Video Filmed and Produced by Sarah Foden

When Sky Travel asked me to go in search of the Northern Lights in Canada, I practically fell off my chair with excitement.

The Aurora Borealis is nature at its most wonderful, mystical best. This phenomenon also happens to feature on my list of “50 things to do before I’m 30.”

Photo Credit: Alta Can Aurora Tours

However, although auroras are more commonly witnessed near the poles – making northern Canada a pretty good viewing platform - seeing these spectacular neon curtains of light in the sky still wouldn’t be a given. But at least I’d be searching in some style.

Armed with a guidebook, gloves, thermals and lots of optimism, I headed across ‘the pond’ to Canada’s fourth largest province, Alberta.

Alberta is known for its stunning scenery, boreal forests and great ski and snowboarding resorts – no wonder it attracts tourists from all over the world.

Enjoying the snow in Alberta

So did I see the Northern Lights? Yes, but not as I hoped I would.

By my third night in northern Alberta, I had given up all hope and then, as if from nowhere, green plumes of light appeared in the sky. They disappeared as soon as they came and they were ever so faint, but I saw them!

So a pesky full moon had diminished our chances of seeing them properly, which means I don’t feel I can truly tick it off my “50 things” list just yet!

Edmonton in the sunshine

Fortunately, as I discovered, the great thing about visiting both northern Alberta and the city of Edmonton is that these places are about so much more than the Northern Lights.

Why don’t you click on my video to find out for yourself.