Martin Dunham Reservoir Hike - Part 5

We were stopped dead in our tracks by this very deep, very fast moving feeder stream rushing its way into the reservoir. There was absolutely no chance of rock hopping across it, so the dogs and I began tracing it upstream looking for a fallen log to use as a bridge:

Though it may not look like it in the photo, most of this stream was 3 to 4 feet deep and, and as I said, moving swiftly towards the reservoir. I kept the dogs on leashes just to be safe:

I saw a fallen log crossing the river up ahead and walked toward it. And once we'd arrived, I discovered an actual, honest-to-goodness bridge crossing the rushing stream. I'd apparently strayed from the official trail. Figuring that all danger was past, I again let the dogs off their leashes as we crossed the bridge:

The momentous "Crossing O' The Bridge:"


The trail soon ended at a small dirt road. Clover ran into someone's yard and refused to come when called. I walked down after her and met a very nice couple who were out in their yard gardening. Thankfully, they loved dogs and especially Papillons and Standard Poodles. They explained to me that I'd reached the southern end of the lake and would have to travel by road around the tip of the lake and pick up a new trail to take me back up the opposite side of the reservoir. This meant a mile or two walking roads, but there was little traffic and there were some nice views:

I made a couple of excursions off the road and into the woods:

And explored a dock with the dogs:

Seamus and Fergus consider themselves to have "sea legs," unperturbed by the rising and falling of the dock. The Papillons didn't much like the wave action:

We eventually found our way back into the woods following a trail northward along the eastern length of the reservoir:

This trail did not hug the shoreline but climbed up into the adjacent hills and had a very different feel to it. So our adventure continued. I'll post more tomorrow: