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National Geographic
3 days ago
- National Geographic
Trace the backcountry trails of Banff National Park on horseback
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). In the side paddock, a team of mules jostles, their heads low, long ears twitching as they snort and stamp impatiently. The beasts — horse-donkey hybrids — are being loaded up with gear for our expedition into Banff National Park, western Canada, saddle bags of supplies ballooning at their sides. Fuel, food, grain, linen and the inevitable bottle of whisky: it's a packing list untouched by time. As the string of mules ambles past in a tethered line, hooves kicking up lazy clouds of dust, it feels like a scene from a Wild West flick, shot in glorious Technicolor against the swaggering backdrop of the Canadian Rockies. But a sidelong glance at the stable yard spins a different yarn, as the present-day wranglers grafting away look remarkably different to Alberta's early pioneers. Striding towards me is Erica Woolsey, mule packer and no-nonsense guide for Banff Trail Riders. A ten-gallon hat veils her eyes from the rising sun, and scuffed cowboy boots peek out from beneath dirt-stiffened jeans that look like they could stand upright on their own — the perfect uniform for someone who spends more time on the trail than off it. 'Guiding in the backcountry has traditionally been a male-dominated world,' Erica says as she eyes a pen of preening horses she's been tasked with prepping for the journey ahead. 'When I started out, I was the only female leading the longer, tougher rides,' she recalls. Fast-forward 14 years, and that trend has bucked. 'Today, women make up around 80% of the 100-strong team here,' Erica explains. She gestures towards the yard, where her crew is toiling away, some crouched under horses that outweigh them fivefold, hammering metal shoes onto hooves. 'Guiding in the backcountry has traditionally been a male-dominated world. Today, women make up around 80% of the 100-strong team here," says Erica. Photograph by Victoria Wright It's all in a day's work for backcountry guides, who take riders on multi-day expeditions into the far-flung reaches of Banff National Park in southwestern Alberta. Established in 1885, Canada's oldest national park attracts over four million visitors annually, drawn here to hike, bike, canoe, camp and ride horses in the wilderness. Hungry for a taste of its frontier culture, I've travelled 110 miles west of Calgary to Banff Trail Riders, a family-owned outfitter on the outskirts of the resort town of Banff that's been giddying-up since 1962. Its three-day trek dangles a tantalising carrot: the chance to discover soaring mountain peaks, emerald glacial lakes and pockets of alpine forest most easily accessed by steed. Adding to the spirit of adventure is the prospect of bedding down at Sundance Lodge, a rustic 10-room log cabin set within the national park. It requires a full day of riding to reach, but the payoff promises to be immense. Our route will follow storied pathways, Erica tells me, ducking under a wooden fence and leading me into the sun-baked corral. 'Over the years, these trails have been used by fur trappers led by Indigenous guides, to scout a route for the Canadian Pacific Railway, and by tourists after the discovery of thermal hot springs here in 1883.' In the Canadian Rockies, names such as 'Wild' Bill Peyto and Tom Wilson — rugged, macho types who helped city slickers navigate the hills and hollers of Banff National Park towards the end of the 19th century — are still spoken about with a reverence more commonly reserved for Hollywood stars. No one's shouted about it but women have always played a crucial role in backcountry life, too, although their contribution was traditionally confined to the kitchen and often went unseen. Established in 1885, Banff National Park in southwest Alberta is Canada's oldest national park. Photograph by Victoria Wright "These are ancient trails and we're trying to keep some of those old traditions alive," says Lola Jung, cowgirl. Photograph by Victoria Wright But the winds of change are blowing. Recent years have seen The West two-stepping into the mainstream, thanks to the popularity of onscreen dramas such as Yellowstone, fashion houses including Louis Vuitton and Prada tapping into rodeo-ready looks, and Beyoncé's country-inspired Cowboy Carter album making cowgirling cool. 'This lifestyle has definitely gained widespread appeal and things have swung the other way in terms of gender,' Erica explains. It's an Old West plotline where the once bit-player cowgirls have suddenly stepped into the starring roles. I hoist myself into the creaking saddle of a chestnut horse, given the satisfyingly Americana name of Montana. Following a quick lesson on riding posture from ranch owner Julie Canning — 'shoulders back like a beauty queen, hips thrust forward like a whore' is a nugget of advice I won't forget anytime soon — I leave Erica to her work and head out into the foothills. Into the wild A couple of hours into the trek, the low moan of trucks blowing past on the highway is replaced by the cheerful drum roll of a woodpecker hiding up a skinny pine tree. Shortly after that, my phone signal evaporates. It feels like we're riding back through time, I call out to Lola Jung, a fresh-faced cowgirl leading our group of riders. She swings around in her saddle to chat. 'These are ancient trails and we're trying to keep some of those old-time traditions alive,' she says as the tasselled fringe of her tan leather chaps, embossed with spiked maple leaves, ripples in the breeze. While Lola looks every inch the cowgirl — a white Stetson hat perched upon her head, silky kerchief knotted just-so at her neck, and hair braided into a sleek plait worthy of a show pony — her buckarette journey hasn't been a typical one. 'Just a couple of years ago, I was a nerdy university student sat in a classroom,' she says with some disbelief. Since trading academia for blazing saddles, the self-taught rider has earned her spurs as a backcountry guide, she reveals, as we clip-clop through a dense mess of woodland ferns. There was the time when a towering grizzly bear, ominously nicknamed The Boss, stalked her group of horse riders through Banff National Park for a nail-biting two-and-a-half hours, before Lola steered them to safety. She's also mastered the art of saddle and bridle repair. 'When you're out here in the middle of nowhere and something breaks, you just fix it,' she says with a shrug, sounding as tough as the age-worn leather she mends with a needle and thread. This lifestyle has definitely gained wide-spread appeal and things have swung the other way in terms of gender. Photograph by Victoria Wright Having tethered the horses beside a creek, Lola unpacks lunch ingredients from weathered handmade wooden boxes, attached to her trusty sidekick mule via an intricate system of knotted ropes. 'Looking at black-and-white photos from a century ago, this was also how folks back then moved goods around,' she explains, before starting a fire. Our group, including a catalogue-handsome European couple on their honeymoon and some affable US retirees on a big-ticket holiday, tuck into hulking slabs of flame-licked steak, washed down with metallic mugs of cowboy coffee that's as gritty as the nearby riverbed. We're soon back in the saddle and forging onwards towards Sundance Lodge. 'Technically, you could walk these trails on foot, but the beauty of riding them is that the horse has such stamina,' Lola says, patting the neck of hers approvingly. 'Humans stop for blisters, but these guys just keep on going.' Even astride a five-foot-high horse, this is the kind of scenery to make you feel as miniscule as an ant: gargantuan mountains, formed between 80 and 55 million years ago, rear up on either side. 'What I love about riding out here in the backcountry is that the landscape is forever changing,' Lola enthuses as we slink through a wildflower meadow, the mid-afternoon humidity now at lens-fogging levels. 'We have all seasons in a single day, so things are constantly evolving. I've had snow, hail, rain and sunshine all within the span of a couple of hours.' Meanwhile back at the ranch Before dusk, we arrive at Sundance Lodge, a homely timber property set against a thick spruce forest that seems lifted from a vintage Christmas card. It was originally built in 1991 in the shadow of Ten-Mile Cabin, a rest shelter dating back to 1923 that was once a popular stop for riders heading to Mount Assiniboine, a pyramidal peak straddling the border between the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Our home for the next few days is a modern take on the early pioneer homesteads that once dotted this region — although rather more luxurious than its predecessors. Inside, a herd of taxidermy stags with crowning antlers peers down from the walls, while woollen Aztec blankets are slung across beds in the guest rooms. The only neighbours for miles around, it would seem, are furry marmots. From the lodge's wraparound porch, the giant rodents are easy enough to spot on the grassy lawn, standing upright on their hind legs and sniffing the air like fat meerkats. Weary-limbed from a day in the saddle, we return to the lodge with the gait of John Wayne staggering through the swinging doors of a saloon. Photograph by Victoria Wright 'Over the years, these trails have been used by fur trappers led by Indigenous guides, to scout a route for the Canadian Pacific Railway, and by tourists after the discovery of thermal hot springs here in 1883,' explains Erica Photograph by Victoria Wright The following dawn, after a deep slumber, cocooned in our off-grid outpost, we swing back into the saddle, heading out for a full day of trekking. Our lasso-shaped route snakes along the Brewster Creek Trail, named after the Brewster brothers, a couple of pioneering explorers who helped kick-start tourism in the Canadian Rockies at the end of the 19th century by guiding visitors through the area. Just shy of 14 miles out-and-back, the ride is more marathon than sprint, but rewards with blockbuster views of the jagged Sundance Range of mountains. Although the pace is restrained to a gentle walk, the terrain gets rough-and-tumble at points — we slosh through boulder-strewn streams and oozing mud paths one minute, teeter on the edge of a sheer cliff edge the next. But the horses know their steps better than a troupe of veteran ballroom dancers, I reason, and slacken the reins, trusting Montana to take the lead. Weary-limbed from a day in the saddle, we return to the lodge with the gait of John Wayne staggering through the swinging doors of a saloon, to find a hearty hotpot simmering on the stove. A s'mores dessert, baked to a calorific goo in a heavy cast-iron skillet dangling from the kitchen's hooks, cools on the sideboard. Having turned the horses loose, we take our seats around a long communal table for the well-deserved feast. With our hair still faintly smelling of barn animals, conversation swiftly turns to our horses' idiosyncrasies; we sound like proud parents at a school PTA meeting. After dinner, I join Lola beside the campfire, the fiery light coppering her hair and throwing fleeting shadows across her face. Women explorers have been out here for years, she's quick to highlight, as we cradle mugs of cocoa in our hands. Over a century prior to #womenwhohike trending online, US-Canadian naturalist and photographer Mary Schäffer Warren was exploring this park and turning her camera's lens to its rugged mountains. By 1931, New York mountaineer Georgia Engelhard had conquered Mount Victoria — on the border of Alberta and British Columbia — an impressive nine times; a particularly challenging climb, it can present steep snow and ice conditions. During this period, Lola tells me, an artist and extreme peak-seeker called Catharine Robb Whyte could also be found 'hiking out here while wearing her husband's trousers'. An owl concealed in the inky woodland responds to the revelation with an echoing hoot. Having traded the confines of a skirt for the freedom of a pair of slacks, Catharine ruffled a few feathers. 'It was taboo, as people thought that the dangers of mountain climbing were just for men,' Lola says. 'But she had the last laugh, becoming quite wealthy, and there's now a museum named after Catharine and her husband in Banff.' The horse-donkey hybrids are being loaded up with gear for our expedition into Banff National Park. Fuel, food, grain, linen and the inevitable bottle of whisky: it's a packing list untouched by time. Photograph by Victoria Wright With no connection to the outside world, life at Sundance has found its own deliciously languid rhythm (ride, relax, repeat) but it's soon time to head back. Towards the end of the 10-mile return trek, with the lodge a hazy memory behind us and the town of Banff appearing on the horizon, Lola suddenly breaks into song. 'I don't wanna ride side saddle, I just wanna ride bow-legged, bow-legged like the boys.' We ride back into the stables, a posse of cowgirls awaiting our return. Moving mountains The following morning, back on terra firma, I make the short drive south east from Banff to Canmore. Situated in the Bow Valley, the former coal mining town rose from its sooty ashes when it played host to the Nordic events at the 1988 Winter Olympics. These days, it appeals as a quieter alternative to popular downtown Banff, while still offering easy access to the great outdoors and cafes serving up a half-decent frothy coffee. On the outskirts of town, crunching to a standstill in the parking lot of the Grassi Lakes Trail, I find fiftysomething guide Heather Black. She leans against the boot of her car, buckling on a backpack, with a camera on a selfie stick strapped across her chest. Early settlers poured into the Canadian West in serious numbers from the 1860s onwards, an immigration boom prompted by mining, oil and agriculture, but Alberta was by no means uninhabited territory prior to this. To learn more of its rich Indigenous history, I'm joining Heather, founder of hiking company Buffalo Stone Woman, on a trek. We'll be hiking the popular Grassi Lakes Trail, a 2.5-mile jaunt that's part of a network of 48 trails in the Canmore area. Heather, a former female boxing champ, is part of the Blackfoot Confederacy, a people who ranged across the Great Plains of western North America. Our tour this morning is part of broader reclamation of her culture, Heather tells me, as we stride towards the leafy trailhead. 'My ancestors were here around 10,000 years ago, using these mountains as medicine,' she explains, as we enter the sun-dappled woodland. 'While the men were hunting, it was groups of women who'd be out here harvesting plants.' Heather points out a cluster of purple juniper berries sprouting nearby, traditionally dried and consumed as a tea to help ease respiratory problems. 'If you were troubled, an elder would advise you to come to the Rockies,' Heather continues, the earthy scent of moss rising up from the spongy forest floor. 'Our people would fast here, sometimes for four days on end, in order to have a vision.' The mountains are still sacred, used by the Blackfoot people for ceremonial purposes to this day. Heather, a former female boxing champ, is part of the Blackfoot Confederacy, a people who ranged across the Great Plains of western North America. Photograph by Victoria Wright 'My ancestors were here around 10,000 years ago, using these mountains as medicine,' Heather explains. Photograph by Victoria Wright Following the signing of Treaty 7 in 1877, which ceded First Nations hunting territory to the Canadian government, the Indigenous people were forced to move onto reserves. 'It was forbidden for my people to come out here, separating us from our land and culture,' Heather says. The 30-year exclusion period ended in the 1920s but it cast a long shadow, and her parents would avoid bringing her to the Rockies as a child. Heather grew up 190 miles south east of where we're standing; her journey back to the range began 10 years ago, following a family loss. 'I came here to call upon the mountain spirits for strength,' the Calgary-based guide recalls. Noticing an absence of Indigenous people on the trails, she was inspired to start her own hiking company. 'Go big or go home': that was her mantra in the early days. 'You see that mountain over there?' she asks. I follow her finger to a peak so mind-bogglingly high that it blocks out the sun. 'That was the first mountain I summited. I was dressed in entirely the wrong kit,' she says, laughing, 'but I still remember sitting up there and looking down with such a sense of achievement.' We climb higher, until the terrain starts to plateau, revealing a mirrored lake the colour of jade. Glacial silt particles reflecting in the sunlight — the scientific explanation for the hue of Alberta's bodies of water — have never looked so beautiful. I take a moment to drink in the scene and reflect on the people who have tended to this land, from matriarchs harvesting medicinal plants to hard-scrabble cowgirls working on the ranches. There's nothing that new about the women of the Rockies taking the reins, I realise. It's just that now, thanks to guides like Lola and Heather, we're also invited along for the ride. Getting there & around: Air Canada and Air Transat offer direct flights to Calgary from London. Air Transat also offers direct flights from Manchester and flight time: 9h. Car rental companies operate out of Calgary Airport. FlixBus, Banff Airporter and Discover Banff Tours run frequent daily shuttles between Calgary International Airport and Banff. When to go: Summer sees long sunny days and average temperatures of 22C. June is the busiest time to visit Alberta's Rockies so book accommodation and activities well in advance. Spring is a good time for wildlife spotting, with bears waking from hibernation. Autumn offers glorious leaf-peeping opportunities but some operators may wind down their activities as the weather turns, with an average temperature of 5C in October. Where to stay: Fairmont Palliser, Calgary. From C$328 (£176). Hotel Canoe & Suites, Banff. From C$249 (£134). The Malcolm Hotel, Canmore. From C$320 (£172). More info: How to do it: Banff Trail Riders runs horse-trekking trips between May and October. It has two nights at Sundance Lodge, including all meals, horse-riding and trail fees from C$1,699 (£945). Canada As You Like It has a seven-night Alberta fly-drive from £1,455 per person, including return flights to Calgary, car hire, one night in Calgary, three nights in Banff and three nights in Jasper. This story was created with the support of Travel Alberta Published in the July/August 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Pottery Barn rival takes aim at furniture store by stocking look-alike finds for much cheaper
A thrifty shopper has sent Halloween fans into a frenzy after finding Pottery Barn dupes at HomeGoods. Going by the name Erica, she posted a video on TikTok of her shopping experience on July 22. The mother of two showed off a dozen HomeGoods products, half of them resembling Pottery Barn products. Half of her finds looked almost identical to Pottery Barn's Halloween line, where similar items cost $29.50 to $129. Other HomeGoods offerings Erica loved included ghost and bat baskets, a skeleton stuffed animal, and a bowl with a skeleton on the rim. Prices may vary depending on locations, but various shoppers in YouTube videos claimed most of HomeGoods' Halloween items cost between $10 and $40. Pottery Barn is famous for its luxurious home offerings, but it's also famous for being the focus of various dupes at retailers like Dollar Tree and Goodwill. Unlike the nearly 1,000 HomeGoods locations, the retailer does not embrace Summerween in all its stores, but it does online all-year-round. The pumpkin Erica found on the shelf resembled Pottery Barn's Handmade Terracotta Jack O'Lantern. The higher-priced pumpkins are currently a best seller available in six sizes that costs between $29.50 and $119. She couldn't help but notice that HomeGoods' inexpensive buckets could be compared to a skeleton serving bowl priced at a whopping $129 at Pottery Barn. While HomeGoods' skeleton cheese knives did not match the bucket, they were a worthwhile dupe of a $49.50 Pottery Barn product. Erica made her way to the ghost section after being impressed by pumpkins and skeleton, and found a cheeseboard that nearly matches a $69.50 Pottery Barn item. She also spotted Martha Steward-brand ghosts that like Pottery Barn's $89.50 set of three, can be safely hung on tree branches. After making her ghoulish finds, she went back to the pumpkin area, and found glasses similar to a set of 4 Pottery Barn cups that cost between $34.97 and $56. Erica did not reveal the price difference between any of the items, which can vary based on location. Retailers have been on the chopping block for years following fears of recession and inflation. Tariffs have not made it any better, and has led to brutal job cuts. However, HomeGoods has managed to survive the ordeal, and experienced an 8 percent revenue increase during its first quarter. Pottery Barn, the largest Williams-Sonoma brand in revenue and store count, helped its parent company finish off its first quarter with a 3.4 percent increase in comparable brand revenue. The brand continues to be a top furniture retailer compared to its competition such as the At Home chain, which plotted its bankruptcy in May. The Texas-based chain ended up filing soon after closing 20 stores, and could potentially shutter more locations in the future.
Daily Mirror
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Married At First Sight star Erica Roberts shares heartbreaking news of family member death
Fans of E4's Married At First Sight will recall Erica Roberts as one of the 2023 contestants and they have grown to know more about her - and her family - since her season ended Married At First Sight star Erica Roberts has been left devastated by the heartbreaking death of a family member. The 27-year-old reality star was a contestant on the chaotic E4 reality show in 2023. While taking part in the series, Erica drew attention - and won over fans - for her romance with 28-year-old personal trainer Jordan Gayle. As fans have taken to learning more about Erica and her life in the years since she first appeared on the E4 dating show, they have got to know about other members of her family via her social media channels. Over the weekend, the dance teacher from Edinburgh revealed that she had been left heartbroken over the death of her grandmother, Jessie. Taking to social media, the MAFS star paid tribute to her grandmother and shared photos of them together. On Instagram, the reality star shared a carousel of content which featured a photo of Jessie kissing her on her cheek as she shared a message about her sad passing. The MAFS star wrote: "On Thursday night I lost my beautiful Nana Jessie. "I'm so grateful for the time we had together and that I got to say goodbye I will cherish the memories we made forever, heaven has gained the greatest angel." Images and video clips showed the reality star and her grandmother enjoying family time together. A clip she shared previously showed Erica massaging cream into her nan's hands and brushing her hair. At the time, she had explained how her grandmother had helped look after her when she was a child, and shared her joy at being able to care for Jessie in her late years. She wrote: "I grew up with her looking after me, so now it's time to look after her." After sharing the sad news that Jessie had died, Erica was met with messages of condolence from friends and followers online. One typed in response: "Sorry for your loss Erica." While another typed: "Sending you so much love my girl!" E4 viewers watched Erica and Jordan grow close after their initial blind date wedding during the course of the show. They were one of the few couples to maintain their romance after the experiment came to an end and the cameras stopped rolling. The pair maintained their romance for several months - but ultimately ended up splitting in February 2024. They announced their split online, with Erica writing at the time: "This hasn't been an easy decision for us both as we really wanted to make our relationship work. I truly wish him all the best and there is no bad blood between us." However, she later hinted that arguments had torn their once happy relationship apart. She eventually told The Sun: 'It was a long time coming. 'I just completely started losing myself, trying to look after him. I feel like I very much took that role in the relationship. He needed a lot from me and I think he really put a lot of pressure on me to be his sole support system." And recounting an argument they had over the fact she missed attending a party with him, she added: "I thought, 'You know what, I'm tapping out. I actually can't do this anymore.' And that was it. I was like, 'I'm done. I cannot continue this. This is insane behaviour.''
Irish Daily Mirror
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Inside Rory McIlroy's relationship with his wife Erica
Rory McIlroy returned to Northern Ireland this week with the hopes of winning his second major of the year and avenging his poor performance at Portrush in 2019. Six years ago, McIlroy's Open hopes were dashed before they even began when he put a ball out of bounds on the first tee and missed the cut. A lot has changed for McIlroy since then, as he improved his game to finally end his major hoodoo. His wife, Erica, has been by his side. It has been a rollercoaster few years for the pair after an unexpected separation and subsequent u-turn. They were an emotional pairing after he won the Masters earlier this year. Here is everything you need to know about their relationship. Who is Erica McIlroy? Erica Stoll was born in New York in 1987. When did the pair meet? The pair first met in the 2012 Ryder Cup when a sleepy McIlroy got his tee times mixed up and was late for his tee time. Stoll, a PGA Tour of America employee, was on hand to help McIlroy get up and to the golf course. The pair struck up a romance a few years later. McIlroy was previously engaged to tennis legend Carolina Wozniacki. Where and when did they get married? The pair tied the knot in a luxurious ceremony at Ashford Castle in Mayo in 2017. The venue was on lockdown to accommodate the A-list wedding, which included many of McIlroy's top golfing pals. McIlroy spared to expense with Ed Sheeran and Stevie Wonder performing. Children Rory McIlroy with wife Erica and daughter Poppy The pair welcomed their daughter Poppy into the McIlroy family in 2020. Poppy was on hand for Rory's Masters win and also made headlines when she sank a magic long-range putt during the Augusta Par Three contest. Break up and U-Turn In a shock announcement in May 2024, McIlroy announced that he was filing for divorce from his wife, Erica. A statement at the time read: "Rory McIlroy's communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed. "They stressed Rory's desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible. He will not be making any further comment." Fast forward a month, and the pair were able to work through their differences with McIlroy releasing this short statement. 'There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool's game. 'Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. 'Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.'
Daily Mirror
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
MAFS star says 'heaven has gained the greatest angel' as they announce family death
Married At First Sight star Erica Roberts shared with fans the devastating news of the death of her grandmother Jessie in an emotional post on social media Married At First Sight UK star Erica Roberts shared with fans the loss of her beloved grandmother Jessie. Taking to Instagram, the former bride who appeared on the E4 show back in 2023, shared an emotional post detailing the sad loss of her "beautiful nana." Erica, who was partnered with Jordan Gayle at the time, wrote: "I'm so grateful for the time we had together and that I got to say goodbye I will cherish the memories we made forever, heaven has gained the greatest angel." Erica accompanied the post with a collage of pictures of her and her grandmother throughout the years. Erica's grandmother Jessie had been an integral part of her upbringing as she looked after her as a child. And this explains why Erica said she felt grateful to be able to repay the favour by looking after her nan before her death. Erica posted a video of her rubbing moisturising cream into her hands while brushing her hair. The reality TV star who became a major talking point while on the show due to her clash with fellow contestant Tasha, explained: "I grew up with her looking after me, so now it's time to look after her." In a series of other images, Erica's nan is seen kissing her cheek and another shows the pair holding hands. Just moments after Erica took to Instagram to share her sad news, she was inundated with comments from friends and followers. One person wrote: "Sorry for your loss Erica." And Adrienne Naylor, who appeared on the show at the same time, said: "Sending you so much love my girl!" Amy Christophers, who was on the show back in 2021 also said: "So sorry babe, sending you lots of love xxxx." Jay Howard penned: "I'm so sorry for your loss babe, it's awful losing a grandparent. Thinking about you and your family." Erica's relationship with Jordan fell apart after the reunion show aired last year. And at the time of the split, Erica wrote on Instagram: "This hasn't been an easy decision for us both as we really wanted to make our relationship work. I truly wish him all the best and there is no bad blood between us." However, months later Erica explained to The Sun that the reason for the split was that she noticed a number of red flags. She admitted: "I just completely started losing myself, trying to look after him. He needed a lot from me and I think he really put a lot of pressure on me to be his sole support system." She added: "And that's too much for one person. I want to be your partner and your lover, not your therapist and your mum. It just got too much for me."
