Annapolis Valley | Chronicles Of A Novice Hiker

Woodville Waterfall

The Mission

The Woodville Waterfall was the second stop on Randy’s list of valley highlights having just come from the Kentville Ravines Trail. I was expecting big things from Woodville and it did not disappoint….it definitely…did not! The Woodville Look off and Waterfall are absolute must sees.

Getting There

Map here. From the Halifax area hop on to Hwy 101 and take exit 14 for Coldbrook/Cambridge/Waterville. Turn left onto NS Trunk 1 W. Right on Lovett Rd and right again to stay on it. Follow this road to the end and turn left on Brooklyn St. Turn right on bishop road which will turn into Woodville Rd. Finally turn right on Burgess Mountain Road and watch for the Woodville Trails sign for the parking lot. There are several entrances to these trails and the trails themselves can get quite twisty, but they are well marked. Take a trail map or GPS with you so you don’t get lost. Find trail map here.

The Waterfall

The Woodville waterfall is a steep plunging cascade of water that you can view from multiple levels. Midway down it trickles over a mossy wall of rock that glitters quite enchantingly like emeralds in the sun. It is a unique scene to behold. The true glory of the falls is best viewed from the bottom, which requires a bit of a treacherous descent, but I happened to find a trusty walking stick just waiting there for me to steady myself with. At the bottom we were able to behold its true form from top to bottom. Had there been a bench at the bottom of the falls I think I could have stayed a long while, but Randy was already whisking me along to another highlight. Each vista more romantic than the last.

The Look Off

I love waterfalls with all my heart, but the look off was so breathtakingly gorgeous it was the absolute highlight of this trip, no contest. The trees were in the perfect fall state, leaves fully changed, but still hanging on. They looked luscious and full of life. If I could have immortalized Woodville it would have been in this moment of pure Fall perfection. The walk to the look off was pure bliss, walking hand in hand down the path of fallen red and yellow leaves the trees forming a fiery arc with the sun piercing through. It does not get anymore picture perfect than that. It was pure romance, sitting at the top of Woodville looking down on a fall colored landscape. Feeling the warmth of the sun beating down on us keeping us warm in the crisp fall air. We sat there as if time had frozen, basking in the sun and taking in the glorious view.

The Verdict

Needless to say, Randy had outdone himself with this pick. He had shown me the beauty of the Valley and I will not forget this moment for a long time to come.

Kentville Ravines

The Mission

Randy was in full control of this adventure. He was determined to show me some of his favourite hangouts growing up in the valley. This outing led me to some gorgeous fall vista points. Knowing how much I love a packed adventure schedule, Randy prepared a line up that did not disappoint. Kentville Ravine Trail was the first of many stops on his itinerary. We also visited Woodville Hiking Trails, Huntingtons point, and Halls Harbour.

Getting There

Map here. From the Halifax area you will take Hwy 101 for about 55 minutes turn off onto the New Minas Connector Road. Take a left on NS Trunk 1 West, after 1km take another left up to the Kentville Research and Development Centre. The Trail head is just past the Research Centre’s parking lot up the hill a bit. You can park across from the chain link fence.

A Fresh Fall Forest

There is no better time to go hiking than mid Fall, when the leaves have all changed color and on the verge of falling. If you stop for a minute and wait for just the right moment, you might be lucky enough see a swirl of red, yellow, and orange leaves flutter to the ground around you. In that special moment you feel like you’ve witnessed a little spark of nature that no one else saw, except for the special someone you may have with you. That is, only if they are patient enough to stand as still as you, just waiting for nature to shower you with its majestic colored leaves. Trust me it’s worth it. Every now and again if you just stop and wait expectantly, nature will usually display something quite unique for you to notice.

The Verdict

The Ravine Trail is an absolute joy to walk through. It is filled with tall strong looking trees with a wide and very flat walking trail. It makes for a very peaceful and easy stroll through the forest of freshly fallen leaves. It runs parallel to a river with a gently sloping waterfall. The waterfall was quite dammed up with fallen tree debris while we were there so it was not able to rush at full capacity. The Ravine Trail is a great spot, but I only experienced a small piece since our main point of interest was the rushing water. We drank it in, figuratively of course, then backtracked to carry on to the other spots on our itinerary.