Take your pick: adrenaline packed or slow and contemplative?
Published on Aug 30, 2021
The hilly silhouette of my favorite region is undoubtedly one of its most beautiful assets! This time, it was Racine, her nature and her surroundings that caught my attention. Accompanied by my beautiful friend Amélie, I crossed several of its trails, mainly part of the Brompton area of the Sentiers de l'Estrie.
By Ariane Arpin-Delorme
Our need to be in nature and find peace there was great! This time, fatigue meant that a long hike and steep climbs were not our goal. The Kingsburry North trail that joins the Larouche Wall followed by the trail that goes to the hill of the same name - which we continued around Miller Lake - were therefore just perfect!
The climb to the Colline Larouche - through mature and varied forests, zigzagging trails of roots and rocks on occasion - brings Amélie and I along streams and marshes to a magnificent viewpoint overlooking Lake Larouche. Still at the top of the hill, a pine forest - threatened by severe erosion - strews the space to create a unique environment. It is magic! The other observation points (Gulf 1 and Lake Miller), however, offer a little less visibility in the summer season because of the density of the forest. But we still say that the effort / to beauty ratio of these points of view is excellent! A very nice part of the country, easy to access, well signposted and suitable for the whole family!
After a second night in our little cocoon and enjoying a window of sunshine, Amélie and I put on our boots once again to hike on rustic trails along the Ruisseau Ély, which flows at the bottom of a magnificent gorge. This portion of the trail presents no difficulty and is rather clear. With the soundtrack of the Ely stream waterfalls and the song of birds in the background, we feel quite alone in the world.
We continue on this mixed forest path, dotted with footbridges and largely well marked. On the way to Mount Cathedral, you come face to face with a large impressive boulder that you have to go around to reach the summit where a small loop is created. This section offers a pleasant walk with a beautiful view of Lake Brompton. Mount Cathedral is in fact the last hill in the chain that the Sentiers de l'Estrie follows from the border with the United States. On the way back, we got a little lost, not finding the signs. I advise you to consider use an application such as Ondago. But it was awesome!
Amélie and I had the chance to stay for two nights in the brand new Lüv mini-house at the famous Laö Cabines. Inspired by the owners' many trips abroad, 9 contemporary and ecological mini-houses welcome travelers in search of tranquility and privacy on no less than 66 acres of nature. A comforting little extra (+): I had pre-ordered a platter of local products from Racine (cheese from the Nouvelle-France cheese dairy, chocolate and pain des Douceurs de Lory and saucisson from Cochons tout round): perfect for a hearty aperitive! To rest our sore muscles after the hike, we sailed on Lake Paul, well settled on a paddle board and a kayak.
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