No matter how often I encounter a deer in its natural habitat I experience it as a spiritual moment, and this particular morning was especially so. I was camping at Lac Philippe this week and was up early hoping to see the sunrise and instead encountered this beautiful creature on the grass next to the […]
This week I kayaked on Meech Lake. It was a beautifully warm sunny day with a clear blue sky and a gentle wind. It lent itself to some lazy paddling exploring the shoreline of the northern end of the lake. Even when moving lazily along I felt a bit like someone learning to drive a […]
It must be the height of the season for ferns because the trails this week felt more like tunnels through ferns. The ferns have been thriving with the recent cool nights and relatively cooler days recently: the ground is overgrown everywhere with the lush green from the spring ferns. The ground, which was bare just recently, […]
I’ve often hiked or skied into Herridge Lodge and while I’ve always appreciated the sense of history attached to this building today it felt as if I knew it more intimately. Recently I read Katharine Fletcher’s book Historical Walks, The Gatineau Park Story which contributed immeasurably to my richer understanding and appreciation of the early history […]
Kody and I escaped the strong head winds on Meech Lake today by exploring the creek between Meech Lake and Lac Mousseau (Harrington Lake). A cacophony of sounds floated in the air as we approached the windless marshy area. As we paddled along a turtle sunning on a log ahead of us slid into the […]
Today we walked from the MacDonald Road (#40) to Western Lodge and couldn’t help but be struck by how lush and green the forest is. This first photo was taken along #24 as it slowly climbs up to Ridge Road. I’ve been researching the original names of the ski trails and was so delighted when […]
Last week I hiked into Carman Lake just south of Wakefield, a spot I love because it is so peaceful and not yet discovered by many of the Park visitors. Its my ‘go to’ place for snowshoeing in the winter because of the solitude: I’ve enjoyed many hours either traversing it or exploring unofficial trails […]
Along with so many others I can’t resist the attraction of our iconic Trillium in the Gatineau Park. The blooms are at their peak but with the frigid temperature today I had the place to myself as there were few out to view them other than the ocassional jogger or trail runner. The strong wind tossing […]
Walking on the trails today near Notch Rd. it was lovely seeing the ground covered by wild flowers at their various stages of growth. However, with no green yet on the trees the forest presented quite a grey colour, until we came across a stretch with a hint of green overhead, foretelling what is to come. […]
An early morning walk on the trails off Notch Rd. presented me with this beautiful sight – a stand of birch trees with their white bark glowing from the low angle of the early morning sun shining through the leafless forest. I was out looking for Trillium and quite pleased with this sight. Here are […]
