Aveley Ranch

HISTORIC AVELEY RANCH. Est. 1906

Go back in time - experience the true North West on Aveley Ranch. Wandering by the flowing river or hiking in the alpine meadows, there is something for everyone. Take a look at a working ranch up close.

With over 1 ,000 sheep, lambing season in April is spectacular! Bring out the family! Children will be engaged for hours: cuddling and feeding new-born lambs and racing their toy boats in Crooked Creek. During April the puppet show is a hit with guests of all ages. Observe a lamb being born.

MAKE A MEMORY YEAR-ROUND

• children collect warm eggs and hand-feed the chickens
• guests of all ages pile on the hay wagon
• pioneer stories are told as the tractor chugs along beside the river
• free, fresh home-made scones, tea & lemonade in the Tea House/Museum
• artifacts, photos and true tales of the Old West.
• explore our meadows & woodlands sprinkled with clear creeks and springs. A bird-watcher's delight!
• hard-core or novice mountain biking... this is "off-road" at its best!

Alpine Sheep Camp Tour: A 4-6 hr. adventure. Visit the area where our sheep have grazed for almost a 100 years. Transportation by guide. Stunning view! - unlimited photo opportunities. Experience a guided hike with the shepherd on the wild open range. Enjoy a homemade mouth-watering meal cooked in camp. With the peaceful flock, breathtaking wildflowers, and the 'old way' you'll find a retreat from life's demands.

Ranch Stay/Holiday: In this day and age it seems it's getting more and more difficult to get away and relax. Nestled in a valley in the heart of British Columbia there lies a place for you. We welcome you to stay overnight and plan your own excursions or check out our Ranch Holiday which includes booking our Solitude B&B; a private cottage (complete with fireplace) that is fully facilitated. The kitchen is stocked with breakfast items for you to prepare at your leisure. While staying on the ranch you can participate in a hayride and pitch-in with the workers on Canada's Oldest family-Owned Sheep Ranch. (Up to 4 hrs. of ranching with 'ranch hands'.) Sheep moves, lambing with the shepherd and winter feeding in the open fields are very popular.

HISTORY
Aveley Ranch was established in 1906 when our grandfather homesteaded in the North Thompson Valley. He introduced sheep to the ranch in 1913. Carving out a home in the wilderness, Tam Moilliet was ready for his bride when she arrived from England in 1909. Mary braved blizzards and canoeing the North Thompson River to birth and raise a family. On the premature death of her husband, her 16 year old son, John, managed to develop what his father began.

Aveley Ranch - a peaceful natural setting where hard work produces abundance from the land. The Moilliet family has always worked together, teaching skills to the younger, respecting the wisdom of the older. Keeping with family tradition, Grandfather's third and fourth generation continue to shepherd the flock through life's seasonal cycle.

Return to Cabin/Cottage - Vavenby