A Shore to Explore and it’s Good Friday

Another week closer to the month of April, means another hike! It is Easter weekend and I have company arriving on Saturday from PEI so why not sneak in a Good Friday hike. The destination is Pennant Point – a trail that follows the rocky shoreline from Crystal Crescent Beach, about 30 minutes from the rotary in Halifax, to the tip of Pennant Point. It is about 5 kilometers each way.

You may have heard the rumour (or else it is the worst kept secret in Halifax) that we have a nude beach here in our conservative city – well the path goes right by it at the Third Beach.  Luckily for us, the temperature is rather nice but given it is March 29th – the most skin exposed today is my hands and forehead when it warmed up enough to shed the toque and gloves.

The scenery on this surprising warmish, sunny day is stunning.  The sunlight is reflecting off the water and the rocks have a slight warmth to them.  After such a miserable, cold winter the sun today almost eliminates any remaining small patches of snow. The ocean is quiet, the surf is light and we just take it all in and enjoy the walk.

You never really lose sight of the lighthouse at Sambro off in the distance, a beacon for seafarers and hikers alike. This is the perfect spot for “rock scrambling” to stretch the old quads and test your balance jumping from boulder to boulder in those sturdy hiking boots. A day off work for many brought a few of us there on that day- a girl hiking solo, a guy trail running and a lots of families and pods of friends checking out the shoreline as you draw closer back to Crystal Crescent beach.

We grab a spot on the rocks to have a bit of lunch and a hot drink as we soak up a few rays of sunshine. There are alternate paths to get back to the parking lot but as they involve crossing some inland paths, we suspect they would be muddy as old heck. It was decided that we head back the way we came. I feel the warmth of the sun on my face and while it ain’t the Caribbean – it sure is pretty.