Coldbrook Walking Trails
Coldbrook Walking Trails
Our friend Bridget knows that Ann and I go walking every week and that we like to explore new trails.
So, this morning she invited us along for a walk in the wooded trails near her home.
My sister-in-law has lived in this neighbourhood for about a decade, and I have no idea why we never explored these trails!
Perhaps it’s because they are not marked and it is so much better to go with a tour guide like Bridget!
These trails are open to the public, and they are a very well-kept secret.
They back onto the Kentville Bird Sanctuary that runs behind the Evergreen Nursing home and along Brooklyn Street to Coldbrook.
Here is the link to the section of the bird sanctuary trails in Kentville.
Official government information and explanation
To access the trails, head to the end of Pent Road in Coldbrook off Lovett Road.
Map
Head through the wooden fence and the trail head is right there.
Please note! These trails are not marked!
We went with Bridget who guided us. She learned the trails from another neighbour.
This is not to say that the trails are not doable, but please use caution. Valley Family Fun is not responsible for your safety.
Go with a good sense of direction, and use the MAP APP on your phone, as there is reception in the woods.
A good rule of thumb that Bridget taught us is that if you are going in the morning, the sun is to your right and the meadow and river bed to your left.
Coming home, the sun is to your left and meadow/river to your right.
There are many paths and forks in the road, so you can spend a long time exploring and coming up with different combinations, as long as you maintain your bearings.
Bridget took us on a trail she calls the Pink Ribbon Trail because you are following a path that is marked by pink hunting tape.
This path weaved and winded through the woods near the edge of the river.
We came across 2 different forts, and some bottle art.
There are lots of bike trails as well. All of these paths also connect to the rail trail and in behind the Evergreen Nursing home in Kentville.
Bridget suggested leaving one car at the nursing home and the other at Pent Road. That way you could walk or bike through from one end to another.
The scenery was beautiful, and the company was superb!
I can’t wait to try the trails on my bike or on my snowshoes!
We are so fortunate to have such green spaces in our Valley! Please take advantage of them!
Update:
I love it when everything connects.
When doing an extended loop at the Kentville Bird Sanctuary we realized that the two trail systems connect.
This would be a great place to bike.
In fact, someone suggested leaving one car at the Evergreen Nursing Home and one on Pent Road in Coldbrook. Then, walk, bike or snowshoe from one end to the other!
For a full description, visit the Kentville Bird Sanctuary Trails blog post.
Apple Doll Witches
Witch Apple Dolls
When we were kids, we used to make these witch apple dolls with Mom.
Something reminded me of them recently, so I set out, with Mom’s help, to make them with the boys.
NOTE: including drying time, these dolls take about a month to make, so start at the beginning of October.
Peel an apple.
Stick 2 whole cloves in the apple to use as eyes.
Take a knife and make a slit for the mouth. You can also carve out a nose if you are ambitious.
NOTE: You might want to make 2 apples each. We found that one of ours did not dry properly, so it would have been good to have a back up!
Place the apple on a stick.
Put it somewhere to dry for the next 3-4 weeks.
As time passes, the apples will shrivel, dry, brown and attract a lot of fruit flies! But it will be worth it.
Making a Witch
We did not have a pattern, but made it up as we went along.
Using black construction paper, cut out a ring.
Cut a circle, and fold it into a cone shape. Glue or tape in place.
Place the cone through the ring. Fold up the bottom of the cone (after making little slits in it) and glue it to the underside of the ring. 
Tada! You have a witch hat.
Next, we found a smaller stick and lashed it into place across the stick of the body to create arms.
Cut a piece of black fabric into a rectangle.
Cut slits in the middle to pull over the head of the apple doll.
Use a piece of string to tie around it for a belt.
Glue the hat into place with a hot glue gun.
And there is your apple doll!
The hardest part is remembering to start drying your apple early enough!
These decorations will definitely keep from year to year.
St. John’s Family Fun
St. John’s Family Fun
Our family had some WestJet money that needed to be used up in the next few months, so we started thinking about a fall trip.
Newfoundland immediately came to mind for several reasons.
It is a cheap and easy flight from Halifax (only 1.5 hours).
There is plenty to do for a long weekend in St. John’s to keep an active family occupied.
We have a family friend who lives there and offered to let us stay with him!
We went to Newfoundland 11 years ago for our honeymoon, and loved it so much that we wanted to go back and explore it again, this time with our family!
So, on a weekend in October, we headed to St. John’s, Newfoundland!
Transportation
We rented a car for the 4 days we were in Newfoundland. This made it so easy to get around and not have to worry about buses – especially with the kids!
I was shocked that the city of St. John’s is less than a 10 minute drive from the airport! This made it so easy to get around!
Much like Halifax, St. John’s is an old city with the roads going squeegee-wiff, and not lining up at perfect angles, so make sure you have a good map, or bring your GPS. We could not have survived without ours!
A Good Time to Visit
We went to St. John’s the weekend after Thanksgiving. Many of the attractions, museums, and gift shops had closed for the season the weekend before.
Despite many things being closed, there were still plenty of attractions that were open. And, the weather was still warm enough (which I really worried about!)
So, if you are planning a fall trip to St. John’s, definitely try to go before Thanksgiving, but if not, there are still lots of opportunities for family fun!
Attractions
During our 4-day visit, we certainly packed in a lot of family fun!
Fluvarium
This was a definite trip highlight! The Suncor Energy Fluvarium is a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental education and freshwater ecology.
Because it was only 10 minutes from the airport, we went here immediately from the airport.
The Fluvarium is a great interactive museum to learn about water – what it is, how it’s used and how it’s abused.
It also features 9 large windows looking into a stream!
Read more at the Valley Family Fun Blog Post!
Johnson Geo Centre
The Johnson Geo Centre is another family-fun must-see in St. John’s.
Looking to learn more about the Earth and its incredible past? Wanting to get out for a super-fun day with the kids? Fascinated by the Titanic story and want to learn more about the countless stories of its passengers and crew? The Johnson GEO CENTRE gives you all of that and more!
This museum is built right into the rocks at the base of Signal Hill. In fact, the museum walls are the rocks!
It is an interactive museum with lots of activities for kids!
Read the Valley Family Fun Blog Post!
Signal Hill
St. John’s most popular landmark, Signal Hill, recalls the town’s historic past and communications triumph, as well as offering coastal hikes and colourful performances, against sweeping views overlooking the Atlantic. Signal Hill was the site of St. John’s harbour defences from the 17th century to the Second World War and where Guglielmo Marconi received the world’s first transatlantic wireless signal in 1901.
Although the majority of the museum was closed, we still had a great time wandering the site and reading the interpretive panels.
There are a few hiking trails on site.
We did the Ladies’ Lookout trail which takes about 10-15 minutes and offers a great view of the harbour, city and ocean.
At the top, we spent some time building rock creations.
I was cautioned that many of the trails are steep and narrow (like the North Head Trail) so, be sure to wear proper footwear!
Thomas (7) loves things that are “most in the world”. The tallest building, the longest bridge, the oldest church, etc. So, we knew he was going to love Cape Spear!
Cape Spear is the most Eastern point in North America!
Stark white Cape Spear Lighthouse pierces a sky swirling with seabirds atop a craggy headland. It overlooks a vast expanse of indigo ocean where glittering processions of icebergs glide by, Humpback whales breach and pods of porpoises send misty spouts into the Atlantic air. On North America’s easternmost point of land, historic Cape Spear Lighthouse, the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador, offers a glimpse into the lives of 19th century lighthouse keepers and their families.
Although the museum was closed (again) the grounds were open and we could walk the point to the most Eastern point!
Also on site you can travel back to the Second World War on an interpretive walk amid concrete bunkers and gun barrels pointing seaward at Fort Cape Spear, remnants of a coastal defence battery on the lookout for German naval attackers.
Cape Spear is a quintessential place to visit while in St. John’s. It is approximately 15 minutes outside the city.
Terry Fox Memorial
Before Terry Fox started his cross-country run, he dipped his artificial leg into the St. John’s harbour. At this spot there is now a bronze statue and memorial site commemorating his journey.
The monument is made from layers of brown Newfoundland slate and resembles sails. This beautiful monument is located behind the St. John’s Port Authority building, 1 Water Street.
This was a great place for the kids to visit as they learn about Terry Fox and participate in the run at school each year. This brought everything to life for them.
Jelly Bean Houses
When one thinks of St. John’s, the first picture that comes to mind is probably the rows of colourful town houses.
The city has done a great job of making this their image. These houses can be found on most of the streets perpendicular to the harbour (especially around Victoria Street).
We also had a walk down George Street, notorious for its music. However, the street doesn’t come alive before the kids’ bedtimes, so this trip we were content to just walk down it!
Quidi Vidi
We walked around the historic settlement of Quidi Vidi. There is a brewery and an old restaurant here as well, but just the view and the scenery was worth it!
We also walked the trail around Quidi Vidi Lake.
This is where the annual rowing regatta happens each year.
On Saturday, we decided to drive the Irish loop to the southern part of the Avalon Peninsula.
Because of the time of year, many attractions were closed. But we did find a few things to do along the way. The drive was incredibly beautiful and the scenery so diverse.
In retrospect, the drive was too long for the kids. It took us 7 hours door-to-door with the kids. In the future, I would have gone as far as Ferryland and returned to St. John’s. Had more things been open, we could have easily filled a day with just this side of the coastline.
I also should have done more research about the western side of the peninsula and found more places (that were open) that we could have stopped to explore. It was too long for the kids cooped up in the car!
As you drive down the coast, you can visit Petty Harbour (home to Great Big Sea’s Alan Doyle) to the mini aquarium (in season) or Bay Bulls and Witless Bay where (in season) you can get a boat cruise to see puffins and whales – if they haven’t already migrated!
La Manche
Our first stop was at La Manche for an incredible hike, which was my trip highlight!
This trail is part of the East Coast Trail, but you can walk just this section to the abandoned community of La Manche and across a suspension bridge that connects the sections of the trail.
The trail is very well signposted and is a fairly easy 1.4km trail to the bridge.
It was raining slightly when we were there so the path was very wet. I have a feeling that it would be wet most of the year, as the streams tend to also follow this path.
Wear waterproof boots or bring extra socks and shoes!
Once to the end of the trail, it is all worthwhile! The bridge and waterfalls are incredible. You are left wondering how a community ever survived so remotely!
Other possible stops along the Irish Loop are Ferryland to the Colony of Avalon (when in season) to learn about archaeological digs and the settlement that was founded in 1621.
Even if it’s not open, it’s a great place to stop for the incredible views!
Trepasssey is where Amelia Earhart departed in 1928 for her first female fly across the Atlantic! We did not find a monument about this, but read about it in our tourist information booklet.
The rest of the Irish Loop was a beautiful drive that offered great views, rugged terrain and vast bogs. It makes for a (long) beautiful scenic drive!
Eating in St. John’s
While in St. John’s we had a few great eating experiences.
The first is Rocket Bakery & Fresh Food located at 272 Water Street in downtown St. John’s.
Rockets is like a deli full of homemade delicious food and baked goods ready to grab and go, or to sit in and eat. This was an awesome meal! Thanks to friends for the tip on this place!
Ches’ Fish and Chips
You can easily see why this place is famous for their fish and chips. I even had mine done in the Newfoundland style and had dressing and gravy on my fries.
So good!
The meal even comes with a free mini cupcake!
There are 4 locations, but we went to the restaurant at 9 Freshwater Road.
Add this place to your eating itinerary!
Other Newfie delicacies included a moose burger at a local diner on the Irish loop. When in Rome…
Overall
We had a great trip to Newfoundland and managed to catch all the major tourist sites, despite it being off-season!
I can’t wait for us to go back to Newfoundland with a bit more time and explore more of the Island!
Definitely consider planning some St. John’s family fun for your family!
Johnson Geo Centre, St John’s, Newfoundland
Johnson Geo Centre, St. John’s, Newfoundland
**Disclosure: We received tickets for the museum in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are our own**
My husband and sons (7,9) go gaga over rocks and space.
They can spend a long time looking at rocks or learning about the planets.
I knew that the Johnson Geo Centre would be the place to go when were in St. Jonn’s.
About the Johnson Geo Centre
Looking to learn more about the Earth and its incredible past? Wanting to get out for a super-fun day with the kids? Fascinated by the Titanic story and want to learn more about the countless stories of its passengers and crew? The Johnson GEO CENTRE gives you all of that and more!
The GEO CENTRE has been designed to provide lots of family fun in St. John’s, while suiting everyone’s timetable and interests. To fully appreciate the many GEO displays and exhibits as well as The Titanic Story and the ExxonMobil Oil and Gas Gallery, set aside two or three hours.
Our Visit
We arrived on a Friday morning when school was in session, making the museum relatively quiet and easy to navigate.
Our first stop was a video giving an overview of earth.
“That was so cool!” the kids exclaimed. They loved the live special effects (like running waterfalls and rain) during the 15 minute film.
From there we checked out ExxonMobil Oil and Gas gallery and learned about all the products made from oil!
We visited the Titanic exhibit.
Similar to the one we visited at the Martime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax the exhibit outlines the disaster of the Titanic including debunking a lot of the myths and carefully outlining the reasons for the disaster.
As a parent, I appreciated that there was a video simulation activity for the kids to play with while the adults went around reading the panels of information!
Next, we went into the main gallery to view the exhibits on Our Planet, Our Province, Our People, Our Future & Space.
The “Type A” personality in me appreciated the arrows along the floor. This directed you through the exhibits so you wouldn’t miss anything!
At every step of the way, there were a lot of interactive pieces for kids. Whether it was a fossil search and find, or spraying the museum’s rock walls (yes, these are the actual rocks that the museum is carved into!) to see it more clearly.
Another highlight of our visit was getting to see an actual piece from a glacier that was 35,000 years old! Our friend remembered that the last time he was there that they brought out a piece to show his nephew. He asked, and they obliged! How incredible to be touching something so old!
Outside the museum there are various paths to explore so you can see a variety of geological formations, sculptures and views of Signal Hill.
Our Thoughts
This was a great museum to explore with elementary-aged children and older. Although there are interactive pieces and a kid’s fun zone,
school-aged children will gain the most from their visit.
The exhibits provided an excellent and organized overview of our planet and how it fits in with the rest of the solar system. There was something for everyone!
My husband says:
The location itself was impressive – built into the side of Signal Hill. I would’ve liked to have spent more time in the Johnson Geo Park as it looked to be very informative and interesting.
There were really good partnership exhibits (such as the Oil and Gas Gallery) and I got a real sense of what made Newfoundland “special” in terms of its mineral resources and natural wealth.
The Titanic exhibit was also excellent, and provided different emphasis from the exhibit at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax.
I really enjoyed the presentation in the Amazing Earth Theatre, and the fact that two hyperactive boys sat still, enthralled, by the whole presentation showed how effective and interesting it was.
Daniel, 9, says that he loved seeing all the rocks on display, and seeing that the museum walls were made from rock!
“I liked rubbing my hands together to created hand prints on the cave!”
Thomas, 7, loved everything about the museum, including the walks around the building.
“I liked how I could move stuff, touch stuff and push stuff. There were no signs that said DO NOT TOUCH!”
Hours and Admission
The Johnson GEO CENTRE is open to the public all year long, 7 days a week, except for a few key holidays.
Adult $12.00
Seniors (60 plus) $9.00
Students $9.00
Youth (5 – 17 Years) $6.00
Family Pass (2 Adults & 3 Youth Age Children) $32.00
Under 5 Years FREE
When you’re next in St. John’s, add the Johnson Geo Centre to your itinerary!
Suncor Energy Fluvarium, St. John’s, Newfoundland
The Suncor Energy Fluvarium, St. John’s, Newfoundland
**Disclosure: our family received tickets to the Fluvarium in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are our own.**
Before heading to St. John’s for a family vacation, we asked for advice of where to visit with the kids. The Fluvarium was an overwhelming response.
According to their website, the word Fluvarium is derived from the latin root “fluv” meaning flowing water. Fluvarium therefore literally means “windows on a stream”, and aptly describes the nine large viewing windows that allow our guests a glimpse into a natural, freshwater habitat.
The Suncor Energy Fluvarium is run by the Quidi Vidi/Rennie’s River Development Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental education and freshwater ecology.
Setting up our Visit
Before going to Newfoundland I contacted the museum to let them know we would be coming. The staff was so incredibly helpful in making arrangements for our trip.
First, they advised us when the best time to visit would be. It would be better for us to come during the week to avoid the birthday party crowds on the weekend. And, we should be there for the 4pm feeding time.
Not only did the staff give us great tips for visiting the centre, but they also helped with advice for the rest of our trip! It was a great way to feel welcome!
Our Visit
After our plane touched down in St. John’s, we immediately headed to the Fluvarium. This was a less than 10 minute drive from the airport, and was so easy to find.
We announced ourselves at the front desk and were immediately met by the wonderful staff who welcomed us to the Fluvarium.
Bob gave us a tour of the facility, providing an overview of the different areas of the centre.
He quickly showed us some highlights, knowing that the boys wanted to start exploring and playing!
We then set out on our own.
The Fluvarium
The Fluvarium has three floors. The main floor is used for catering and events, and then you continue down the stairs, going below the river.
The middle floor contains most of the exhibits.
As you go around the circle, you learn about water in the past present and future. What makes up water? How do organisms depend on water? What are humans doing – positively and negatively – to our wetlands?
All of the exhibits are interactive.
For young children, there is a toy and activity area including colouring sheets and puppets.
For elementary-aged kids there are a lot of hands-on learning opportunities.
The boys’ favourite place to explore was the microscope area.
There was an array of items from dragonfly wings to feathers that the kids could put under the camera and have it magnified on a screen on the wall.
We had a great time exploring everything from these objects to cuts on our hands!
Daniel, 9, really loved the Fluvarium and thought it was really fun. “I liked looking at the river and seeing all the fish. I LOVE aquarium life!”
Thomas, 7, agreed. “It’s the first aquarium I’ve been to that has a window into a stream!” Thomas loved all the activities to do, especially playing with the microscope.
“I loved that it wasn’t all about fish, either. It was about bugs and animals, too!”
Feeding Time
We planned our trip so that we could be there for the 4pm feeding time which happened on the bottom floor.
Here there are 9 windows that look out into the river. You can see fish and other organisms in their natural habitats.
Our guide, Tracy, brought several treats for the fish.
She went upstairs and outside to drop in prawns for the trout who were anxiously waiting below!
After feeding the trout, we went around the corner where there were tanks of animals from Newfoundland.
The water for the tanks is gravity fed from outside, so the tanks look like they are set up as stepping stones.
By far, the boys enjoyed watching the eel being fed!
There were other great animals from frogs and toads and several varieties of fish.
This was a definite trip highlight!
Walking Trails
There are several walking trails at the Fluvarium.
We first went on a 5 minute walk beside the building where we could see the stream from above ground.
We saw the fish ladder and the ecosystem around the stream.
There is also a walking trail that goes around the adjacent lake, and another one that leads to downtown. Everything is connected by trail!
We just did a few minutes of the lake trail (because we needed to get back for feeding time). However, while walking, we collected a few specimens, as per the advice of the staff, to look under the microscope! This was great fun!
Hours and Admission
The Fluvarium is open daily year round. It’s great to go back and see how the ecosystems change with the varying weather conditions!
Adults: $7.00
Students: $5.00
Children under 14: $4.00
Preschoolers under 4: Free
Family Rate (2 adults, 2 children): $20.00
It takes about 1.5 hours to go through the museum.
The Fluvarium really is appropriate for all ages of kids. There is something for everyone to get out of your visit!
All funds go to help support this non-profit organization.
The next time you are in St. John’s, be sure to add the Fluvarium to your MUST SEE list.
White Rock Community Trail
White Rock Community Walking Trail
“This trail is for exercise and relaxation.”
With a sign like that, doesn’t that make you just want to go?
I first learned about this new walking trail in White Rock through the Gaspereau Gazette Community newsletter.
It sounded so lovely, and was built all by volunteers, so we knew we just had to try it out for ourselves!
We enlisted the help of some family members who live near to the trail to help us try it out.
About the trail
To make the trail there was $15,000 worth of in-kind materials, labour and machinery was provided by community members who worked together to make the walking trail a reality.
Impressive!
The White Rock Community Trail is located on approximately 10 acres behind the White Rock Community Centre.
The trail is a figure-8 shape and is an easy walk suitable for people of all ages any levels of fitness.
The groomed trail has a gravel surface and is relatively level ground.
No motorized vehicles are permitted and all dogs must be on a leash. (pet pickup expected).
The trail is open from sunup to sundown, 365 days of the year.
The quiet walk takes about 25 minutes.
Since the time we first went, a lot more trails have been created. The main trails are gravel paths, but there are lots of paths to followed (dotted lines on the map) that wend and weave by the canal.
We suggest taking a picture of the map when you first enter, as the trails themselves are not signposted. However, it is a small area, so it is hard to get lost!
Our Experience
We headed to the White Rock trail with 5 kids aged 3 to 9.
The trail head is at the back of the parking lot, and very well signposted. There are two entrances, as the trail is a loop, so it doesn’t matter which way you begin.
The main part of the trail has crushed gravel.
This makes the trail stroller-friendly and accessible.
If you stayed solely on this crushed gravel trail, you could easily loop around in about 10 minutes.
However, we decided to take the newer part of the figure-8 trail.
When the paths divided, we followed the arrows. Each arrow is numbered, so as you progress through the numbers, you know you are going the right way.
These “off shoot” paths are not graveled (yet) but are vividly marked with blue hunting tape.
Parts of the trail were a bit steep,
but our 3 year old cousin had no trouble once someone held her hand.
The trail weaves and winds through the woods, and along the White Rock River canal. It’s a beautiful setting that definitely provides exercise and relaxation!
By doing the extra figure-8 loops, we were able to do the trail in about 20 minutes.
Winter Snowshoeing
This trail is perfect for snowshoeing.
We did the outer loop (as we did in the fall) and my Fitbit says it was 1.2km, and it took us 30minutes to snowshoe. The perfect length for going with kids!
Because you can’t see the gravel paths, follow the blue ribbons
Or, the numbers and arrows on the trees. It’s extremely well laid out and organized!
The trail really is a winter wonderland and should be enjoyed in all seasons.
See if you can find the bottle tree!
You can book the trail for events such as family reunions and picnics, field outings, etc. For more information contact wrca4wrcc@gmail.com.
Directions
The trail is located behind the White Rock Community Centre.
1542 White Rock Road
MAP
This is a trail to keep your eye on and visit often as changes develop and the seasons change.
