I love to go a-wandering ....

I often find myself humming that old song, The Happy Wanderer, when I'm out tromping around in the forests.  Remember it? "I love to go a-wandering/along the mountain track/and as I go, I love to sing/my knapsack on my back ♪ ♪ "

Today was no exception, as my Monday hiking buddy and I headed out to explore two connected parks a few minutes drive from my home - Top Bridge Park and Englishman River Regional Park.  It was one of the best hikes we've had in a long while (which is why I'm skipping over some backlogged photos of other outings to blog about this one).  After wind, rain, storms, power outages, fatigue, Christmas, and other factors kept us selecting urban parks, as nice as they were, it was great to be back in the woods on more rustic trails in more isolated environs.

We started at Top Bridge Park.  While there is a 5 km trail from Parksville up to the top of the park, we chose to begin at the end of Allsbrook, where both Top Bridge Park and Englishman River Regional Park (not to be confused with the nearby provincial park of the same name) have trail heads. 

Top Bridge Park is a popular swimming area in summer, according to my sources, and I can see why - lots of accessible, warm, flat rocks and shallow beachy areas leading to what, in summer, would be calm pools of beautiful cooling water.  This time of year, however, the river was somewhat more dangerous.  We walked across the long, wobbly, metal suspension bridge, taking photographs as we went. Because of the bridge, I had chosen not to take Maggie on this hike (sorry, Marie, no doggy photos today!), and that was a good decision - not only was the bridge long and wobbly, but the deck was open-grid metal with those sharp upward-pointing non-slip spikes that few dogs would be willing to walk on.

Top Bridge suspension bridge

Looking down from the suspension bridge

After exploring the far side of the bridge, we wobbled our way back and then headed along a trail that would link up with the Englishman River riverside trail through the regional park.  The trail was quite easy walking with only a few minor uphill or downhill sections, and well marked (though we could have used a few extra 'maps' along the way to help us orient ourselves through the loops and dead-ends and options available). 

We found some comfy logs on which to sit to eat our lunch, while looking out on the river and the trees beyond.  The morning fog had lifted and blue skies appeared to warm the day.

Continuing on, we came to the end of Beaver Pond, where we saw no beavers, but did see their home.  The angle didn't work for taking a photo of the dam (unless I wanted to wade out into the pond!), but the view from behind the dam was quite lovely.

The beavers get to enjoy this view from the front of their lodge
(we didn't see the beavers - perhaps they were hibernating).

A better view of the dam, from the back.

Continuing on along the side of Beaver Pond, we looked out at reeds and grasses reflected in the blue water, and saw a heron perched in a tree.

Reaching the end of the pond, we continued walking the trails for awhile, over little bridges, past clearings and lookout points.  We admired the incredibly high clay banks, towering above us across the narrow river, and the sunlit river views, smooth rocks, and silhouetted deadwood.

Sally beneath the towering clay cliffs

♫I love to wander by the stream/that dances in the sun/So joyously it calls to me/ 'Come join my happy song' ♫

Stones washed smooth by time and river

Deadwood reflected in water

We were nearing the Allsbrook fish hatchery and several other trail loops when we noticed  the sun was starting to sink in the sky, creating a backlit beauty to the moss-covered trees:

We decided it was time to head back to the car, and to save the rest for another day.  No doubt, this was just the first of many hikes we'll take in these parks.