It’s called the Goat Trail, on the eastern side of the Bonshaw Hills in Prince Edward Island. For my husband and I, accustomed to walks on this relatively flat island, this trail requires the skills of a mountain goat. The trail provides challenges but much to see. We were happy to accept the challenge with the golden grand-dog off-lead on the deserted trail.
One of the challenges is the grade of the trail. It descends to the West River from the Bonshaw Hills and travels up the hills again. While part of the trail is at river level, another part is above the river, a trail which clings to the edge of a slope.
The trail has rocks along part of its length too
and many tree roots.
These make it necessary to keep your eyes on the trail at all times to prevent injury. We considered how we would describe where we were to rescuers and how anyone could take us out if we were injured. Therefore, we kept our eyes glued to the trail, measured every step and occasionally stopped to look around. It was so worth the effort.
The pines were tall and stately, huge trunks erupted through the needle and cone-covered earth,
with green needles in the top canopy.
As we trekked downhill and the river came within reach, Georgie, the golden grand-dog, ran down the slope into the water and rolled around in the red mud on the shore. We called her back and were sprayed with water and mud as she shook the mess over us.
All we could do was laugh.
One trunk was split at ground level upward,
another had a burr,
while another had a hole through the roots at ground level.
The colourful signs of autumn at ground level were missing but overhead, an occasional deciduous tree showed its autumn glory.
As we neared the end of the Goat, a tangle of roots on the path was pure tree artistry which humans rarely see.
Goat trail is a difficult one but we will go back.
