It was a fine day for a walk in the country last Sunday for the fifteen of us who came out to hike. The views are among the finest on the Waskahegan Trail. From the high tableland on the Gwynne section of the trail you can look out on grain fields to the west and south, the Battle River valley to the east, the Gwynne valley—where the tiny community is nestled—to the north, and beyond that, the shimmering blue waters of Coal Lake in its own valley.
Descending from the tableland we landed in a small meadow where horses once roamed. As the guidebook says,
“In the valley, you may meet some horses. Be polite—it is their pasture. If they come up to you, they just want a stroke and a chat. They are Morgans and that is the way with that friendly breed.”
The horses are long gone, but the memory of them is immortalized in Stan Skirrow’s helpful description.
After lunch at the ski hill and our return in the warming weather, we jumped into our vehicles and headed to the Chickadee Trail. This trail, which is on private land, is visited frequently by people bringing birdseed for the resident chickadees. The birds are so tame and accustomed to handouts that they flew up us, looking for treats.
Next visit, we told them.
You can find more pictures on Flickr.
