Postcards from Canada: Lake Louise

Another image we saw over and over again when we were planning our Canadian road trip, was Lake Louise.  This turquoise glacial lake sits underneath the imposing Victoria glacier and is one of the most iconic lakes in Canada. We dithered around for a while trying to decide if it was a good idea to join the hordes of tourists we had heard about and in the end we wanted to see it for ourselves.

Luckily we were able to see the lake twice, once on a gloriously sunny day and again on a rainy, cold and miserable afternoon. The lake itself is a short drive out of Banff; the car park gets horrendously busy, so visit early or late, we visited in the afternoon both times and had no trouble parking. It is then a short walk from the car park to the lakeshore and it is a stunning sight.

The lake is so green it really does take your breath away; it almost doesn’t seem real. It is surrounded by dense woodland that offers lots of hiking trails for you to explore. If you want to get away from the crowds I would recommend doing this as most people stop for a selfie then leave.

We walked up through the trees the first time for a short hike, it was eerily quiet and all we could hear was the rain on the leaves, this gives you some good view points of the lake from above as well as the glacier. You can carry on hiking to the tea-house or Mirror Lake and Lake Agnes- two less popular lakes. As you are walking through a wood, bear spray is a must and always make a noise to alert any wildlife that you are there.

The second time we visited, we walked around the lakeshore to the beach that sits at the end, this gives you some epic views of the lake from a different angle and gets you closer to that magnificent glacier. There are some lovely climbs around here if you’re after a bit of rock climbing or some lovely run off streams, perfect for soothing your feet. I liked this walk best; it felt less busy and a bit wilder. The chance to see the glacier and mountains towering over us was also a must have. Despite it being June, there was still a lot of snow sitting on them. We had heard from a couple of other walkers that there had been an avalanche just a few days before.

Despite the crowds, it is easy to get off the beaten track and enjoy some quiet time, the views are simply stunning and you can see why it is so popular. I would say go and visit if you can, but get up into the woodland for some breath-taking views from above. Be bear aware and take your camera, you won’t regret it.