We should all explore nature with the wonderment of a child
I grew up in the Lake District of northwest England, an ancient land of majestic mountain peaks, enchanting lakes, and picture-postcard villages. Lush green valleys are home to farms passed down through countless generations. Our neolithic ancestors built stone circles here – perhaps calendars, almanacs, or sacred temples, now places of myth and magic. It’s a stunningly beautiful region which people travel from all around the world to visit.
When I was a child, my mom would drag me kicking and screaming through these pristine landscapes in an effort to instill an appreciation for the natural beauty of our home country. As lambs frolicked in the fields, and damselflies flitted around the edges of lakes, iridescent in the sunlight, I was yelling at the top of my voice that I was bored, tired, and wanted to go home. She could pacify me temporarily by finding a large stick with which I could whack tree trunks and practice my swordsmanship. She would try to distract me by pointing out kestrels hovering in the air, or tiny lizards sunning themselves on a drystone wall. Only the promise of an ice cream cone at the end of the hike sparked any interest in me. I’m sure I spoiled many enjoyable afternoons for my family and every other hiker along the same route.
Despite my tantrums and protestations, those experiences planted a seed that would grow into deep appreciation and reverence for the outdoors and the cultural heritage that each site holds. Now every lakeside path or woodland trail conjures a sense of amazement and wonder, and a feeling that can most eloquently be described as… warm fuzzies. I truly relish reading about other people’s love of nature and their experiences in the wild. I’m currently enjoying the latest book from actor and comedian Nick Offerman; Where The Deer and Antelope Play. It’s a humorous account of his love of nature, both magnificent and mundane. In it, he even visits my childhood home of the Lake District. Like me, he was exposed to the natural world as a child and has returned to it in awe as an adult.
On a recent visit to Dungannon Plantation Heritage Reserve in Hollywood, it was a remarkable treat to meet five-year-old August and his parents. We got to chatting and walked the entire trail together. They too were a local family who captured every opportunity they could to be outdoors. It was obvious, the spark it lit in their son. Even at his young age, August could identify several types of fungus, name each variety of bird we saw and delighted in gently capturing insects to examine and show his parents. He was clearly at home among the trees. What my mother would have given for such enthusiasm!
Like many local attractions, Dungannon was once home to a rice plantation, but the 600-acre site is now managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The preserve offers an easy out-and-back hiking and biking trail through attractive woodlands and wetlands full of wildflowers and birds. The main trail culminates in a boardwalk out to a scenic open area and pond which is home to a large rookery of endangered wood storks. Thanks to places like this, the wood storks are making a comeback, although this was the wrong time of year to see them (try for spring and early summer). Meanwhile, the trees were vivid with fall colors on full display, exploding like red and orange fireworks throughout the forest. There are also plenty of other birds and wildlife to see, so regardless of what time of year you visit, a camera or binoculars are a must.
I hold firm to one of the most important points Offerman makes in his latest book — that stunning natural beauty can be found almost anywhere. You don’t have to live on the edge of Yosemite or hike to the top of Denali to find it. We have it right here in Charleston County. You don’t have to be an elite athlete or rugged survivalist to enjoy time in pristine wilderness. It’s accessible to pretty much anyone regardless of means, background, or physical prowess. We don’t all have to be Bear Grylls.
Young August played a game with us on the trail at Dungannon. He would conceal something in his hands and ask us to guess what it was. Sometimes it was an acorn or a piece of moss. Sometimes a pebble or a tiny beetle. His wonder and fascination were boundless. Even though it lies 4,000 miles away, our walk with August through Dungannon transported me back to the Lake District. Perhaps I appreciated those childhood hikes more than I remembered.
Where: Dungannon Plantation Heritage Reserve
Cost: Free
Distance from the Coburg Cow: 13.9 miles
Pairs well with: A five-year-old tour guide and naturalist
Aaron O’Brien is a native of Great Britain. He and his wife Christina make up local duo Oh Valentino. When they’re not performing, you can find them exploring local attractions and outdoor spaces.
