Fourth Annual Black Rock Fairy Walk

Fourth Annual Black Rock Fairy Walk
By Barb Reynoldson

On Saturday September 15 from 11:00am to 2:00pm, the Black Rock Trails Association is hosting the fourth annual Fairy House Walk. This is a family event using the short trail starting at the trail head at 4404 Black Rock Rd, and allowing those who are young at heart to build fairy houses and attend a fairy tea, with a freewill donation being collected for the trail association.

Follow the Purple Trail, see if you can find the fairy houses. Look up in the trees as well as on the woodland floor. Use your imagination and create a shelter using surrounding materials, twigs, stones, leaves, and bark. Some of these items have been left beside the unfinished houses for you so you can make a natural home for fairies to visit. After your walk come to the hall and join us for a fairy tea party.

The tradition of fairy houses has its roots on a few islands off the coast of Maine. For decades people were inspired to create whimsical houses made from natural things for fairies to visit. It is easy to feel the presence of fairies in the quiet of the woods when the sunbeams float through the sea mist and shine on the mosses and ferns of the wood. Surrounded by nature and her colours, shapes, and textures, one is inspired to create the roofs and soft floors of fairy houses, along with dishes and acorn cups. Perhaps the fairies are hidden between the layers that the woods reveal to us as we create a small gift by leaving a shelter for the little folk.

(adapted from Barry and Tracy Kanes’ Fairy Houses Everywhere).