In this Valley they say you are going….

The Rouge Valley that is! This past weekend, Rich and I discovered something so truly amazing and beautiful that we were literally puzzled we hadn’t known about it before, since it was only minutes from our home!

Well – we knew the Rouge Valley was there and there was “a trail”, but we didn’t realize that we were surrounded by over 47 square kilometers of some of the most beautiful hiking/walking trails! We had tried to walk part of what we thought was a small(ish) trail last fall, but it was so wet and mucky that we had to turn around.

So out we went again on Saturday, to pick up where we left off, and ‘lo and behold, we were opened to a whole new world of hiking grandness! As we walked into the forest, the beauty and depth of the trees and sun sparkling through the branches, took our breath away! We even stopped to literally “hug a tree” and it felt so great (although a little silly at first…but if you’ve never hugged a tree, I highly recommend it!)

Anyway – onward we went – up elevated rock cliffs, with tree roots and rocks providing stepping stones and onto open areas with rolling hills, and along geese-filled ponds, with wildflowers of purple, yellow and white growing all around us – from trail to trail we hiked, sometimes we ran – it was one of the best workouts I’ve had in a long, long time.

Being outside in the sun - surrounded by beautiful nature – hearing all the insects and the birds and the river rushing by – stepping over stones and roots and climbing over huge tree trunks that had fallen down across your path – running up hills, walking hand in hand – stopping to smell the flowers and even share a kiss (aw) - it truly made you glad to be alive. That may sound a little dramatic for “just a hike” – but it wasn’t just a hike – it was one of the best days I’ve ever had.

Fourteen (yes that’s right – 14!) kilometers later, we were back in our car to head home and relax for the rest of the afternoon. Not only was this day great for me physically – it was even better for me mentally. If you’d like to check out the trails for yourself, see here and enjoy! www.rougepark.ca