Autumn

Autumn has arrived bringing a vast array of colours to our already beautiful Cowichan Valley. I was thankful to get out hiking on the weekend after a few days of rather stormy weather. My friend and I explored a trail new to us both on Stoney Hill.  The trail was well marked and easy to follow with five view points along the way. It's an easy 3.5 km hike with not too much elevation gain.  

The trail itself is not new which was quite evident by the amount of moss growing on the rocks along the side of the trail, but the access point is. 
This area was once behind a locked gate and only the residents who lived there were able to easily access it. However, folks did cross the fenced area and hike in these forests before the developed road.

 I was one of those hikers and I had thought with the new road that the access point would lead to the trail I had always hiked up to the top of a rock face with a great view but that was not the direction the trail took. 

I was very surprised to find the trail led to a different area that I had never explored before. Although as first I was disappointed I was soon delighted in it. It was absolutely beautiful and as we reached each of the view points I found myself loving the trail more and more.

 Seeing the low laying fog rising off of the trees as we looked  across to Saltspring Island was great. I was able to look down at the water and remember paddling along part of it's shoreline earlier in the summer. 

 It was a quiet peaceful place to be.  Not only were the views of Sansum Narrows awesome but the colours of the berries and shedding bark on the Arbutus trees brought life to the rock outcrops.  

Then as we re-entered the forest there were the wonderful Maple trees with their yellows, oranges and reds and trees that looked white in colour with their old man beards hanging down from their branches.  

I love this time of year and I try and spend as much time outdoors as possible and having friends that love the outdoors as much as myself makes it all the better.  It was a great hike and a place I will be returning to frequently. 

The trees along my neighbourhood trail are also full of colour and I find myself being filled with a sense of joy as I look up at them as I walk along.

 I don't find I can ever really capture their total beauty in photos but I continue to try.

Year after year when Autumn arrives, I find myself taking pictures of the same tree that is close to my home. Each year it continues to bring such beauty to my day. 

 There is just so much time in life and so many places to explore. Each walk, each hike brings new discoveries as nature changes with the seasons. Nature gives us so many gifts and it's ever changing colours bless us with continuous moments of awe. 

 I shall enjoy this wonderful world of colour over these next few weeks and then prepare for the bareness of winter and the beauty it will bring to the valley. It too will bring me joy and many photo ops I'm sure.