Discovering the Cheltenham Badlands Trail

I am continually amazed by the rich diversity of southern Ontario. From lush Carolinian forests and rolling meadows to countless waterfalls and lakefront, we seem to have it all. A recent visit to the Cheltenham Badlands in the Caledon area introduced me to a new and very unique landscape unlike anything I had seen before.

Parking at the small makeshift parking lot on Olde Base Line Rd, I stepped out onto the red clay. The colour of the ground immediately catches your eye and provides a sense of the view to be had once you walk the few steps up to the vantage point there. From this point you can see the entire area as it drops away and the uniqueness of the ground is breathtaking.

According to the Ontario Trails Council “Badlands” is a geologic term for an area of soft rock devoid of vegetation and soil cover that has become molded into a rolling landscape of rounded hills and gullies. Such areas are rare in Ontario and this is one of the best examples. They exhibit the reddish hue of the Queenston Shale that forms them; the iron oxide in the shale produces this colour. The narrow greenish bands that can be seen throughout the shale are due to the change of red iron oxide to green iron oxide brought on by the circulating groundwater. The relatively soft shale is essentially clay and is easily eroded by water. This site was acquired by the Ontario Heritage Foundation in 2000 and is under the care of the Bruce Trail Association.

 

 

As this is a sensitive natural area, walking through it is discouraged. The Bruce Trail travels just past this site and it is just a short walk off the main trail to the access point.

This such an interesting area and I look forward to the opportunity of a summer return. I imagine that when the surrounding woodlands are fully green the contrast will be spectacular. Catching a sunrise or sunset from this area would also be very worthwhile.

The Beach in January

With a warm snap bringing the temperature to around 15 degree’s C, the melting snow turned the valley trails temporarily muddy and impassable. It seemed to me that this would be a great day to check out Hamilton’s Beach Trail.

Living so close to it, it is sometimes easy to forget that the 14th largest freshwater lake in the world is just minutes away. The Hamilton Beach Trail which is a part of the larger Waterfront trail system is a multi-use paved surface and is an ideal place to walk when the ground is soft and muddy.

On this day I parked at the lot by Hutches Restaurant and walked east in the direction of Confederation Park. Meeting plenty of runners, dog walkers and cyclists, all of whom said hello in passing, I enjoyed the lake views that this trail provides. Rosie enjoyed running on the beach and playing in the incoming surf.

It was a rare treat to be able to enjoy the beach and comfortable temperatures in the middle of January and I look forward to returning in the spring and summer.

Just a reminder that more photos and trail information are always available on my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-beyond/120774278042380

Get out and enjoy this amazing weather!!

Goodbye 2012

I have to admit, I am a big fan of the changing seasons in Ontario. I love the newness of spring, the deep greens and wildlife activity of the summer, the intense colours of fall and the silence and clean landscapes of winter.

This is also the time of year that I build my plan and goals for the new year and take time to reflect on the year gone by.

Waking this morning to a fresh covering of snow, I took full advantage of the opportunity to explore the Spring Creek Trail and take the time to think back with gratitude on the many hiking and camping opportunities that I had in 2012.

There is something about a fresh covering of snow that helps to clear your head and cleanse your mind and I returned from this hike feeling truly refreshed.

It was just over a year ago that I started this blog and in that time I have explored many of the trails of the Dundas Valley. I have had the opportunity to share thoughts with readers and meet some terrific people who share my passion for hiking and photography. It has been a lot of fun and I have learned a lot.

I am looking forward to much more exploring in this area in 2013 and sharing more photos and hiking ideas with you.

A sincere thank you for the many comments and words of encouragement this year. They are greatly appreciated.

Also, thank you for the many of you that have visited and left comments on my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-beyond/120774278042380

Please accept my wishes to you for a healthy and happy 2013 and one that is filled with amazing outdoor experiences.

Cam

First Snowfall of the Year

The first snowfall of the year means for me a chance to get out and explore while everything is covered in a blanket of white.

Looking out the window on the morning of December 1, a beautiful scene presented itself with the trees and the yard covered in an inch or so of fresh white snow. With coffee in hand, Rosie and I headed to Cascades Park which is located on Livingstone Drive in Dundas and started hiking up the Bruce Trail side trail that heads to Upper Sydenham Falls.

Although the water level was low, icicles had formed on the face of this 45 foot ribbon type waterfall. It was hard to imagine that just 24 hours before there would have been none to see.

The winter season is just beginning and I am looking forward to exploring as many of the trails and waterfalls as I can.

Don’t forget, for more photos and hiking information, you can visit my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-beyond/120774278042380

Thanks for visiting!!

Christie Wildlife Area

The morning fog was just starting to lift as Rosie and I headed down the trail at the Christie Wildlife area. I had found this spot completely by accident, driving north on Middletown Road just north of Regional Road 8. Fortunately, I had spotted the small parking lot on the left side of the road and now as luck would have it, we were exploring a new trail.

This beautiful marsh area feeds into Christie Lake and features a relatively short and mostly flat perimeter trail that follows the shoreline of the marsh. I can imagine that this area is teeming with wildlife during the spring and summer months but with it now being mid November it was quiet with the exception of some song birds and a few groups of ducks, mostly mallards occupying the water.

Exploring the trails, we walked through stands of cedar and pine transitioning into maple and other deciduous trees on the western shoreline. The trail was mostly grass covered and well marked and features a bridge where the trail begins the returning portion.

You can see by my GPS that I made one small error requiring me to backtrack when I realized I was off course but other than that the walk was enjoyable and quiet.

Returning, I made a mental note to definitely plan on a returning as I would love to see the landscape during the winter, spring and summer seasons as well.

Don’t forget, for more photos and hiking information, you can visit my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-beyond/120774278042380

Thanks for visiting!!

Sulphur Springs

For my recent birthday, my parents presented me with the book, Touring the Giants Rib, A Guide to the Niagara Escarpment by Lorina and Gary Stephens. Fully aware of my love of hiking in this area, they always know how to find me gifts that help to feed my passion for the outdoors.

Flipping through it, I stopped on a description of Sulphur Springs and realized that although I frequently drive by and hike through this area, I know very little of the history of this unique spot.

During the late 1800s, the Sulphur Springs Hotel with its mineral spa was a popular summertime destination. The sulphur waters were believed to have wondrous curative powers and as a result they attracted visitors from far and wide. The hotel closed in 1910 after two severe fires. Although the hotel is gone, the fountain that supplied the sulphur water remains.

Stopping the car along the side of the Sulphur Springs Road, the first thing you notice is the distinctive sulphur smell. Plaques on the fountain provide some information on its heritage as well as some detail into what makes this water so distinct.

This site is easy to find while driving on Sulphur Springs Road between Ancaster and Dundas and can also be accessed from the Main Loop Trail while hiking in the Dundas Valley. You will find it while hiking the area between the Trail Centre and the Hermitage site.

This is just another unique feature that makes the Dundas Valley such a rich and interesting place to explore.

Don’t forget, for more photos and hiking information, you can visit my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-beyond/120774278042380

Thanks for visiting!!

Fall Hike to the Hermitage

One of my favorite areas of the valley to visit in the fall is The Hermitage. This ruin that dates back to before 1855 has a very interesting history and is particularly picturesque when surrounded by the vibrant colours of autumn.

The Hermitage can be found while hiking from the Dundas Valley Trail Centre and is located on the Main loop. This trail is a favourite of mine, filled with rolling hills, streams and moss covered rocks. There is also a small parking area at the Gatehouse Museum that provides for a shorter trail.

If in this area, step behind the Gatehouse Museum to see the Hermitage Cascade. This beautiful cascade waterfall is 13 feet (4 metres) in height and is very pretty.

On a recent visit, we started at the Hermitage Cascade, than followed the trail as it meanders towards the ruins of what was at one time an elegant estate.

According to the historical plaque at the ruins, stones used in construction were quarried from local sites, the red bricks from the Dundas Valley and the limestone sills from the Credit River Valley. The Hermitage had several owners before it was acquired by George Gordon Leith in 1855.  After George’s death in 1901, his daughter Alma Dick-Lauder bought the estate from the rest of the family and lived there until 1934, when a fire broke out during a party and burned the house down. Even after this fire, Alma continued to live on the site, building a modest home within the ruins where she lived until her death in 1942.

With the surrounding tree’s rich in red and yellows, the front facade of the home provides some indication of how majestic it once was. This is an interesting area to visit as you wonder around the remaining walls of the house and its outbuildings.

With its rich history and beautiful surroundings, a hike into this area is always worthwhile.

Don’t forget, for more photos and hiking information, you can visit my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-beyond/120774278042380 Happy hiking!!