A Naturally Outdoors Refresher (in case you don't know what we're all about...)

It's been a long winter of inactivity since we last communicated, but we're happy to announce that Naturally Outdoors in Lennox & Addington is returning for another fun series of hikes and paddles in 2024!

We've paddled dozens of shorelines and hiked countless kilometres of trail since we got this group going back in 2022. Over this time we've connected many like-minded outdoor enthusiasts that join us for one, two, or in some cases, virtually all of our gatherings.

For those of you that aren't familiar, here's a bit of a refresher about what Naturally Outdoors is all about. In a nutshell, we're an informal hiking and paddling group created by three friends that share a love for the outdoors.

We now have two main organizers... Steph and Rob (sadly, Harley moved away to BC last year). Steph is big into hiking the local trails (and has a kayak), and Rob loves to paddle, and although he's getting somewhat lazy in his old age, attends most of the hikes too).

We're doing this as a way for us to all get together, be active and explore our trails and waterways.

How it works

It's pretty simple, we hope. We'll spread the word about a date, time and location for an upcoming hiking or paddling excursion. We'll rotate between hikes and paddles as best we can, but we lean towards the paddling side these days because there's another local hiking group that is doing a great job on the trail side. We try to keep the difficulty level average so that everyone can enjoy.

There are no memberships required or fees associated with this informal group. All you have to do is show up. Note that you will be required to sign a waiver when you arrive at your first gathering (to cover the butts of the organizers), but that's it. Easy breezy.

You'll be responsible for bringing everything that you need to maximize your fun at the gathering. This includes your own water, snacks, footwear (no flip flops on hikes for goodness sake), etc. We don't have any canoes, kayaks or SUPs available to use, so you'll also have to bring along your own vessel on paddle days (with all the required safety gear, of course).

Many of the outings will take place on trails and waterways in Lennox & Addington and surrounding areas, mostly on Thursday evenings. They'll typically last about an hour or a little more, depending on the location. Occasionally we will schedule outings on Saturday during the day if the location is a bit of a drive from the Napanee area. The Saturday events might last a little longer as we won't be constrained by the setting sun. Our schedule is posted here.

We're also hoping to involve our nearby restaurants as much as we can. After a hike or a paddle we'll pick a local eatery to hit up for a drink or an appetizer. It helps our business community and we all get to socialize with folks with common interests. It's a win-win, as they say.

Want to help us get organized? Contact us... we're always looking for keeners to get involved!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for details about upcoming outings, including the schedule, where to park, etc. After the event we'll post some photos, and we hope that you'll share your own photos and spread the word about our group too.

We're so excited to begin our second year of hiking, paddling and exploring this beautiful piece of Eastern Ontario with you! We think it's going to be a lot of fun. In fact, we KNOW it will be.

Tell your friends about it. Better yet, bring them along. The more the merrier!