Three special walks ...

The dogs and I go for a walk every day; some walks are close to home and pretty routine while others are more in the "adventure" category.

I love walking in new places.

Wednesday found me walking at Mount Uniacke Estate with chum, Janet.  Mount Uniacke is only about 20 minutes from my house and yet I've never been there before.

The country house built between 1813 and 1815 by Attorney-General Richard John Uniacke  is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Canada.  While it is possible to tour the house, Janet and I opted to check out a couple of the seven trails on the over 2,200 acres estate.

After reviewing the trail map we decided to take the Barrens Trail then connect with the Wetlands Trail and come back via the Post Road Trail.  It didn't take us long to wish we'd read the trail reviews before setting out.  

Sections of the first two trails were laced with boulders and roots and where they were less bouldery and rooty they were wet; very, very wet.

Perhaps we should have been more suspicious of anything named "Wetland".

Happily Wetland Trail connected us with the Post Road Trail which was delightfully wide, clear and grass-covered.

After three hours of slogging, sliding and strolling we finally made it back to the house vowing to come back again in Fall and walk the easier trails.

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For a couple of weeks I had been hoping to visit the Bay of Fundy shore near Walton.  Thursday the tides and weather provided the perfect conditions for me to finally have a walk there.

It was a warm beautiful day.  The dogs and I hiked along the shore.

The folds in the rock are stunning.

We stopped for lunch.  Nothing like a picnic while staring out across the magnificent Bay of Fundy.

Wendy was eager to go for a paddle in the Bay so we set off to find the water.  

The problem was the water was far, far away.  There WAS muck but still no where near enough water for Wendy to swim in.

So we kept on walking.  These rocks, covered in seaweed serve to remind me that in a few hours the place where we're walking will be under many feet of water.

These rocks are covered in Barnacles which close up their "mouths" so they can survive for several hours out of the water .  

It became obvious that we were not going to be able to reach the very elusive water.

We sought out ridges of pebbles that enabled us to walk out as far as possible and headed back along a similar ridge.

It was a wonderful magical day.  

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Saturday my friend Mickie and I met up at Hemlock Ravine Park.

Hemlock Ravine is a lovely park in a residential area.  Many of the trails are designated ON leash but one big loop is OFF leash.  

We sought out that loop and then proceeded to set the record for the world's slowest, pokeyest walk.

There were so many neat things to see.  Mickie was tickled when I showed her that Red Backed Salamanders can be found under rotted logs.  Our final tally of found Salamanders was SIX.  Our goal was ten so we need to go out again next weekend to continue the search.

Mickie took this marvellous shot.

Our walk consisted of walking and stopping and walking and stopping.  We spotted this amazing pattern of Lichen (?) growing on this dead tree.

Mickie took this lovely shot of Wendy and Sooki.

Friends and dogs and places to explore -- Oh my!

  

At the risk of repeating myself; "Who's a lucky girl?".