Lise's Ramblings

My quads felt Sunday's two-hour trek along Strathgartney Provincial Park's hilliest trail. Suffering from winter doldroms?  Try out snowshoeing. You can choose from either a social outing or a solitary trek for introspective time. If you bundle up and select a relatively wind-free route, then you can burn calories, get from point A to point B, spot wildlife and benefit from fresh air. You may even gain a new appreciation for areas you’ve only ever seen when there were leaves on the trees. Unlike many rushed sports, snowshoeing gives you a chance to take in your surroundings. It’s also a relatively inexpensive, easy-to-learn and safe winter activity. (Even a spaz like me has an injury-free track record when it comes to snowshoeing. Yes, that’s saying a lot considering I’ve chalked up countless broken bones, torn ligaments, bruises and sprains from regular activities like walking, doing laundry, playing in the backyard and skiing.) Sure, we can depend...

The Bay of Fundy region presents visitors with breathtaking vistas and memorable experiences. For those of you who are right-brain dominant, who can resist these wonders: fossil cliffs, reversing rapids, the world’s highest tides, incredible trails and lookouts, diverse wildlife, quaint lighthouses, Hopewell Rocks and other geological treasures, tidal bores, covered bridges, the world's oldest Red Spruce tree, waterfalls and much more. If you’re driven by the left side of your brain, then below you’ll find numbers pointing out how lucky we are to have the Bay of Fundy . 100 billion tons of water flow in and out of the Bay of Fundy twice every 24 hours 1 billion years of geological evidence making up the 300 million years ago the Joggins Fossil Cliffs formed 2,500 square kilometers – size of the Fundy Geopark (Stonehammer) – North America ’s only UNESCO recognized geopark   350 migrating bird species feed along the Bay of Fundy’s Nova Scotia shore...

By major, I don't mean in-town green spaces, but rather the vast areas where we can connect with nature. As Canadians, we are fortunate to have access to so many exceptional national and provincial parks. People flock to these parks to hike trails, swim in lakes, pitch tents, picnic, stroll beaches, canoe, kayak, sailboard, observe flora and fauna, and build campfires. Fond childhood and teenage memories from two Ontario provincial parks―Ipperwash and the Pinery―continue to fuel my drive to explore more of Canada ’s protected areas. There, dedicated park employees strive to guard endangered species and sensitive ecosystems from invasive plants and diseases. They maintain park facilities and staff interpretation centres for all to enjoy. Even though summer is waning, don’t let that keep you from the parks. Many are accessible throughout the year, so visit them despite the onset of cooler weather. You just might gain a better appreciation for the parks when ...