Happy new trails: Bridgewater to Lunenburg

Adventure is worthwhile in itself. - Amelia Earhart

This quotation from Amelia nicely sums up my motive for exploring two new trails on my long run this past weekend. After many months of training on the same routes, I was itching to explore a new one so I set out to run from Bridgewater to Mahone Bay along the Adventure Trail, and from there to Lunenburg along the Bay to Bay Trail - a total distance of just over 29kms which I covered in 3:03 (smokin' for me!).

I didn't start the run until a little after 3:00 PM because I was busy earlier in the day reorganizing furniture and boxes which had been haphazardly piled in the house when Husband arrived from central Canada last week. However, that worked out well because it meant I reached Lunenburg just in time to meet Husband for a delicious supper at the Knot Pub.

As I began the run, cloudy skies and a light breeze made conditions perfect for running. I was delighted to discover the trails took me past several beautiful lakes and across a series of marshes thick with wildlife.

My favourite part of the route was the Bay to Bay Trail which took me deep into the quiet old pine forest and reminded me of a poem I read recently.

   I go to the woods

   I go to the woods
   to drink stillness
   to breathe
   the fragrance of healing

   moss underfoot
   muffles the noise
   in my head

   deep in a maple
   there is an eye
   that sees my hurt

   teaches me
   to weave seasons
   of severings
   into circles of growth

   - Phyllis McKinley

This run was my last really long one before the 50k event on May 12th so I'm grateful it went well. (In fact, I felt so good when I reached Lunenburg that I was tempted to run another 13kms just to see if I could beat my personal best marathon time. Fortunately, the pub beckoned and common sense prevailed.)

I hope to run the route again soon. In the meantime, I plan to cycle to Mahone Bay and Lunenburg as often as possible this summer - to visit their galleries, grab a meal in one of their terrific pubs or restaurants and admire their stately old homes.  I highly recommend you do the same!

One of the lovely older homes in Lunenburg