SLOCAN VALLEY DIRECTORY LISTINGS

Appledale is a rolling sunny glade that follows a lazy section of the Slocan River just north of Winlaw – perfect for a gentle paddle, swim or reflection. Appledale has a community hall and is home to one of the Valley’s two golf courses.

Like other southern valley locations, Appledale and its neighbour, Perry’s Siding, to the north attracted settlers during the Valley’s agriculture and settlement period that followed the mining bust.

Appledale’s roots are in its namesake – the ‘apple industry’ of the early 1900s. While indeed many people in the valley still grow fruit trees, there are other more suited areas in B.C. for apple production.

Spurned by the “grow apples and grow rich in Appledale” promotions in Europe, hardy souls from Britain immigrated here in the early 1900s with the hopes of living a country squire life. To their credit, those that stayed (most notably Owen Clay) planted hundreds of apple trees and turned this part of the Slocan Valley into a froth of white apple blossoms. Much of this land is still used for small farming operations.

Spanning both sides of the river, Appledale has some interesting businesses and places to stay tucked away in its pastoral countryside. There are some fine B&B’s and an organic nursery to the north in Perry’s Siding.