Circle Square Ranch is an interdenominational camp that provides access to horses for a week. They also do obstacle courses, swimming, boating and games galore. There is time for campfires and skits and the opportunity to make new friends. The week that my girls were there, I had one in Pathways and one in Western Town. I was hoping for growth and development as they were separate, yet together. I think that this was a good experience for them, but noticed that the older girls were very cliquey and not likely to include new folk into the mix, so would totally recommend starting them early or sending them with a friend. It is easier to fit in when you know someone. All in all, I think they had a good time and definitely learned a lot more about horses and horseback riding.
The problem for me was the driving. Between Alberta thunderstorms and the overall distance, I think it is recommended to break up the driving. The first time, I drove down through Beaumont and stayed with my brother before heading to drop off on the Sunday. This proves challenging for those of us coming down from Fort McMurray as there is no way to drop them off prior to 4:00 p.m. Meaning that you don't get home until midnight realistically (if you drive the speed limit and I can tell you that the trucks sure don't!). Pick up is the following Saturday.
The following weekend, I knew I didn't want to drive so much so I opted to camp at Rochon Sands. This is a lovely campground tucked 20 minutes NW of Stettler. The lake this year was really high and very little beach. However,the grassy campsites along the lake shore had dry patches and I had a wonderful walk in tent site. The trees surrounded the site and there was even a bit of firewood left. I got the rest of my wood from a Hardware store behind Tim Hortons. It might have been wiser to wait and get it from the roadside firewood seller. From the campsite, you can walk the trails, the shoreline and to a little icecream shack for a late evening dessert. This is fabulous in the hot summer sun. There is a playground and 20 minutes into Stettler is an aquatic center for those rainy days or shower days.
My first night there, I was on my own and it was very late. I opted to go out for supper. I tried the stand close to the campsite but they were cash only. Sigh. So, I drove down the road to the highway to the restaurant there. No, despite signage that says they are open until 9:00, they don't really mean it and closed the grill at 8:00. Thankfully, the Grey Goose was open and had lovely food.
So, driving around Stettler, I came to a shocking conclusion. These might possibly be the rudest and nastiest drivers on the roads in Alberta. I decided to go to Tim Hortons for a tea on the way back into the site after supper. They don't allow you to filter into lines. They don't stop at stop signs. The drivers wave and chat on cell phones and cut people off. Seriously, don't drive here if you don't have to. This wasn't a one off either. On returning from Halkirk to the campsite with the girls, there were two near misses and one very rude lady in the Tim Hortons Line. Maybe there is something in Tims that makes people respond this way. Having heard all the complaints about Fort McMurray drivers...ummm...think again. They actually are pretty great in comparison.
The other thing to note that bathroom breaks are few and far between on the back roads. Thank goodness for a campsite in Tofield that had open bathrooms. There are rest stops about an hour each way, but I was surprised in the distance that we had to go to find a decent stop. When traveling with children, bathrooms and rest stops are important. Boyle is another good stop. Other than that, have the vehicle stacked with the things to do bin. (Keep in mind that my kids were banned from electronics for the summer.)
The best part about driving for this length of time is that you can have great conversations with the kids. You can enjoy the yellow and purple fields that are in full bloom. There are the clouds that chase and brilliant sunshine depending on the weather. I love the farms and rolling hills. Alberta has some beautiful scenery along the backroads. Pack a picnic and explore, but map out bathrooms ahead of time.
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