Mountsberg

We had not been out for a few days, finally we got a free day and decided to walk around the perimeter of the Mountsberg Conservation area, near Milton, Ontario.

The drive takes less around half an hour from our place. We arrived fairly late, around 11 am.  This place has a lot of activities for kids so near the visitors centre there are an area with birds of pray, a large field with bison, a play barn and the lake.  We had taken our grand kids there not long ago and they loved it.

This time was for a serious walk.  We wanted to log 20,000 steps or about 4 hours of walking.  We started with the Lake shore lookout trail (5.2 km) and after lunch we followed the Pioneer trail (6.5km).  To get to the trail head we had to cross a railroad

And then just follow the trail.  It is an easy well maintained trail.  There are some hills but the slopes are gentle.  The day was very nice, around 20 C and cloudy.  Perfect for walking.

This time we found a fair number of tent caterpillars

There are some areas with open spaces

And butterflies

There are signs that fall is coming; the golden rods are out in all their glory

The leaves are starting to change colour

And as usual interesting things to see and beautiful views

We even saw a shy turtle that jump into the pond as soon as he saw us (but I still managed to get his picture)

And of course, there are always pretty flowers.

All in all it was a good day, nice day, good weather a nice and easy place to walk, and we got our 20,000 steps or around 14 km.  And still had time to be home for supper.

Hiking with the Toronto Camino Pilgrims Bruce Trail Hikers

The wife did not want to go out.  The expected temperature was 36 C with very high humidity but we having been out for a few days so I decided I would go.  In the past we have found the Bruce Trail groups very fast.  I figured that we are in better shape this days and the hike was going to be only 14 km in an area we know very well and that is not very difficult.  So I prepared my backpack and I went looking for some exercise.

Surprise !  The hiking group was composed of eleven women and I.. Yes!.  I was the only guy among all these gals.  Some guys are lucky.

The section for the hike was going to be from the tunnel in highway 6,crossing to Snake road,  following Grindstone creek to the great falls and then through the Waterdown Woods to City View park.  Easy I said to myself.  That is usually what I think when I am about to get into trouble.

We started the walk around 10 am, by noon we were at the bridge over the creek and we stopped for lunch there,  By then I was feeling a bit lightheaded and my clothes were soaked with sweat.  The rest and the food gave a second wind.  Still when we started to walk again I was not feeling well.  I got chills and nausea very soon, eventually I really slowed down and the leader that was in charge of the tail end of our group stayed with me.  Very slowly I finally made to the Great Falls which is about two thirds of the way, may be 10 km.

By then Magdalena who was the leader following the group figured I had the beginning of sun stroke and we agreed that that was the end of the walk for me.  I suggested that I could stay and wait for the wife to come and get me but she refused and stayed with me for over an hour.

Lesson learned.  I am at the age of "this never happened to me before". After a bit of reading I learned that prime candidates for sun stroke are people over 65 (check), overweight (check) with diabetes (check) with high blood pressure (check).  I think that from now on I will have to be very careful with days of extreme heat and humidity.

Still, the woods are beautiful this time of the year and the company was fabulous.  I am ready to go out again... as soon as the temperatures come down a bit.

The Bruce Trail: Kilometer Zero

From the Bruce Trail Website

The Bruce Trail, Canada's oldest and longest marked footpath, provides the only continuous public access to the magnificent Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Running along the Escarpment from Niagara to Tobermory, it spans more than 890 km of main Trail and over 400 km of associated side trails.

Kilometer Zero is in Queenston Heights, the site of the first major battle of the war of 1812 and where Canadian forces under the command of General Brock defeated the invading US Army.  Today it is a beatiful park, perfect for picnics.  It is by the Niagara river and a few minutes away from Niagara Falls.

The Trail start in the park and goes on at the top of the Niagara Escarpment for about 4 Km, then it joins with the Laura Secord Trail.  From that point on we found some steep descents, we had to walk slowly and carefully.  There is another kilometer and a half to our objective; Highway 405.  We had lunch there and returned to the park.  In total about 11 Km.

We got back to the car and drove over to the falls to have a walk and a look.  It was really busy.  I don't think I have seen so many people there before.  We walked for about two hours bringing our total distance to 20 km.

Here are the pictures;

 The first kilometer of the trail is well used by people, after that we were completely alone.

 The descent commenced

 Unsual; a tree that grew over a rock

 And in the afternoon the Falls