Thanks to a collaboration between Healthy Lincoln County, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, and Bristol Consolidated School, a new story walk is installed along the Bristol Recreational Trail in Bristol.

The project was initiated by staff at Healthy Lincoln County, who chose the books and assembled the panels. The display features a new storybook every month. Each one is a Wabanaki or Indigenous story, with themes of family, culture, and the natural world. They invite trail users to reflect on their own relationships with each other and the places we call home.

Coastal Rivers and Bristol Consolidated School have partnered on the installation and maintenance of the story walk. The display starts a short distance from the north trailhead at Bristol Consolidated School – to the right as one faces the front of the school – and extends approximately half a mile from the BCS parking lot to the water. Community members are welcome to park in the school parking lot to walk the trail outside of school hours.

This month’s book is Minegoo by Sandra Dodge, translated into Mi’Kmaq by Georgina Francis. The story is a retelling of the Mi’kmaq creation story of Epekwitk (Prince Edward Island).

Owned by the Town of Bristol, the Bristol Recreational Trail is co-managed with Coastal Rivers. The trail is easy to moderate in difficulty, and loops along the tidal Pemaquid River behind Bristol Consolidated School. Highlights include beautiful views with well-placed benches, fine old red oaks, and bridges over a winding brook.