louisbourg lighthouse trail + main-a-dieu

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On Sunday I had the whole day free. I had worked hard on Saturday to get assignments done or at least partway done, because I knew I needed one day with no responsibilities, no assignments, nothing making a demand on me at all.

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I didn’t make any plans for this “free” day, except that Adam and I planned we would make a nice breakfast together. I left the rest of the day “open” so that if I wanted to spend the rest of the day in bed reading, I could. (I knew what he was going to be doing – football season has started!) But then, as we were making breakfast and I saw how windy it was out and how nice and sunny, I realized, what I really wanted to do with the day was walk for hours outside somewhere, feeling the wind on my skin. IMG_8242

Last year when I went to Kennington Cove to swim, with my friend Stacey, after our swim we drove out to the Louisbourg Lighthouse trailhead. At the time, I hadn’t known there was a trail there, so it was a revelation to me. That particular day we didn’t have time to hike it, so we just walked a few feet down it and then turned back. So I knew that there was a trail there, and that it was in good shape.

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Anyway, back to this past Sunday. I headed out. I didn’t pack any food, or wear proper hiking shoes. (My Birks have been pretty good to me over the years in a variety of terrain. I wasn’t worried.)

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The first kilometer or so is flat gravel, and wide: a very good trail. It’s a loop that goes along the shoreline and then inland on the return. It was glorious and everything I’d been hoping for: wind, sunshine, the sound of waves crashing on the shore, and some time alone to just walk and think my own thoughts.

Where the loop trail turns around and goes back, I saw this sign (above). So, I went a little further. IMG_8252 IMG_8253 IMG_8254

And it got a little less Birk-friendly. IMG_8255 IMG_8257 IMG_8258

So after a bit of walking around big muddy spots, I turned back (and made a mental note to return soon with proper hiking boots).

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I stopped at the cobble beach on my way back through. I took off my sandals, and stood with my feet in the water, letting the waves crash over them. Man, it felt good! After a week of being indoors for most of the time (besides for when I take my morning walk or am walking from car to building), this girl needed some pure, unadulterated nature time. IMG_8270

And you can see just how happy it made me. πŸ™‚

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After I got back to the car I realized I still wanted to explore a bit. So instead of driving straight back to Sydney and then home to North Sydney, I went out to Little Lorraine and Main-a-Dieu, just to see what was there.

IMG_8285 IMG_8287 IMG_8289 IMG_8291 IMG_8293 IMG_8296 I didn’t know that Main-a-Dieu beach had this beautiful set of boardwalks! And that the beach there is so nice! I will be coming back here for some “ocean time,” that’s for sure.

IMG_8302 IMG_8305 IMG_8306 IMG_8307 So it was a great excursion, and reminded me of the power and value in “coming home to myself”– making time to do those things that are for me alone. Lovely.

This entry was posted in Leah's thoughts, Outdoors. Bookmark the permalink.

7 Responses to louisbourg lighthouse trail + main-a-dieu

  1. Shelagh says:

    Your photos reminded me of hiking the same trail a couple of years ago, on a similar type of day, only I did the loop and didn’t venture further. Thanks for sharing. Certainly worth doing again.

  2. Heather MacIsaac says:

    Nice to see my neighbourhood! WE love to go there after work. You did a lovely job bringing your viewers on the trail with you Leah.

  3. simonlise says:

    you went right by Gooseberry Cove, one of my favorite places in the whole wide WORLD. Be sure to check it out, the next time you are in that neighbourhood . . jocelyne

  4. alison says:

    LOVELY photos Leah. I’ve never been to this corner of the world but would LOVE to see it one day!! And always wonderful to meet a fellow lover of the outdoors! πŸ™‚

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