Paddling Moraine Lake in Banff National Park

As writer Pierre Berton once mused, “a Canadian is someone who knows how to make love in a canoe”.

Indeed, canoeing is so Canadian that one of the main canoe designs is even called a “Canadian” canoe, so paddling a pretty mountain lake should really be considered an integral part of experiencing the country.

Even though Alberta has far fewer lakes than many of the other Canadian provinces, those it does have are of the most amazing quality and it takes a long time before the feeling of splashing and skimming across these tranquil glassy waters, against a backdrop of craggy peaks, glaciers and evergreens, begins to pale.

Those bent on remote adventurous will find several waterways in Northern Alberta which once opened up the land to the traders and trappers and still offer an amazing way in which to explore the backcountry.