British
Columbia Guest Ranches Attract More than the Horsey Set
by Jane Lang (with additional material from
GayVancouver.Net)
There was a time when a vacation at a guest ranch
was all about horses. Wannabe cowpokes booked in to ride the range
and hang out with the giddy-up set. You can still spend time in the
saddle at British Columbia’s dozens of guest ranches but should
you choose, you can do much more as many of them offer a cornucopia
of activities from soft adventure to glamorously hedonistic.
Consider luxuriant spa treatments, followed by pool time or cooking
demos with a world-renowned chef.
Whether you are the most urbane of city slickers
or a seasoned cowboy or cowgirl who packs their own boots and chaps,
British Columbia has a guest ranch to satisfy.
And British Columbia's guest ranches are
gay-friendly and are even actively targeting a gay clientele.
Recent ads in the local gay newspaper try to seduce us urban queers
in the great outdoors for golfing, fishing, horseback riding and a
general commune with nature!
Consider this ranch round up:
If you would like more than a little luxury served
up with your wild west experience look no further than Little Beaver
Creek Ranch. A member of the internationally renowned accommodation
group, Relais & Chateaux, this ranch offers three exquisite
lodges overlooking a lake, gourmet meals, a fitness room and a pool
along with fishing and water activities. The ranch also offers
mountain biking, volleyball and badminton courts and yes, there are
daily riding possibilities for greenhorns or advanced riders. Set in
the golden rolling grasslands of the Nicola Valley, Little Beaver
Creek Ranch is the epitome of ranch luxury.
While riding off into the sunset – or sunrise
– may be your ultimate holiday experience, here is the piece de
resistance to add to its appeal – a body rejuvenating spa
treatment. Echo Valley Ranch, a far-flung guest ranch in the Cariboo
that boasts a myriad of activities, country-elegant surroundings,
amazing cuisine and the unique Baan Thai Spa. This slice of exotic
Thailand – it’s a traditional Thai building – in the rolling
hills of the Cariboo is a bonus for guests. The rather unlikely
combo came together because Nan Dove, who owns Echo Valley along
with husband Norm, is Thai. “The soft adventure offered at guest
ranches is in perfect harmony with spa treatments—they are
healthy, good for the mind, body and soul,” says Nan. Echo Valley
Ranch, which offers everything from flight-seeing to 4x4 exploring,
and horseback riding is the ideal setting for a couple where one
revels in horsey activities and the other is mildly – or not –
interested in the herbivore set.
When considering a healthy holiday, ranches fit
the bill: fresh country air, a variety of exercise possibilities and
days that move at a relaxing pace. For health along with horses
visit The Hills Health & Guest Ranch near 100 Mile House. Ranch
owners, Juanita and Pat Corbett were among the first in North
America to combine spa facilities with a ranch stay back in the
early eighties. Their Canadian Wellness Centre specializes in
personalized treatments while their working cattle ranch, set in the
heart of the Cariboo, gives you the best of the outdoors. This
ranch/spa wins rave reviews from clients all over the world.
For a wilderness experience including cattle
wrangling, time around the campfire and even a turn-of-the-century
fort, Top of the World Ranch in the foothills of the Rockies fits
the bill. “Yeehaws” and “giddyups” echo as guests can take
part in moving large cattle drives and branding. Located near
historic Fort Steele, a gold rush boomtown in the 1860's refurbished
to recall a raucous past, this ranch gives a true feeling for the
good ole days. It’s a working ranch where 400 cattle and 80 horses
roam some 28,000 hectares; for guests there are also options to
hike, mountain bike, fish, raft, kayak and play golf, all in the
stupendous surroundings of the Rockies.
Kids and horses go hand in hand and some guest
ranches cater to families. Top of the World Ranch welcomes families,
as do many others. Big Bar Guest Ranch near Jesmond has gold
panning, buggy and hayrides, cattle drives, canoeing, hiking and
special activities geared to young wranglers. However, owner Anne
Freeman still maintains: “Horses are the heart and soul of the
guest ranch” and she’s proud of her well-bred and well trained
beauties numbering some 40. Anne guarantees her experienced
wranglers will find a horse to suit everyone’s needs. Even
children under eight are welcome on guided trail rides. Big Bar is
one of the few guest ranches open year-round.
Friendly, family-run and rustic A.P. Guest Ranch
outside of Merritt, breeds, trains and sells Morgan horses. You can
stay in a 1911 log lodge or camp out, chow down on hearty
home-cooked meals and ride to your heart’s content. This is a
kid-friendly ranch with a log swing set, sandbox, lots of games and
riding and horsemanship geared to young riders, even children under
eight years old. The ranch is close to more than a dozen lakes so
there are water activities but life here revolves around riding and
ranch activities.
With the extraordinary offer of guest ranches in
British Columbia, the problem won’t be in finding one to suit you;
it will be in the picking and choosing. Wherever you end up in the
saddle, there will be some sublime Western moments: a ride through
rugged hillsides, a feeling of satisfaction when you ‘round up a
little doggie,’ a tranquil pause on a wooded trail ride, or time
around the campfire at days end, you will know you have captured
that western spirit.
For information be sure to check out the BC
Guest Ranches website.
