Hike: Hardy Falls

             One hike that every child who is from Peachland does in the fall is the hike up to Hardy Falls to watch the Kokanee salmon spawn. It goes with out saying that this is something I needed to take my own Littles to do. Hardy Falls is a small district park located just off Highway 97 at the Southern end of Peachland- just before the highway turns steeply uphill and heads for Summerland. A small turn off is actually a parking lot and just across the street is a quick and easy little hike.

          When we were kids- in the 80's- we used to hit the many bridges at a full run- jumping and stomping up and down as the adults yelled at us to be careful- the bridges bouncing and swaying barely holding together. These days the park has undergone a dramatic facelift- including all 8 bridges being replaced with sturdy structures that actually have handrails! I wonder if my kids found this as entertaining as we did when we were kids- perhaps another sign of childhood being too safe these days.

           After a peaceful time watching the salmon jump up the ladder we headed back to the car in the warm afternoon sunlight. It was decided when we headed home we should draw salmon which is exactly what they did- granted these are a little flashier than the real deal! The Littles turned their salmon into puppets so they could fly them through the clouds- fancy salmon in grey skies.

          I am so happy to walk the paths of my childhood with my own kids- the same fierce rock walls towering overhead- the echoes of my own friends ringing through from the past. While our reality of course was much less bucolic- plenty of tears when Miss Lo tripped on a rock- me yelling at The Boy to get down off the top run of the bridge our little hike- moments of peace were fought and tucked away. It doesn't matter that we don't live in Peachland- our Littles are as much a part of that town as we ever were.