Shortly before the provincial government purchased the old railway line running between Halifax and Liverpool, Bridgewater acquired the section inside its municipal boundaries. Passing through the centre of the town and following alongside the Lahave River, this trail makes for a beautiful hiking, biking or even cross-country skiing route.

Map

The centrepiece of the whole thing is the massive steel bridge that crosses the Lahave river. If you look closely you will spot the Michelin Tire logo on the side of the bridge – the company paid for the restoration of this grand structure.

Lahave River Bridge

The trail offers several different paths. Cameron and I opted for the more remote/scenic route and took a left turn after crossing the bridge. This section of trail runs high above the river and is shaded by lots of pines. It is also scattered with various plants, flowers and blossom.

Trees

Blossom

After approx. 1.5km, we arrived at Cooks Falls. A path permits you to leave the rail line and descend the steep hillside. This is a busy fishing site in season and there were several trucks and cars around. We decided not to bother with the steep climb and continued on along the path for another km or so before turning around.

This is a picture of the falls through the trees. I plan on making it into some form of abstract art!

Falls

On our return we stopped on the bridge to take a snapshot of the Lahave River

Lahave

The river is 97 km (60 mile) and runs from its source in Annapolis County to the Atlantic Ocean. Along its way, it bisects the town of Bridgewater, before flowing into the LaHave River estuary. The river and various spots in the area were named after Cap de la Hève, in France, by Pierre du Gua de Monts, (a french merchant) in 1604. The name was later anglicized to LaHave. Briefly a haven of pirates in the French era, the river later became a major lumbering and shipbuilding centre. The numerous large vessels constructed along the river include the famous clipper ship Stag. The river has since become a popular area for salmon fishing, attracting crowds of fisherman from mid-May to early July.

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