a sunny St. Patty's Day hike

Very unusually, Neil had the day off on Sunday so we decided to go for a family hike just the four of us. We headed out around 12:30 to find the Gibraltar Bluffs and things didn't quite go as planned. We've done the Trinket Trail before and knew that if you continued on that trail you would get to the bluffs. Well, I guess saying "knew" is not totally true. We've had several friends do this same route so how hard could it be?!?! Needless to say, we got to a point where we felt unsure and decided to take the route marked Bunster Bluffs instead. Still bluffs just different ones, lol.

Long story short, we landed at a clear cut, called a friend for some instructions then back tracked a little.  Fortunately the kids were willing and happy to carry on and we headed up a different trail which led us back to the clear cut only just west a bit from where we were before. Insert sad face here. We decided to push on through the brambles to the logging road that was visible at the top to check out the view. We'd been moving for close to two hours and all needed a little break. I took out our blanket and treats and we sat in the sunshine with the view of the ocean amid some trees and happily ate, drank, laughed and talked. It was pretty great really. We didn't find the bluffs but it didn't matter. We had food and beverages and each other.

After a good rest we decided to head back down. I was dreading this a bit as the clear cut was tough to hike through. So many brambles made it like you were constantly being tripped up by ropes around your ankles. Minutes (no joke) after we started back, Neil noticed a trail off to the side, one we obviously totally missed on the way up!!! He ran ahead leaving us at the bottom then yelled for us to follow. WE FOUND THE BUNSTER BLUFFS! Though we'd eaten and were tired and ready to head home, that little 10 minute hike was absolutely worth it. SO SO BEAUTIFUL!!! Lush green soft moss, a lovely bench and the view!!! WOW! We were now above the trees looking way out. The clouds and rain were coming but it just made the view more interesting.  The sun was so warm Lily started to shed her clothes. She wanted to feel the moss between her toes.

I guess since we now knew where the trail was and that it was going to be easy to get back to the van it made the fact that we sat on a logging road for our picnic seem fine. The kids were real troopers. We never intended on going on such a big hike but that day couldn't have been better. The weather was perfect to match the view that we did get to enjoy in the end.

 

About 5 hours later we returned home worn out and happy!!!