About ten minutes outside Orillia proper is Scout Valley Loop trail. It’s an easy trail, and if you do the outside loop totals about 6km, but it’s a lovely walk in the woods that hides the fact you’re surrounded by city and highway.

There are tricky and muddy paths, but to give you some perspective: the second time I did it, I had to do it in flip flops because of a blister and I was fine. Oh and head over to the main access point for washrooms and a fun old house that’s cool to picnic by.

On our way there we did that 6k loop. And right at the start I asked, “So tell me about the Goblin that lives here?” And she did. For two hours. Without pause. I asked about four more questions. But in that entire loop she told me the biography, anthropology, and day-to-day habits of the six goblins that live in that park.

I love that I can set off her imagination like that just by asking random questions. On the 40 minute walks each way in and out of downtown Orillia, I asked her to teach me about the Field Fairies. And the morning we were to head home, she requested to do that 6k hike again, in reverse. And this time she expanded on her goblins, explained their holidays, and told me how the goblins, trolls, and fairies co-exist and interact together.

5hrs and 20 minutes of fantasy and I only had to say 7 sentences the whole time.

Long Dress – Chasing Unicorns
Top – Rails via This is Coco’s