CIDER, SONGS AND STORIES
‘We do it because we love Christmas’
Coxheath Hills Wilderness Recreation Association hosts annual Christmas at the Cabin event.
A cosy fire, hot apple cider, stories and songs greeted people who braved the cold and first snowfall to hike up Coxheath Hills Wilderness Trail on Sunday.
It was the fourth annual Christmas at the Cabin event, hosted by the Coxheath Hills Wilderness Recreation Association, a volunteer organization that upkeeps the trail.
“Some people come and go and some come and stay all afternoon,” said writer Paul MacDougall, one of the organizers of the event.
“We do it because we love Christmas and we love to give people the opportunity to read some of the beautiful things they wrote through the past year,” said Laurie Murchison, another volunteer with the recreation association who was playing guitar at the event.
An average of 40 people attend the free event every year. MacDougall and Ron LaBelle, an expert in Acadian traditional culture who teaches at Cape Breton University, told stories in between musical
breaks.
“This event is unique in that it is outdoors… and it’s unique in that you have to get up here to participate in it,” said MacDougall.
“It’s an alternative to the hustle and bustle this time of year. It’s relaxing up here.”
Terry Brennan was there with his daughter Emily, 8, who gave her thumbs up approval to the event and the hike.
“This is the first time I’ve ever been up the mountain,”
said Terry, who is originally from Cape Breton but now lives in England.
“It’s so beautiful. It makes it so nice with the little bit of snow and the music playing.”
Shirlee Cruickshank is a member of the Cape Breton Island Hoppers walking club. She was there with four other members of the club and has been to the Christmas at the Cabin event before.
“I just love it,” she said.
“We come up here more than this time of year, but we love it.”
The Coxheath Hills Wilderness Trail was created by people in the community to stop the development of a quarry at that spot.
In 2006, the Coxheath Hills Wilderness Recreation Association received its charitable status and the hike has grown from one trail to a 10-kilometre network of trails.