We are always looking for new trails and we found one close to home this past week. The John Hogg Trail is off the Confederation Trail in a neighbouring community of Kelvin Grove, just twenty minutes away. My husband and I looked forward to exploring this trail and it did not disappoint.
The small section of Acadian forest is located in the midst of farmland.
It is a mature forest with hardwood trees at the start of their fall colour and beginning to shed their leaves. It was a perfect time to visit.
The trek into the forest winds its way through a field which is slowly progressing into forest.
Georgie, the golden grand-dog enjoyed rolling in the scent of some previous visitor to the area.
The height of the trees was impressive.
In some areas of the forest, the canopy darkened the forest floor.
The colours overhead varied from green,
to a mix of greens, reds and yellows.
In other areas, light shone through to abundant undergrowth.
Ferns were in various stages of colour
and young seedlings added touches of red and yellow to the forest floor.
Ground hemlock is a healthy undergrowth in this forest too with patches of it spread throughout the area. There is a clearly defined patch of the hemlock in one area.
The patch of ground hemlock is dark green.
Some tree trunks look old.
Some have curious growths.
One trunk grew around barbed wire.
Various birds calls, such as those of chickadees, bluejays and others we didn’t recognize, filled the air. We didn’t see any of the birds in the high canopy however.
This trail is not frequently used, judging from the condition of the pathway. It provided us with an hour of natural enjoyment, breathing in the fresh air, absorbing the sights and sounds of an unspoiled area close to home
We walked back the Confederation Trail and had our lunch at one of the many picnic areas along the trail. We looked over the countryside as we had our tea and sandwiches and Georgie munched on her snack. Another perfect day!
