Walk Through Anne of Green Gables on PEI’s Fairytale Woodland Paths
What is Canada’s most whimsical hike? It surely must be something spectacular in Banff or perhaps the Cape Breton Highlands, right? Possibly a multi-day epic that requires months of preparation? I’d argue that the title goes to two unassuming little woodland routes, born of creativity and steeped in Canadian literature—in Prince Edward Island.
The Haunted Wood Trail and Lovers Lane were nothing more than rural cowpaths until Lucy Maud Montgomery’s imagination got hold of them. These short nature walks are now known to millions of readers worldwide, thanks to the Anne of Green Gables book series. Visitors have been flocking to Green Gables Heritage Place sincethe publication of Anne way back in 1908. Between 100,000 and 200,000 people visit the iconic green and white farmhouse each year, and a good percentage of guests explore the property’s trails.
Clocking in at 900 metres and 800 metres respectively, Haunted Wood Trail and Lovers Lane are modest, perhaps to a fault. On my last visit, I overheard one bus tour participant ask a friend returning from the Haunted Wood: “Anything up there?” The response: “No, nothing.” And then: “That’s what I thought.”
But to me, all that “nothing” is exactly the point! These paths have essentially remained unchanged in the 140 or so years since Montgomery was a child and the property belonged to her extended family. They’re humble, homey examples of Canadian nature, and they’re perfect for letting your imagination run riot as you soak in the dappled light.
These short and sweet walks certainly aren’t lacking in atmosphere. The Haunted Wood, so named because a young Anne let herself fantasize that the gently swaying and creaking trees turned sinister at night, are utterly cheerful—unless you, too, are prone to flights of fancy. On my most recent visits, the crisscrossing tree limbs rubbed against each other to create an unearthly wail, and I found myself wondering if Montgomery herself might have experienced the same. Lovers Lane was indeed motivated by romance, though not in the traditional sense. In Anne of Green Gables, our protagonist says: “Not that lovers ever really walk there,” she explained to Marilla, “but Diana and I are reading a perfectly magnificent book and there’s a Lover’s Lane in it. So, we want to have one, too. And it’s a very pretty name, don’t you think? So romantic! We can’t imagine the lovers into it, you know. I like that lane because you can think out loud there without people calling you crazy.” As someone who has talked through many a problem during a woodland ramble, this spoke to me.
It wasn’t just the paths that found themselves used in Montgomery’s plot points. Even the flora gets involved. As you explore the property, you’ll likely see interpretive plaques pointing out species like balsam fir, white pine and starflowers. Those starflowers found themselves centre stage in Montgomery’s Anne of the Island, just before Gilbert Blythe declares his love for Anne: “Is that the dress you’re going to wear tonight?” Gilbert asked, looking down at the fluffs and frills. “Yes. Isn’t it pretty? And I shall wear starflowers in my hair. The Haunted Wood is full of them this summer.”
These days, when hikers visit PEI, they’re likely keen to explore one of the 32 multi-kilometre segments of the Island Walk, which circumnavigates the province. But I’ll forever consider the Haunted Wood Trail and Lovers Lane to be PEI—and Canada’s—finest treks, connecting us to storybook childhoods. Whether or not you read Montgomery’s work, I hope you’ll ramble along her paths.
