Like for most people, our smartphones have become central in our daily lives. While we rarely make a phone call, we use them for a whole range of purposes from banking to listening to audiobooks. We also bring them with us when we go hiking, mostly to take pictures.
In the last few years, we have discovered six interesting free apps that enhance our knowledge of what’s around us and the enjoyment we derive from being out in the woods. We had fun using them recently on our favourite trail in Charleston Lake Provincial Park (PP), and that inspired us to write this post. These apps are worth checking out, in our view.
Our hiking experience is limited compared to that of serious hikers. We consider ourselves to be more like wanderers in nature, but with purpose. We believe that the natural world is democratic and that there is something in it for everyone to enjoy.
Charleston Lake PP is situated about 160 km southwest of Ottawa, not far from the St. Lawrence River. What makes this park special for us is its topography and its easy access to the water. The location of the park on a southern extension of the Canadian Shield, called the Frontenac Arch, is the reason for its remarkable topography.
The park contains many trails, but the Shoreline Trail is our favourite. It is only 2 km in length, considered moderately difficult, but it has everything you can wish for. It passes through both deciduous and evergreen woodlands, crosses areas with the most interesting rock formations and provides beautiful views of the rocky shore of Charleston Lake.
Below are some photos that we took along the trail.
We love to linger on this trail, getting lost in the beauty all around us. This is where the apps come in handy. The birds serenade us along the way, but we rarely see them. The Merlin app has a wonderful bird identification feature, through audio capture, called Sound ID. It can identify several different bird species in real time and point out if any of them is rare for the area. If you are lucky enough to see the bird, you can use the Photo ID feature.
Seek and Google Lens are valuable apps for identifying flora and fauna, through image capture. Both Merlin and Seek can be used offline as they require that you download a library of information relevant to your area. Rockd is great to help you understand the geology of the area where you are walking.
There are two more apps that we often use. Both of these apps offer free and paid versions. AllTrails will display a map of your selected trail as well as help you keep track of your progress, providing a clear indication of the elevation at different points along the trail. These features will keep you safe on a trail that you may not be familiar with.
For example, on one occasion we decided to turn around on a mountain trail in late afternoon. After consulting the app, we did not expect to have enough time to return to the trailhead before dark, if we had continued to the summit. Lastly, through image capture, Rock Identifier does exactly what its name implies.
Below are the icons for these six apps, which you can find in Google Play or in the App Store. Google Lens is a component of the Google app; it is readily visible when the Google app is open.
We wish you happy trails!
I listen to the different birds around my property, so your Merlin app will be useful. I’ve taken to the soil, emulating my ancestors, and have tried to achieve some semblance of order to the chaos that Mother Nature has provided here. I’m trying to identify various plants including a little crop of mushrooms which came up after our recent rains. More use for your apps.
I hope to read more of your writing, or musings, as you continue your travels. In what was once a fast-paced world for me, it’s nice to now have the time to truly appreciate others’ thoughts. Looking forward to your next scribble.
Merci pour cette jolie promenade (vous avez même vu un serpent!) et aussi pour les recommandations d’Apps. Moi, j’utilise Picture This pour la Flore, mais je vais comparer avec Seek.