Dawson Brook Falls

Easy to find – no, but worth it – a delightful surprise in the woods.  Especially since we had already walked into and out of the woods once, before finding the path.  On our second attempt we opted to follow the stream.  Pine and spruce woods give way to pine and hemlock sprinkled with fir here and there.  These are lovely old, tall trees some of which have trunks that are 2-3 ft in diameter; too wide for my arms to surround.

These falls occur on Dawson Brook, which is just a small stream, but the falls are about 20-30 ft – quite a drop.  We set out today (early spring) hoping to see the falls with enough water to see waterfalls.  There was water – liquid and frozen.  The ground was frozen too, in fact the path was quite icy, limiting where we could go on the steep sides of the brook/gorge.

Dawson Brook Falls are actually close to the road, but there is no well marked trail and directions from different sources seem conflicting.  The best directions we found were in Waterfalls, Nova Scotia’s Masterpieces; but you may also find directions on various trail web pages.

Walking on the edge

Recently, we took the time to stop and walk the trails at the Mount Uniacke Museum in Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia.  I have wanted to walk the trails at Mount Uniacke for a long time – since a friend mentioned them about 10 years ago, but we always drove by, perhaps because we were always going from there to here and here to there and not Mount Uniacke.  So, on Thanksgiving weekend we took the time to stop and walk.  The Estate was re-developed by the province (Nova Scotia museum system) a number of years ago (over 10) and has some wonderful trails.  There are easy accessible trials and longer trails  through the “wilderness”.

We had a wonderful, restful day.  I can’t say we strolled – since I rarely stroll, but it was a day of quiet exploration; first along an easy trial following original paths on the ‘estate’ and then along some the less accessible trails.

The museum has developed a clear and easy to use trail guide, available on site and on their web pages.  The trails on site are well marked and the times are accurate for average to brisk walkers.

Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia is on the edge – on the edge of changing weather systems, on the edge of different water sheds.  It is a high point between Halifax, Nova Scotia and the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.  It is here, as you head to the Annapolis Valley that you will leave the cool air of the Atlantic Shore behind for the warmth of the valley.  Check out these maps of elevation and water sheds (one and two) in Nova Scotia for some background about this subtle geographic separation between shore and valley.