Heading home through the Fraser Canyon

Instead of driving back the same way, we went west on the quiet road beside the Nicola River, to Spences Bridge, then south down the Fraser Canyon.  It was the original road to the Interior, and was part of the Gold Rush Trail back in the 1850's.

An Anglican Church outside Spences Bridge, built around 1915

We stopped in Lytton to see the clear Thompson river joining the muddy Fraser river

We had a quick look at the Hell's Gate tram

Wading into the Fraser river in Yale 

It was a great trip - fun to visit the farm, plus stopping to see the sights along the way.  The weather was beautiful too!

Baillie House in Merritt

We really enjoyed our visit to Baillie House, a pioneer home, and now the Information Centre in Merritt.  It has beautiful grounds filled with flowers, an old barn, fountains, and even a small antique shop in the basement.

A surprising water feature!

Marigolds in a wheelbarrow

An old grinding wheel used to sharpen knives, axes and so on, outside the barn.

On the farm

On their farm west of Merritt, our niece and family have 7 pigs, 2 dogs and almost 90 chickens!  We helped gather and wash eggs each night.  The guard dogs keep away coyotes, bears and cougars.

 Sophia, one of the farm dogs

This hen had 13 chicks!

The chickens put themselves to bed at night inside the henhouse

Different colours and sized eggs - 38 the first night and 39 the next!

Othello tunnels

On our way to Merritt to visit our niece and family, my sister and I stopped at the Othello tunnels, outside the town of Hope.  They were constructed in 1914 for the Kettle Valley railway, through solid granite.  We read the information on the displays near the first tunnel, and looked at the photos.

One slip and these surveyors would end up in the river...

My sister Ann at the entrance to the first tunnel

I used the flashlight on my phone inside the tunnels as it was very dark!

Exploring by canoe, but why did we bring the dog?