The analyses of a text

My path widens, widens, descending steadily . . . Even before I see or hear it, I smell the water . . . Even before I see or hear it, I smell the water . . . Carefully now, among the stones . . . A bit slower here . . . I turn and see the stream, high, rocky banks at either hand, a meter of two of shore line before the rise . . .
Slower still, beside the gurgling, sparkling flow . . . To follow its meandering . . . Bends, curves, tress high overhead, exposed roots in the wall to my right, gray and yellow talus-fall along the flaky base . . .
["Trump of Doom" of The Great Book of Amber by Roger Zelazny]
I'd like to know if "To follow its meandering" means "And I followed its meandering."
And I'd like to know the underlined clause means the following:
"It bends, curves, there are trees high overhead, and they exposed roots in the wall to my right."
Thank you in advance for your help.