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Trail walk is scenic, invigorating
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This group walked along the Grouard-Peace River Trail Net Aug. 15. From left are Sherry Fawcett, Valerie Beynon, Donna Wilson, Amy Drummond, Leonard Sahlin and David Drummond.
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Mac Olsen
for South Peace News
With approximately 10 walking trails to choose from, the Grouard-Peace River Trail Net near Hilliard’s Bay and Shaw’s Point offers something for everyone.
The trails range from 3.5 km to 23 km in length and a total of 55 km of trails have been developed with signage. Donna Wilson, visiting from Burlington, Ont., is impressed with the trails.
“It’s nice to see nature untouched,” says Wilson. “I really enjoyed it. I’m used to walking quite a lot.”
Wilson’s daughter, Sherry Fawcett of High Prairie, is also impressed with the trails and wants to use them for exercise.
“I can’t wait to come back and walk some more trails,” says Fawcett. “It’s good for moderate physical exercise.”
They support increased promotion of the trails and Wilson adds they’d be a big draw in the fall.
They participated in a walk hosted by the Grouard-Peace River Trail Net Society Aug. 15.
Approximately 30 people met at the Hilliard’s Bay parks office and split into several groups and went on walks guided by society members.
Leonard Sahlin, the society president, guided Fawcett, Wilson and several others along the 5.5 km trail on the west end of Lesser Slave Lake.
“This is the original route to the Peace River region,” says Sahlin. “It’s for walking along the north side of the lake for non-motorized travel.”
During the walk, he showed hazel nuts growing along the trail. Other vegetation includes raspberry bushes and some walkers took the opportunity to sample them.
Wildlife can be found along the trail too, including squirrels and birds like the osprey. There were a couple of nests in the trees high above the trail and several ospreys circled overhead.
At one spot on the trail is a set of stairs to a small beach and it also provides a scenic view of the lake.
All the trails making the Grouard-Peace River Trail Net are part of the Arctic arm of the Trans Canada Trail. It begins in central-western Alberta and goes from Big Point on the north shore of Lesser Slave Lake through Grouard via Barrhead Creek to Reno, near Peace River.
The society is always seeking new members and meets at the seniors building in Grouard or the United Church in High Prairie the fourth Monday of the month, beginning at 7 p.m.
For more information, please write to the Trail Net Society, Box 1426, High Prairie, Alta., T0G 1E0 or via e-mail at atadmin@telus.net.
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