Trails and Tribulations

By Elaine Farragher


Stereotypes to the contrary, most nature lovers are not hardy explorers who strike off into the bush with little more than a compass, a notebook, and the indispensable container of insect repellent.

I know that I am definitely a stick-to-the-path nature lover. Of the two times I have gotten lost, one was when I got lazy and left the path to take what I thought would be a short-cut, and the other time the path petered out without my being aware of it and I could not find it again. Both times I succumbed to what every expert says should be avoided at all costs – total outright panic.

While nature paths might help protect us from nature, the parks and conservation authorities build them more to protect nature from us – to keep hundreds of big clumsy feet from unintentionally trampling the delicate and sometimes rare fauna of the woods.

While many trails are planned and built by parks authorities, many others are simply the result of many people desiring to take this particular direction and thus wearing a path through the woods.

Some of these paths can provide real surprises. There is one I know of that comes out of the woods to end suddenly at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a river valley an unhealthy distance below. Of course, it used to follow the edge of the cliff until erosion created a rather rude interruption.

Do-it-yourself paths often peter out in a sneaky, inconvenient way. All too often they lead you on into boggier and muddier terrain, while you remain hopeful that things will improve again around the next turn, until you finally arrive, wet, muddy and scratched, at a hopeless impasse with no where to go but back.

While not shunning such paths if they look promising, I definitely am very fond of the well-planned and thought-out paths that ease my passing through difficult spots. It is a great relief to arrive at a mud hole and find some cleverly built log bridge, saving the necessity of a flying leap that all too often falls short. Indeed I often stop to admire the ingenuity which goes into some of these constructions, most of which use materials found close by that blend in with the natural surroundings.

Some terrain is so boggy and susceptible to damage that boardwalks have been built over it. Boardwalks are especially enjoyable because they allow you to enter areas and thus see landscapes and wildlife that would normally be inaccessible. Another reason I love them, is because you can ignore what your feet are doing and concentrate on the beauty of the countryside. Some trails can be so rough and uneven that you come out of them feeling better acquainted with your feet that the nature alongside the trail.

Some parks personnel have gone so far out of their way to make things easier for the nature enthusiast that they have even gone to the trouble of labelling the species found close to the path. Little name tags stuck to the trunks of the trees, making the woods look like an arboreal convention, free one from the necessity of carrying around a back-pack full of nature guides. However, I fear that this practice takes a little too much of the wilderness out of nature and substitutes instead the academic detachment of a museum. However, for those just setting out on the voyage of discovery into nature, these little name tags can be a real blessing.

Notwithstanding the peace and tranquility of nature, nature trails have been the cause of the break-up of life-long friendships because care was not taken in choosing the right companion. Lovers of vigorous exercise and forced marches have been paired up with those who (like myself for example) want to poke along examining every cute frog and blade of grass along the way – with disastrous results. If you call it a nature trail and your friend calls it a hiking trail, that is a clue that the walk will not be a relaxed and happy one. Better to discuss your philosophies before setting out.


Elaine Farragher, September 1988



Subject headings

Nature – Trails