Kearney Lake on Father's Day with Friends

I have to try to write this post about a hike in June at the Birch Cove Blue Mountain Wilderness Area - yes, another one, but this time with two different families.  Let me tell you how crazy excited I was.  (I did already write a whole post on it one night in June, but somehow managed to lose it....darn technology, how did it disappear? or darn me for typing in the dark and pressing the wrong key). 

I talked to Patricia weeks before about doing it.  We both marked it on the calendar for Father's Day but never discussed it again.  I also mentioned it to Ashleigh who sounded interested weeks earlier but we didn't make any firm plans.  It was Father's Day morning, and in the midst of a little disaster (our front end washer leaked all over the floor), the phone rang.  It was Ashleigh checking to see if we were still going to do the hike.  We made plans to meet at the MEC Kayak day first to give the kids a chance in kayaks, and then we'd head to BCBMW area.  We've done a bit of hiking with Ashleigh and her husband and two boys before but it had been quite awhile ago.  Pretty exciting because I know her boys have the same kind of energy as my boys.  It gave me confidence to call Patricia to check on her.  She was keen to go too.  Yay!! What a keener as her hubby wasn't able to go, but she was willing to take her 3 kids under 6 with her.  She would meet us at the trailhead. 

It was early afternoon, and sunny and warm at the trailhead.  We waited a bit for Patricia as my directions weren't perfect.  The boys were raring to go. Al loaded the youngest in the backpack child carrier (to give Patricia a bit of break because the route we chose goes straight up to start).  It wasn't a really long route, but the trail is not marked, lots of roots and rocks and up, up, up.  I felt a bit torn about being everywhere - keeping up with the kids who had tons of energy and excitement, making sure the adults were comfortable with each other, letting the kids enjoy nature (without the constant parental constraints, yet making sure they remained safe).  We stopped at the "top" of the hill to have snacks in the shade and then onward to the trail to the lookoff.  I love giving the kids the opportunity to run.  I want them to be safe, but I want them to learn what their abilities are.  It's hard to see scraped knees but I definitely believe it's part of the process. 

Everyone remained in great spirits and enjoyed more snacks (chocolate and other healthy things) at the lookoff.  It is on a rock outcropping which overlooks a beautiful isolated lake.  We did keep the kids away from the edge (how close to the edge of a cliff is not the kind of learning I think the kids need to understand yet, "just stay far far away from the edge and you'll know you're safe").

One of Ashleigh's boys wanted to get a closer look of the lake so without much difficulty, most of the crew found their way down to the lake by way of another little trail.  They had some fun tossing rocks and wood into the lake, while Patricia and I headed back to her vehicle with her baby who needed a bottle and her 3 year old. 

It was a bit mentally exhausting for me (because I want everyone to be happy and think that I can somehow control that) but overall, very satisfying! and we hope we can get out with more kids soon!on

kids can bike

Today we didn't do any hiking which is a bit funny as I had hoped to do a whole weekend of hiking but postponed it due to my sore toe.  We still could have done a little family hike today, however Liam woke up with the idea of going biking in Shubie park today.  So after a little fun chaotic time at the school spring fair, Al & Liam headed off on the bikes to Shubie park.  I thought I might end up gardening with Zach, but he was determined to bike over to meet the boys in the park.  Yay for Zach who hasn't done a lot of biking and has training wheels on his bike.  So I got to walk over to Shubie park.  (At the moment, we don't have two working adult bikes, and I feel better being on my feet to help Zach when needed).  I was happy to see how hard he worked on biking over, and kept pedalling hard up the hills (with a little push from me from behind).  I called the boys only to find out that they had biked all the way to Lake Banook.  Yay for Liam, that's the longest bike trip that he has done.  We met up with them at the canal.  I took a little ride on the new bike up to the playground while Al took a turn walking with Zach.  And of course, there was chocolate.  I had some white chocolate chips which Zach claims gives him super powers and he must have on all further rides.  And Al had some PB cups in his backpack.  Needless to say, we all had enough energy to make it back home.
So proud of my little bikers.  Pictures next time!!

Kearney Lake Trails

*There are so many Lady Slipper Flowers in the forests of NS.  I still get so excited to see them every year because they are the official flower of PEI and are relatively rare in PEI, or at least that's what I was told as a child so I wouldn't pick them. 


I thought we might start hiking with other families this summer but so far it is not yet to be.  It might have happened today if only I could plan ahead of time.  I will forgive myself for not being able to plan ahead as I really hurt my toe last week on a trail run.  There was some talk about it being broken, but it does seem to be getting significantly better each day.  Still, I really wasn't sure of what I would be capable of.  My toe did hurt today, but it wasn't unbearable and as far as I can tell, it doesn't seem worse tonight.  I'm ever so hopeful that another week will heal it completely.

We headed to Kearney Lake Trails.  We parked at the Maskwa Aquatic Club - the first sign says it's only for members, but if you continue on, you will see another one that says members and hikers, and the trailhead is just beyond that at the far end of the parking lot. 

"Crown lands of the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes area of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) have now been designated under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act. The total area of this near-urban wilderness area is 1,312 hectares (3,242 acres), or almost 3/4 the size of Halifax Peninsula." NS Gov. website.

It's one of our favorite places to explore, right in HRM boundaries!! There are some fantastic trails and a few not so maintained trails (which we found today).  The place is wonderful for those seeking a more backwoods experience without the travelling time.  For the most part, it is not well marked, and not for the inexperienced, or those prone to getting lost - but we love it!!  (The exception is the trail that follows along Kearney Lake, out and back). We've hiked it in winter, spring and almost summer conditions.  Today, we found black flies and mosquitoes, or I should say they found us. 

It is difficult to find information on the area.  It seems the city and/or the NS Dept of Environment have been slow to act on making trails in the wilderness area, and maybe aren't keen on people getting out there in the wilderness until they have done all their bureaucratic business.  Luckily, we have been able to obtain a map of the area from a fellow hiker.  We still use our own GPS for tracking but the other map helps, too. 

We had intentions of going on a short walk today to test out my foot.  We ended up doing 5kms in very trying conditions, but for the most part, we kept our wits about us.  The kids did fantastic, and kept upbeat even when we were bushwacking.  I'm so crazy proud of my little hikers. Only slighter concerned when Zach said he'd rather treewack than bushwack!! Oh, the things that kid says.  We explored a new trail in a system of trails, only to find out that it petered out and/or the bushes just got unbearably thick, and we could not see any more trail ribbons.  I think it was especially tough on Al as he knew we were very close to our destination look-out but it wasn't reasonable to continue  (with kids and me somewhat hobbling at times) so we had to backtrack...not something Al is keen on doing EVER, but he didn't complain.  That's the wonderful thing about having kids around - you learn not to complain because if you do, then the kids will do it tenfold.  I'm still amazed at how well the kids dealt with the blackflies swarming around them.  The next hike will no doubt be a coastal route, for the sanity of the parents. 

We met a lady on the trail today.  She inquired about the direction we had gone and where we were heading.  She decided to try our route, even though we had explained that it couldn't be followed right through (we met her at the end of our hike and it sounded like she didn't get further than us).  She admired our beautiful family and reminded me to be ever grateful for what I have :)