Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/299622
NEW HEATED SEAT S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 | g o i n g p l a c e s 23 scenery keeps getting better with each hole. I'm glad I didn't skip the back nine, which has the best sights of all. An avid hiker, I'm thrilled to discover established routes of varying length all over the island. Skirting marshes, cutting through dense forests and lining rugged limestone cliffs, the trails are also bike-friendly (the resort has mountain bikes available for rent). And they often lead to fascinating places, such as the eight-km West Quarry Trail and its abandoned limestone quarry. Along a paved bike lane by the highway between Lakeview Hecla Resort and Hecla Village, I spot branches drooping under the weight of enormous Sas- katoon berries. First I see one bush. en two. en dozens. I take mental note of where the best patches are and go back later with a berry- picking bag. Depending on the time of season, strawberries, chokecherries and pin cherries are also in abundance. On my final evening, though I have no agenda, I kind of do: a visit to Sunset Beach. By virtue of its name, I simply have to go there. At just the right time. I park and begin to follow the trail down to the lake. I soon realize I'll have to walk through a stretch of forest before reaching the water. It's starting to get dark and eerie, and for a moment I hesitate. But because I really want to see the sunset, I press on into the dusky woods and eventually emerge. e beach absolutely lives up to its name. Glorious colours light up the entire sky along the horizon, bathing my entire visual frame in fiery beauty. I pull up a log to sit and stay a while, even though it means going back to my car in total darkness. It's worth the spooky walk. On the drive back to the resort, it strikes me there is supposed to be a full moon tonight. I scan the sky and there it is – utterly magnificent. It shimmers brightly, creating a ghostly glow that ripples across the water before fading off into the distance. I pull over at Gull Harbour Marina and watch the moon rise over gently rocking sailing boats moored for the night. It takes my breath away. I can't help but feel as if this is my moon, boldly shin- ing only for me in this moment. It's the picture- perfect way to wrap up a blissful getaway. lakeviewhotels.com/hotels/hecla GP travel manitoba roseanna schick The moon rises above Gull Harbour Marina on Lake Winnipeg. p20-23MadeInManitoba.indd 23 14-04-10 2:22 PM