Predictably, the parking lot was fairly full, though we had no problem finding a parking spot. It was Saturday, after all, and some people, particularly the young, find more value in being out in nature than crowding shopping malls. And, in fact, it was young people that we saw there in Gatineau Park, bicycling, hiking, walking in pairs or singly, making the most of an exhaustingly humid, hot day. Those familiar with woodland hikes, however, know that forests tend to be cooler places than urban streets; they know the leafy canopy above shields hikers from direct rays of the sun.

The main trail leading from the parking lot is mostly, and tiringly, uphill, to reach the various trailheads. Approaching the divisions marking various trailheads requires an effort in itself a short, yet prolonged hike from the parking lot, one that I'd never appreciated even in the days away back decades ago when this was one of our favourite trails. It's a relatively short drive from home to reach this point in Gatineau Park, so perhaps that's one of the reasons we favoured it.

Apart from its varied aspect and the challenges it presents, because it does present a physical challenge with countless loops, hills to be ascended throughout the circuit, and tricky footing thanks to the dominance in many places of old tree roots interlacing the trail, and rocky outcroppings underfoot. A slight breeze helped to keep mosquitoes and black flies to a minimum though as usual we attracted some. Black flies in particular seem to like flying directly into eyes and since we were in shade and it was fairly overcast for the most part I eschewed wearing sunglasses.

For the first half-hour it was in fact sunny. Soon afterward a twilight dimness descended and with it, rain. But the rain was very light. We had brought raingear with us, but it was too hot to put on rainjackets in any event. And the canopy did its job keeping us dry. The rain didn't last long, and soon enough petered out. When we did reach the opposite side of the loop eventually, we had the impression that there a heavier rain fell because the trail was newly soaked. Could very well have been a micro-event, descending heavily there, and that the edge of the rain was all that dampened our half of the loop.

We weren't long into our ramble before we came across a young couple perched on a rocky ledge, and of course Jack and Jill were immediately alerted to the irresistible fragrance of food. The couple was amenable to their approach; the young man asking if he could treat them, obligingly sliced small bits of cheese from a block he was holding, offering a tidbit to each of them, making of them lifelong friends though it's highly unlikely they'd ever see one another again. They'd gone as far as they meant to go and were soon to turn back while we forged on, meaning to complete the circuit.

It's a 5.7 kilometre loop and years back it would take us about an hour and a half to complete. Yesterday it took us two hours from parking lot to trail' switchback; trail back to parking lot. We're a lot older, needless to say. And on the return circuit of the loop we were pretty bushed. Well exercised, at the very least, although the return half is far less physically demanding than the initial half. At the lookouts viewing out over to the city, what remained of the morning fog seemed evident.

The forest is mostly comprised of maple, oak, beech and pine, an understory of striped maple and dogwood, and at this point in the season, asters, goldenrod, yarrow and Queen Anne's lace predominate. Ah, and the largest specimens of colonizing pussy-toes that I've seen, so far. Some cowslips, as well. And in certain places, a generous area of tiny, white-flowered plants resembling the flowers of bedding grasses.

From the plentiful rain we've been experiencing it was fairly wet underfoot, particularly on the second half where boggy areas were plentiful. We did recall many of the landmarks from our previous experiences with the trail, but were still somewhat surprised at the physical challenges the terrain presented for us. At our age, guess we can't complain. Jack and Jill certainly didn't.

As we were exiting, a young man on a bike courteously stopped and began to walk beside his bicycle. Jilly barked at him and I remarked to the young man that she's alerting him to the fact that he shouldn't be bicycling on that trail. He was taken aback and asked why not? I referred  him to the quite prominent signage introducing the trail which distinctly warn that bicycles are prohibited on that trail, mindful of the fact that many bicyclists just ignore the signs. He looked surprised, said he hadn't seen the signs, and walked back with his bicycle alongside us as we chatted, before he headed off for another trail that does permit mountain bikes.