Fix Reporter's Notebook Travel

Sand In Our Shoes: Hiking The Dunes Trail

Mugdha Gurram / youthjournalism.org
Part of the Sand Dune Trail at Sandbanks Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada.


 

By
Yelena Samofalova, Mugdha Gurram
and Mary Majerus-Collins
Reporters
SANDBANKS
PROVINCIAL PARK, Ontario, Canada – A circular, winding path leads through the
dunes next to Lake Ontario.
Gravel,
boardwalk and sand compose the path and each step onto the loose wooden planks
sends your feet dipping down into the sand.
The
path leads through and around the dunes, through many trees and past a few
ponds and marshes with unique flora, though there wasn’t much fauna to be seen.
 
Mugdha Gurram / youthjournalism.org
The wetlands around the sand dunes provide habitat for many creatures.
Along
the trail, we stopped at a couple boarded platforms that overlooked beautiful
views. Some of them let us see extraordinary views of marshes, surrounded by
trees with small grass growing out of them.
We
could even hear bullfrogs if we listened carefully.
Mugdha Gurram / youthjournalism.org
A view of a sand dune, covered with footprints, and the walkers hiking along the top of it.


From
others, we saw sand all around us. At one point along the trail, there was a
great view of dunes from the side.

Mugdha Gurram / youthjournalism.org
A clear view of water, sand dunes and trees 


The
dunes aren’t the graceful peaks of sand like those shown in photographs or
movies. Instead, they’re subtle hills of sand covered in patches of grass and
trees.
As we
walked, we could see footprints in the sand of those who had walked the
path before us.
After a
while, the sand started to gather in our shoes. We probably looked ridiculous
as we tried to walk without flicking sand up.
All in
all, it was a very pleasant experience walking along the Sand Dune Path,
enjoying the beautiful views around us.