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The view from the yard is panoramic, but west-facing lawn chairs are ideal at dusk.
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The great room, with one of two dining tables behind.
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The view of Moberly Peak from the wrap-around deck.
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Comfortable beds, down-filled duvets, and personal coffee pots make for serene mornings.
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The snow-caped Columbia Mountain Range dominates the view from the lodge’s back windows.
Moberly Lodge
Respite in Golden, British Columbia.
Golden’s Moberly Lodge is situated on 12 acres of private woodland a short 15-minute drive from the city centre. Visitors are immediately greeted by a rolling green hill dotted with bright red Adirondack chairs, a peaceful enclave sandwiched between the sublime Columbia Mountain Range behind, the Rockies’ Moberly Peak in front, and hemlock and pine on all sides. It’s a vision of respite, somewhat at odds with Golden’s reputation as the holy grail for outdoor enthusiasts (six national parks are within a two-hour radius and the city resides at the confluence of the historic Columbia and Kicking Horse Rivers, all of which offer year-round adventure), but it emerges almost like a mirage, a welcomed sanctuary for wary explorers.
“We opened on the 20th of June [2015],” says co-owner Lucille Hayward, smiling, “and we absolutely love it.” Lucille and husband Jonathan run the 11-month-old bed and breakfast out of their spacious yet cozy log home. Soft music permeates through the open-concept great room, expansive west-facing windows bring in a natural light that turns the undulating log walls a glowing golden hue come sunset, and a large wood-burning fireplace dominates the room. Guests can choose from comfortable rooms with double-door access to the lodge’s wrap-around deck, to a spacious balcony suite with a large Jacuzzi bathtub and a direct view of Moberly Peak, to one of two detached log cabins with vaulted ceilings and private fireplaces. One may relax in the hot tub to the sound of songbirds and next to rabbits grazing on the lawn.
Breakfast at this B&B does not disappoint: Lucille prepares an enticing feast each morning. There’s watermelon and crushed mint packed in canning jars, maple-pecan-berry parfaits in glass goblets, fluffy breakfast quiche, apple morning cake, honey and oat rolls, blue vanilla croissant bake, and more, which can be enjoyed in front of a big window boasting mountain views and beside Ollie, the well-behaved family black lab. Seconds are encouraged, and hot coffee is plentiful.
The history of Moberly Lodge is rooted in the need for refuge: in 1871, Sir Walter Moberly was hired to survey Howse Pass and Blaeberry River to find a passage for the Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railway. In an effort to find comfort in the wild, Moberly built a log cabin at the merging of the Columbia and Blaeberry Rivers—an area that resides in the shadow of a peak later named Moberly. Although this original cabin no longer exists, the Haywards preserve its memory, offering guests a chance to experience untamed wilderness without sacrificing comfort or sincere hospitality.
It’s easy to stay busy in Golden, but the mountain stillness peculiar to Moberly Lodge—where time slows down and respite comes first—is an experience to relish.
Moberly Lodge, 1402 Adolph Johnson Road, Golden, B.C., Canada V0A 1H1, 250-344-6676.
