride. You’ll need someone to pick you up at the other end; Monashee Adventure Tours offers this service along with bike rentals.
Kelowna’s vineyards
When you’re surrounded by some thirty or so wineries – many international gold medal award-winners – the best option is to take a wine tour and let someone else worry about driving. At one time these focused on crisp, fruity whites and dessert wines, but now successful reds and cold-climate whites are common. It’s worth visiting a couple of vineyards since the valley’s microclimates and differing soil types allow neighbouring vintners to produce completely different wines.
The wineries join together in early May, early August and early October for annual spring, summer and autumn wine festivals (thewinefestivals.com) when free wine tastings, gourmet dinners, grape stomps and vineyard picnics lure the connoisseur and novice alike. More background can be found at Kelowna’s BC Wine Museum, 1304 Ellis St (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 11am–5pm; by donation), basically a glorified shop with a few exhibits. Below are a few recommended wineries to try if you strike out on your own.
