Regina Beach, Sask.

By CINDA CHAVICH

Special to the Globe and Mail (May 2006)

As legend has it, at least according to the famous Pauline Johnson poem, the beautiful Qu'Appelle Valley just outside Regina was named by a young Indian brave who heard his lover's voice across the lake and called out "qu'appelle?" or "Who calls?"

According to a similar legend in my family, at the tender age of 5, I was glued to the old black and white box whenever a certain local crooner was on television, singing his own rendition of the Legend of the Qu'Appelle Valley.

"For the moon shines tonight upon the valley,

Echo and Pasqua, Mission, Katepwa

Those famous fishing lakes are calling,

And I am falling, beneath their spell."

It must have made an impression, for I can still remember all of the words to that cheesy square-dance tune, likely since I spent so many summers down in that valley. My mother grew up there, and so we were often found on a sunny afternoon, burning our bums on the big shiny steel slide (pre-water slide days) at the sandy beach and gorging on fish and chips at Butler's Blue Bird Cafe at Regina Beach on Last Mountain Lake. The Butler family still runs the chip shop, and you can still play in the sand under the poplars, or spend the day water skiing, fishing or counting clouds.

And while you can stay at a B&B in town or camp by the lake, I recommend heading up the valley to the Fieldstone Inn, a restored, 100-year-old prairie fieldstone home in a bucolic rural setting with an awesome view of those velvety green Qu'Appelle Valley hills.

-- Cinda Chavich

Pack your bags

WHERE TO STAY

The Fieldstone Inn Vacation Farm: 306-731-2377; fieldstoneinn@sasktel.net.

Regina Beach Campground: 306-729-2629

WHERE TO EAT

Blue Bird Cafe & Butler's Fish: 306-729-2385; 108 Centre St., Regina Beach

MORE INFORMATION

http://www.reginabeach.ca

http://www.sasktourism.com

©Cinda Chavich

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