[Review] Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe children's book

Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe by Vera B. Williams is an incredible children's book that we found at the Public Library! I was shocked that I had never heard of such a great story for children of outdoor enthusiasts! It is a 32-page story that shares all the details of a canoe trip through the eyes of a child. It is described as:

Follow[ing] the red canoe from page to page as it journeys down river carrying the family on a camping tour. It's the next best thing to paddling it yourself.

There are many things to love about this book! Its illustrations have a unique hand-drawn look to match the book's style of being a child's journal, yet they are beautifully realistic! It includes some fun bonuses such as camping recipes and diagrams for how to tie various knots. But what I love most of all about this story is the detail Williams delves into regarding the uncertainty and surprise involved in canoe tripping; the beauty found out on a river; and the decision making, trip planning, and confidence/perseverance needed while navigating a river in a canoe. 

For many folks who are die-hard outdoor enthusiasts, it can be hard to find books that tell the stories of the adventures we take with our children, but Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe is so adventurous and realistic that you will almost feel like you are reading your own travel journal! It is a great read for the winter when we long for the canoeing days of summer!

The Hike with All the Bridges: Ward Falls, Parrsboro, NS

We loved this hike! Ward Falls is located approximately 8 km from Parrsboro on private land that belongs to a lumber company, C. Ernest Harrison & Sons Ltd., which they have maintained for public recreational use. The trailhead is found in the fair-sized parking area found at the end of a dirt driveway. There are informational signs about the hike, but they have not been well maintained. This is something that I enjoyed about the trail but about which I should warn those who may like a more well-kept trail. The trail was maintained well enough to be safe, however I would still advise taking caution when crossing any of the man-made structures such as bridges. We checked each step for rot before proceeding.

The only structure we came across that was not intact.

This hike is only 7 km return, but it is a very enjoyable 7 km! The trail has very little elevation and LOTS OF BRIDGES! The trail follows what looks like a creek but is actually a small river called North Branch Diligent River all the way to the falls. The trail was built very opportunistically so that instead of cutting trees to clear a thicket on the banks to pass through, they have instead used a series of bridges so that you almost hop back and forth over the river. We counted a total of 19 bridges and a handful of planks/boardwalks! It is also nearly impossible to get lost; there is essentially no navigating required, and you hike against the current on the way in and with the current when exiting the trail.

Just before the waterfalls there are outhouses. A little further on are the falls, greeting you with the sound of rushing water. As you stand beneath the falls rushing over a large rock face on the Cobequid-Chedabucto Fault, there is a final bridge leading you to a steep climb up the bank on the left to get closer to the falls. My husband and I each took a turn and did this though we did not take our toddler up the steep bank. She was fully amused staring in awe at the falls without crossing. If you go when it's warm, you can even wade over to a ladder and climb up to a cave behind the falls!

The photos really don't do it justice. It was so peaceful. 

This hike is really simple with very beautiful views and highly recommended to anyone, especially families hiking with kiddos!

Excellent trail for kids! Easy enough while still being backcountry and exciting. 

My girl loving the waterfall. 

*Videos of this trail here and here! 

*How to transport wee ones on this trail? Wear them. Not a stroller-friendly trail.

*Cautionary notes: Be bear aware. We did see bear scat and a print while visiting in the fall. Also give caution to rotting bridges. 

One of the Greatest Reasons to Hike as a Family

Hey all,

Sorry for my hiatus in posting. I hope you all had a great holiday! Happy 2014!

To start off this year's posts, I wanted to share with you what I think is one of the greatest rewards of hiking with children. Now, there are several: teaching your child(ren) confidence, health benefits, spending time together as a family, teaching your child(ren) about the outdoors, and so forth. There is another though that is sort of a hidden--perhaps underrated--pleasure of hiking as a family:

An opportunity to communicate [with your spouse] ! 

Have you ever tried to have a conversation about something with an awake baby or toddler or preschooler in the room? Have you gotten far? It can be quite challenging to get more than a few words in sometimes before being interrupted let alone a few sentences. Being on the trail though, there is so much for wee ones to take in so they calm a bit often times leaving long gaps without interruption. For my spouse and I, we love getting a chance to chat about a new writing project or a critique of a film we've watched or even parenting techniques themselves. It is almost like a 'family meeting'. And in years to come it will be a great time to have a more focused conversation with our child(ren) about things in our lives at the time. We love these quiet moments among ourselves. 

Feel free to leave your favourite things about family hiking in the comments below. 

A day of snowshoeing and making snowpeople at Dingle Park!