This is Newcastle Island. For the First People it was a place of healing and training in the spiritual arts. I could easily imagine this being a place for the spirit. While we were biking along the trails we saw no one at all.
But we knew they were here. Can you imagine waking up here? To this peace and quiet and this view?
We biked along the shoreline trail and the city seemed so far away.
Soon we headed into the woods. There are many trails here but bikes are restricted to just a few.
The bones of a tree bleaching in the sun. Surrounded by a field of bright yellow yarrow.
We cycled past a small but perfect lake. Depending on the map you were looking at it was named Mallard Lake or Beaver Lake. It's not hard to see why either name would be appropriate.
Deep in the woods, a piece of the sun lights up an arbutus. It has had to climb high above the other trees to find enough light. I love the graceful shapes of these trees.
The end of the trail. We sit under the dappled shade of a huge Garry oak and just rest.
I mean this from the bottom of my heart...Wish I were there.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous.
What a strangely beautiful place! What is that in the first picture? It looks like some kind of porous rock?
ReplyDeleteGinny - I don't know what kind of rock but it has been shaped by the wave action over hundreds of years.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely way to spend a day! So calming and peaceful. I feel relaxed just reading about it!
ReplyDeleteI'll call that an armchair bike ride, I didn't have to move either. Fantastic photos my favourite being the tall tree with the sun on it. I'd think it looks more like a beaver lake to me.
ReplyDeletehi stephanie, as I look at the photo of the city in the far distance, it's hard to imagine that such a large population is so close to such a quiet and reflective place.
ReplyDelete