SamI was so excited to get the chance to go the Green Gables Heritage Place last summer, so excited in fact that I forgot to write about it at the time. So now I’m here, a bit late, to tell you that it definitely lives up to the dreams of every Anne of Green Gables lover.
I spent one of my few days on PEI damp from the rain, but thankfully I think it added to the atmosphere. The heritage sight spreads across a 19th century farm in the beautiful town of Cavendish. The entrance to the grounds also houses a museum full of information on the life of Lucy Maud Montgomery, and all of her works.
Once I left the museum I was greeted with a beautiful view of the Green Gables House and gardens. Strolling along the muddy pathways, seeing the sunflowers and greenery stand tall against the clouds, it felt as if I were walking through the books. Though Montgomery never lived in the house that served as inspiration for her stories, she grew up not far away. Green Gables belonged to her cousins, however it is now staged to look as if Anne herself lives there, with each room echoing the words of the novel.
The grounds surrounding the house also hold true to the stories, with Lovers Lane leading off to the south, and a trail into the Haunted Wood just past the front garden. While lovers lane loops through the trees towards the Green Gables Golf Course, if you continue along the lovely path through the haunted woods you’ll come out across the street from Montgomery Park.
Montgomery Park is wonderfully picturesque, ringed with small gardens, and surrounded by more woodland. The pride of the park is the life-sized bronze statue of L.M. Montgomery. Entitled “A Glimpse of Beauty”, the sculpture certainly lives up to its name. There are also many bronze cats to spot around the park, as Montgomery was particularly fond of them.
I continued on the trail past the park, all the way to the site of L.M. Montgomery’s childhood home, the place where she wrote many of her novels. Though the house itself is no longer standing, there are placards around detailing what was once there. A small building left on the property has become a museum and bookstore, exhibiting many artefacts from the original home, and selling all of Montgomery’s works.
Completing the trail took about half an hour, maybe a bit longer as I stopped to admire all the lovely sights along the way. Cavendish is a perfect blend of nature and history, there are so many places there I’d still love to explore. My last stop that day was Cavendish Cliffs, only a short drive from the heritage place. The grassy knolls and crumbling red sand rocks were comforting to me somehow, just as Green Gables was. The area feels untouched, and full of charm.
My time at Green Gables Heritage Place was wonderful, though I still have a lot more of Cavendish to see. I hope to be back there soon, creating more of my own stories to share.
