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Warrie Head Resort: Where Love and New Chapters Flourish
Updated: Aug 28
Turning off the George Price Highway down a coconut palm-lined driveway, my boyfriend (not to mention the sweetest personal chauffeur) Aden and I entered the grounds of Warrie Head Resort, a quaint establishment in Ontario Village that we had visited on several occasions. We had made arrangements to host my family’s Mother’s Day brunch there later that May morning. Or so I thought.
Once a colonial logging camp, Warrie Head has been transformed into an elevated rustic resort and restaurant surrounded by shady trees and sprawling acres of jungle, fields, orchards, and riverside sites. Aware of the trails and myriad outdoor views it offers, Aden had invited me on an early-morning walk to explore the unique grounds, after which we would gather on the front lawn with my family for a mid-morning picnic.
Mango trees dangled golden fruits above the graveled parking lot, and from there a painted wooden sign reading “River” pointed away from the open-air restaurant and down a path between the fruit trees. Picking a smooth ripe mango as a snack for the road, we strolled through the shade of not only mango but also avocado, custard apple, kinep, and soursop trees.
“Mmm, your favorite,” Aden commented with more than a hint of loving sarcasm as he nodded toward a soursop hanging on a nearby branch. I scrunched my nose in lighthearted disgust, knowing how he liked to poke at my unfortunate dislike of his favorite fruit. Leaving the orchard behind, I shaded my eyes from the strong morning rays that immediately began warming our skin. The leaf-strewn trail opened up into a sloped dirt path descending to the back of the resort grounds.
The Belize River meandered below us, and we paused on a flat grassy terrace overlooking the riverbank, which the currents had etched out of the side of the plateau. I scanned the area for a glimpse of wild horses, which I knew often roamed the wide-open field surrounding us, but today the only sign of them was a few faint hoofprints along the far edge of the field. Aden’s hand warmed mine as we strolled across the freshly trimmed terrace, and though we are never short on things to chat about, we felt no need to speak in that moment. The silence of the river, the rustle of wind through the riverside trees, and the far-off call of howler monkeys from somewhere across the water spoke for us. What a welcome invitation to slow down from our demanding university and work schedules, silence our phones, and revel in the simplicity of a slow morning together outdoors.
Through a fence gate at the opposite end of the field, the shadow of trees lining a streambed provided a new canopy of welcome shade. This narrow stream forms natural swimming pools in the rainy season. On this occasion, however, it was dry yet strangely beautiful. The empty creek bed revealed a fairyland valley of moss-blanketed rocks, and vines and branches swayed from trees arched overhead. A pine plank bridge that looked newly built spanned the waterless creek. Across the bridge, there was what seemed like an endless labyrinth of cleared walking trails through the wooded forest. We had never hiked those secluded trails before and found them to be a perfect, peaceful, and easy path for more of a romantic meander than a challenging hike. Feeling as if we had suddenly landed in a natural reserve park, I almost forgot we were still just a few minutes’ walk from the main entrance of the resort and the traffic of the George Price Highway.
Having exhausted the corridors of this looping trail system, we retraced our steps and headed back toward the creek bed. Suddenly, Aden came to a stop under a delicate white wildflower budding from a low-hanging vine across our path. Pinching the flower off by the stem, he tucked it gently behind my ear, smiled that million-dollar smile of his that never fails to melt my heart, and led us out of the trail as it opened back up to the clover-carpeted hill near the creek bed.
Pausing to rest again, he pulled me into a close hug, whispering, “Paige, I love you with all of my heart.” I closed my eyes and smiled. Then, gazing relaxedly over his shoulder at the scene around us and resting in the perfect peacefulness of the moment, the comforting scent of freshly trimmed grass blending with his cologne. Taking my hands softly in his, Aden pulled back and focused his deep brown eyes on mine. And there on the lush riverbank on that warm May morning, the course of our lives merged forever in the most beautiful way. My high school best friend and love of my life pulled a tiny white box out of his hip pocket, dropped to one knee, and asked, “Paige, will you marry me?” It was only then that I finally realized the family brunch waiting for us on the lawn near the entrance was not for my mom at all!
Simple, intimate, surrounded by draping vines and floral bushes, with just us and God, a corner of those gorgeous grounds became the backdrop for a “Yes” that I would never forget. The images of life and growth surrounding us seemed a fitting, though unplanned, motif for the new, vibrant life we were stepping into building together. Lingering a bit longer and dangling our feet from the edge of the wooden footbridge, we soaked in the moment together as Aden eagerly spilled that our families and closest friends were waiting for us to join–not a Mother’s Day brunch–but an engagement celebration.
The creek bed guided us a bit further upstream and past yellow colonial-style cabins, bringing our circuit of the property to a close in front of the restaurant. There, on the manicured lawn, a towering ceiba tree spread its cool shade over our favorite people as they mingled with coffee cups in hand in anticipation of our arrival. The garden party layout, courtesy of my mom and the wonderful resort managers who assisted behind the scenes, looked like it was straight out of my all-time favorite book, Anne of Green Gables. Platters of delectable cold cut meats, cheeses, and fresh fruit, baskets of croissants, and mason jars of jams and butters galore filled the buffet table, certain to satisfy any possible brunch craving. Arrangements of tropical ginger flowers, heliconia, and botanical greenery decorated the spread, which I recognized immediately as my mother-in-law-to-be’s handiwork.
As we exchanged joyful embraces with loved ones and shared in the pure delight of this pivotal morning, I was still reconciling with the surrealness of being engaged to the love of my life. Looking around, I couldn’t imagine a more fitting place for this than Warrie Head. With its varied terrain, there are plenty of nooks to choose from at this one resort for hosting life's different milestones, whether birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, family gatherings, or an unexpected, beautiful moment that begins a new chapter with the love of your life.
Paige Dietrich is an English major at the University of Belize. She lives in Unitedville Village and enjoys getting lost in a good book, playing the violin, and living an active lifestyle along with her loved ones.
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