4 Directions

An update from the field!

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After arriving Monday, we worked hard in the rain to stay dry and warm. The kids really worked together and despite some not so favourable weather, we had a great day.

Then after a hearty supper we played a survivor game where yellow team took the victory. Afterwards we had tribal council where Julian was the winner with 7 total votes.

In the evening, we cooked hot dogs and s'mores over the campfire before heading to bed.

On Tuesday, we had a late breakfast and then hiked to where the teams participated in a fire challenge. With a total of 8km hiked today, the kids were more than ready for lunch - steak and potatoes 😋

We ended the day with routine camp chores, another great meal, and enjoying the sun and beautiful weather. Everyone is having a great time!

Update from Day 1 of the adventure for the second group of 7-11year olds!

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The kids paddled canoes to our campsite with no issues. They all understood the importance of teamwork even before arriving to camp!

We arrived and settled in to mother nature's rhythm. After our lunch time feast of macaroni & cheese with burgers, the kids got in the water to play and have all been there since! Some are swimming, some are canoeing, others and playing in the puddles with frogs.

A few have stayed on land, organized their own team and are working on building a shelter. Everyone is following the rules very well. It's going to be a great week, it's already very noticeable ❤️

Day 2 of the 7-11 Wilderness Adventure

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Today was an awesome day!
After breakfast we enjoyed some games, then went kayaking and canoeing. After lunch we went for a hike on the nepisiguit trail and did an 800 meter swim back to base camp! Jumping off the rocks was a big part of our day. After supper we played more survival games with the white team winning the challenges!

We are settling in for the night with some hot dogs and grill cheese sandwiches. A great day had by all!!

A bonus update from yesterday!

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Good evening families. First day was a great one. We did lots of canoeing and swimming today. After supper we played our first set of survivor games with the black team winning the challenges! We are now roasting marshmallows and making rice Krispy squares for a snack. Tonight will be an early night. It was a great day had by all!

Update for Day 1 of our Wilderness Adventure for 7-11 year olds.

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Camp is all set, the kids have been playing non stop since we got here. Hide and seek, catch, canoeing, fire building with flint and steel, and so much more! The day went smoothly and the kids are all getting along nicely.

Parents and Caregivers with children attending this week's adventures - please check your email inbox and spam folder for a message from us regarding pickup and drop off.

Also, if you have not completed your registration forms yet, they must be done prior to departure. You can find them on our website: www.4directions.camp

🛑 IMPORTANT: If you have not submitted your forms yet and your child has medical issues, allergies, requires medication or has specific dietary requirements, please message us on Facebook or call us right away at 506-480-1908 so we can ensure we're set up to support them fully this week :)

Please share! 🤙

🌲 Next week, 35 lucky young adventurers are headed into the woods with our guides for our 3 day wilderness camps for kids aged 7-11. 🏕️

These overnight camps were introduced a few years ago because we heard the demand from families that their little ones wanted to be part of the magic too! ✨

🔥 Three days and two nights in the woods without mum and dad, building fires, playing games and making friends and s'mores 🍫 - such an amazing boost for independence, confidence and resilience. 💪

While they are there, it might seem like we're "roughing" it or deep in the wilderness for the kids (at least we hope it does!) 🌿. But as with all of our adventures for any age, our trips are planned with safety paramount. From the locations and activities we choose, the gear we supply and the guides we send - everything is planned, rehearsed and reviewed to ensure each child has a safe and memorable trip. 🧭

Our guides have decades of experience in the outdoors, with various levels of training and certifications in survival, paddling 🛶, wilderness first aid ⛑️, outdoor leadership, incident management and more!

🪄 Like a good magic show, wilderness adventures and experiential learning for kids might look wild and dangerous, but behind the scenes, everything is controlled and planned with the utmost care, by a professional team working together to serve the youth of our community! 🤝

🍂 Did you know - Our summer adventures aren't the only thing we offer? Contact 4 Directions today to see how we can help your youth group, school, or adult clients get lost in the magic of the wilderness!

Restigouche River Run 2026

After a long bus ride and a night spent camping at Les Chalets Restigouche, our team pushed away from shore at 10:00 Tuesday morning.
With one final gear check complete, there was no turning back. Everything we needed for the next four days was packed into our canoes, and the river was waiting.

The first few hours are always the same.
The kids find their rhythm.
The river's rhythm.
The group's rhythm.

As we drifted downstream, the Restigouche quietly reminded us to slow down and enjoy each moment. Around every bend, breathtaking scenery reminded us just how special this river really is.
The sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and before long the kids were laughing, swimming, and enjoying every minute on the water.

Our destination was Hafford Campsite.

Throughout the day the question was always...
"Are we there yet?"
As Poppa Smurf would say...
"Not far now."
The truth is, on the river there's no rushing.
You follow the current.
You'll get there when you get there.

By the time we reached camp, everyone had already discovered that many hands make for light work. Watching the group unload canoes, set up camp, and help one another, we knew it was going to be a great week.

Wednesday brought our longest paddle...
36 kilometres.

After another beautiful day on the river, we arrived at Gilmore's, our favourite campsite, where we would spend the next two nights.
We made fire, roasted marshmallows, enjoyed berry compote on fresh bannock, played Sardines and washer toss, and even made a few new friends with our camping neighbours.

Life on the river has a funny way of slowing everyone down.
Friday morning brought rain, so instead of rushing, we waited.
We enjoyed breakfast.
Talked.
Laughed.

When the sun returned, camp disappeared in record time and we set off on one last paddle home.

Some kids couldn't wait to see their parents.
Some missed their dogs.
Some missed sleeping in their own beds.
And that's okay.
Missing someone...
and knowing you're being missed...
is a gentle reminder of the people who matter most.

Until next adventure.

🇫🇷 Descente de la rivière Restigouche 2026

Après un long trajet en autobus et une première nuit de camping aux Chalets Restigouche, notre équipe a finalement mis les canots à l'eau mardi matin.

Une dernière vérification de l'équipement... puis il n'y avait plus de retour en arrière.
Tout ce dont nous avions besoin pour les quatre prochains jours était dans nos canots.

Les premières heures sont toujours les mêmes.
Les jeunes trouvent leur rythme.
Le rythme de la rivière.
Le rythme du groupe.

Au fil du courant, la Restigouche nous invitait à ralentir et à profiter de chaque instant. À chaque détour, les paysages à couper le souffle nous rappelaient à quel point cette rivière est exceptionnelle.
Le soleil brillait, le ciel était parfaitement bleu, et rapidement les jeunes riaient, jouaient dans l'eau et profitaient pleinement de l'aventure.

Notre destination était le camping Hafford.

Et, comme toujours...
« Est-ce qu'on est arrivés? »
Comme dirait le Grand Schtroumpf...
« Pas très loin maintenant. »
Sur une rivière, on ne peut pas presser les choses.
On suit simplement le courant.
On arrivera... quand on arrivera.

À notre arrivée au camping, tout le monde avait déjà compris que plusieurs mains rendent le travail plus léger. Voir les jeunes travailler ensemble pour installer le camp nous confirmait que ce serait une belle semaine.

Le lendemain nous attendait notre plus longue journée...
36 kilomètres.

Après une autre magnifique journée sur la rivière, nous sommes arrivés au camping Gilmore, notre endroit préféré, où nous allions passer les deux prochaines nuits.

Feu de camp.
Guimauves grillées.
Compote de petits fruits sur pain bannique.
Sardines.
Washer toss.
Et même de nouveaux amis parmi nos voisins de camping.

La rivière a cette drôle de façon de ralentir le temps.
Vendredi matin, la pluie est arrivée.

Au lieu de nous presser, nous avons attendu.
Déjeuné.
Discuté.
Ri.
Puis le soleil est revenu.
Le camp a été démonté rapidement et nous avons entrepris notre dernière descente vers l'autobus.

Certains avaient hâte de retrouver leurs parents.
D'autres leur chien.
D'autres simplement leur lit.
Et c'est bien aussi.
S'ennuyer de quelqu'un...
et savoir que quelqu'un s'ennuie de nous...
c'est un beau rappel des personnes qui comptent vraiment.
À la prochaine aventure!

Engllish message follows:

Une autre aventure inoubliable est maintenant derrière nous... quelle semaine extraordinaire! 🛶🔥
Il y a cinq jours, seize jeunes aventuriers arrivaient aux Chalets Restigouche sans vraiment se connaître.
Aujourd'hui, ils sont rentrés à la maison comme de véritables coéquipiers... et de nouveaux amis.

Notre aventure a commencé autour d'un feu de camp où les jeux, les rires et les conversations ont rapidement permis à chacun de trouver sa place avant de prendre la rivière Restigouche le lendemain matin.
La météo n'aurait pas pu être plus belle. Soleil, chaleur, eau rafraîchissante et paysages à couper le souffle nous ont offert d'innombrables occasions de pagayer, de nager, d'explorer et tout simplement de profiter de la rivière.

Dès la deuxième journée, le groupe avait déjà compris une chose importante...
À plusieurs, le travail devient plus léger.

Le camp s'est installé en équipe. Les repas ont été préparés ensemble. Chacun a trouvé sa façon de contribuer et, très rapidement, le groupe est devenu une véritable famille. Comme nous le disons souvent chez 4 Directions, « La nourriture, c'est le moral! » Encore une fois... nous avons mangé comme des rois!

Pendant les jours suivants, la Riviere Restigouche est devenu notre chez-nous.

Les jeunes ont nagé, se sont laissé porter par le courant avec leur veste de flottaison, exploré l'île, joué à plusieurs jeux, ri autour du feu de camp et, surtout... ils ont simplement eu la chance d'être des enfants.

Il n'y avait pas d'horaire rigide.

Ensemble, nous décidions de ce que chaque journée allait devenir.

C'est la rivière qui donnait le rythme.

Vendredi matin, la nature nous a offert un dernier cadeau.

Notre guide adjointe Meghan s'est réveillée en apercevant un orignal marcher tranquillement sur le rivage, tout près de son hamac. Sachant que c'est son animal préféré, ce moment est devenu encore plus spécial.

Puis est venu le temps de démonter le camp une dernière fois, en laissant notre site encore plus propre qu'à notre arrivée, avant de reprendre la route vers la maison.

En seulement cinq jours, ces jeunes aventuriers ont appris bien plus que de pagayer en canot.

Ils ont découvert l'importance du travail d'équipe.
Ils ont compris que chacun a quelque chose à apporter au groupe.
Ils ont développé un plus grand respect pour la nature.
Ils ont créé de nouvelles amitiés, relevé de nouveaux défis et vécu des moments qu'ils n'oublieront jamais.

Merci à tous nos participants, bénévoles, guides juniors et à notre guide adjointe Meghan d'avoir fait de cette aventure un autre succès.

Chez 4 Directions Aventure Plein Air, nous croyons que certaines des plus belles leçons de la vie ne s'apprennent pas dans une salle de classe.

Elles se découvrent autour d'un feu de camp, sur une rivière... et à travers les aventures que nous vivons ensemble.

DE BELLES CHOSES S'EN VIENNENT. ❤️🛶🔥

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Another unforgettable adventure has come to an end... and what a week it was. 🛶🔥

Five days ago, sixteen young adventurers arrived at Chalets Restigouche as strangers.
Today, they returned home as teammates and friends.

Our journey began around a campfire where games, laughter and conversation quickly brought everyone together before launching onto the beautiful Restigouche River the following morning.

The weather was incredible. Sunshine, warm water and breathtaking scenery gave us countless opportunities to paddle, swim, explore and simply enjoy life on the river.

By the second day, the team had already figured something out...
Many hands make light work.

Camp was built together. Meals were prepared together. Everyone found ways to help, and before long it felt like one big family. As we often say at 4 Directions, food is morale, and once again... we ate like kings.

For the next few days, the Restigouche River became home.

The kids swam, floated down the river, explored the island, played games, laughed around the campfire and simply enjoyed being kids.
There were no rigid schedules.
Together, we decided what each day would become.

The river set the pace.

Friday morning gave us one final gift when Assistant Guide Meghan woke to see a moose quietly walking along the shoreline just outside her hammock. Knowing that moose are her favourite animal made the moment even more special.

As the adventure came to an end, camp was packed one last time, leaving our campsite better than we found it before making our way back home.

Over five unforgettable days, these young adventurers learned far more than how to paddle a canoe.
They learned the value of teamwork.
They discovered that everyone has something to contribute.
They developed a deeper respect for nature.
They built friendships, challenged themselves and created memories that will stay with them for years to come.

Thank you to our incredible participants, volunteers, Junior Guides and Assistant Guide Meghan for making this another unforgettable adventure.

At 4 Directions Wilderness Adventures, we believe some of life's greatest lessons aren't taught in a classroom.

They're discovered around a campfire, on the river, and through the adventures we share together.

GOOD THINGS ARE COMING. ❤️🛶🔥

We will be at Daly Point Nature Reserve / Réserve naturelle de la pointe Daly at 6, we are running a bit late. Nous serons a la pointe Daly a 6hr. Nous sommes un peux en re**rd.