Monday 8th June 2009.

Set in the heart of Banff National Park and snugly embraced by Alberta's Rocky Mountains, the little town of Banff boasts a big, worldwide reputation. Its charming streets are abuzz year round due to an annual influx of millions of visitors, and this famous mountain resort town caters accordingly with world-class shopping, dining and an array of accommodation, from cabins and campgrounds to bed and breakfasts and Banff hotels and motels. 

At first sight it's apparent why the world is in love with Banff. From the ever-watchful Cascade Mountain to the picturesque Bow River, the community is blessed with a spectacular natural setting, woven with parks, woods and trails. Winter turns the area into a snow sport enthusiast's dream; the Sunshine Village Ski Resort and Norquay attract a global deluge of skiers and snowboarders, while cross-country skiers, snowshoers and ice climbers explore numerous local trails. Banff is an ideal base for hiking and wildlife viewing excursions into surrounding park areas during summer and provides a popular weekend retreat with excellent restaurants, golf courses, day spas and the Banff Upper Hot Springs. 

Located only 144 km (90 mi) from Calgary and close to Kananaskis Country, Canmore and Lake Louise, Banff is a convenient and much-loved mountain paradise.

Banff was first settled in the 1880s, after the transcontinental railway was built through the Bow Valley. In 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway workers stumbled upon a series of natural hot springs on the side of Sulphur Mountain. In 1885, Canada established a federal reserve of 10 sq miles around the Cave and Basin hot springs, and began promoting the area as an international resort and spa as a way to support the new railway. In 1887, the reserve area was increased to 260 sq miles and named "Rocky Mountain Park". This was the beginning of Canada's National Park system.

The area was named Banff in 1884 by George Stephen, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, recalling his birthplace in Banff, Scotland. The Canadian Pacific built a series of grand hotels along the rail line and advertised the Banff Springs Hotel as an international tourist resort.

The Banff townsite was developed near the railway station as a service centre for tourists visiting the park. It was administered by the Government of Canada's national parks system until 1990 when the Town of Banff became the only incorporated municipality within a Canadian national park.

In 1985, the United Nations declared Banff National Park, as one of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, a World Heritage Site. Banff remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in Canada.

It is surrounded by mountains, notably Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, Mount Norquay, and Cascade Mountain. The town is situated above Bow Falls near the confluence of the Bow River and Spray River. We had a very pleasant but bitterly cold three days here before driving over to Calgory and the flight back to the UK.