Niagara Section #3 - Decew House 29.8 km to Swayze Falls 40.5 km December 22nd, 2016

We started the hike at Decew House through Short Hills Provincial 

Park to the Parking lot on Roland Road at 40.5 km.

 Posing for the group picture from L to R; Richard or leader; 

Ron; Christine; Mike; Eric; Annette; Ann; Steve; Sefan 

and Case recording the expedition for posterity.

 Unfortunately the view to Lake Ontario was obscured by the 

hazy weather.

 A view of Decew Falls and the Morningside Mill

 Terrace Creek Falls

 At one point we saw several deer running up the hillside.

 "Are they edible, Dr Jackson?"

Ice covered Swayze Falls, the end of today's hike.

Niagara Section #2 - Woodend 15.2 km to Decew House 29.8 km Dec 15th, 2016

 We hiked this section from The Decew House to the Woodend Parking Lot. 
It was a cold day -10C with a stiff breeze and we decided to 
hike west to east so the wind would be at our back.

Today's hikers were Richard; John; Ann today's leader; Christine; Annette; Eric; 

Steve (not our leader), Stefan and Case.

Moodie Lake

On the escarpment you can see Lake Ontario to the north.

We come out of the forest at Brock University.

Note to future hikers, there are 'warm' washrooms in the University.

The Trail follows Glenridge Ave for about 500m.

The highlight of this section is a Tim Hortons halfway  .. Lunch time !

Some Urban Hiking along Glendale Ave.

The trail crosses the first (and second)  Welland Canal.

The 1st Welland Canal was completed in 1824 with 40 wooden locks.

It was replaced by the 2nd canal on the same route through the town of  
St. Catherines with 27, 8m x 24m, limestone locks shown above.

The 3rd canal, located east of the current canal, was completed  in 1887 

with 26, 14m x 82m, locks as seen here.

The current canal was completed in 1932 with 8, 24m x 262m locks.  

The Twin Flight Locks just south of the Glendale Ave. Bridge are shown here.

The Trail follows the 3rd canal south.

We cross the stile at Taylor Road and head for the cars in the 

Woodend parking lot across the road.

Niagara Section (hike 1) Cairn 0 km to Woodend 15.2 km Dec 8th 2016

The Core of Crazies!

The end to end crew: Stefan, Matilda, David and Lesley, Annette and Eric, Steve (our fearless leader) and Richard. 

All seventeen hikers.

They were ably assisted and encouraged by Marion, Ron, Carol and John Nicholson, Andy, Christine, John Nourse, Ann and Mike. 

17 hikers in total.

The weather was cold (around freezing) with a distinct wind chill in the open areas and flurries in the air.

After photos at the Cairn and a quick pit stop at the delightfully warm Niagara Parks Facilities, it was a brisk walk across the General Brock Park to the shelter of the woods.

 The trail skirts the Queenston Quarry and the edge of the scarp before descending steeply to join the abandoned rail-bed of the former New York Central Railroad. 

Past St Davids golf course and homes of various descriptions the trail emerges at the junction of Niagara Townline and Four Mile Creek Rd to pass under Hwy 405. Up the hill and into the woods we found a spot for Elevensies

Off we headed passing culverts,

Out onto Dorchester Rd and past Firemans park and over the tracks.

 Across Mewburn Rd and over the QEW to the "Screaming Tunnel"

 The walk along Warner Rd had some of us channeling our inner Karen..

 Others finding rose hips.

 And finally after a quick lunch, the circuit around Woodend (down and up the scarp) with great views out over Niagara College.

And thence back to the cars at Taylor Rd.

Toronto Section, 11.2 km to 21.3 km, December 1, 2016

 This Section of the Trail started at The Pear Tree Parking Lot in Speyside and 

ended at the 22 Sideroad in the Village of Limehouse.

The weather was cool, about 3-5C, cloudy with sunny intervals and a cool breeze.

We had 12 Hikers today. Apparently several were attracted to our civilized (8 am) starting time.

From L to R; Case, the photographer; David; Annemarie; Bill, Eric; Steve our Leader; Annette;
Nancy; Andy;Christine; Leslie and Richard the co-leader.

 The Trail starts off going east along the 15 Sideroad across Hwy. 25.
There's always a straggler, I think she must have been picking wild grapes.

 We navigate through the well known rocks of the Toronto Section.

 The Trail passes through farm fields as we hike along the fence line.

 Lunch break. Not many took advantage of the 'Priority' seating.

We observe a school house being renovated as we cross the 5th Line.

From the 5th Line the Trail climbs the rock face into the Limehouse Conservation Area.

 The Trail leads past several rock fissures before dropping through the "Hole in the Wall".

A nice reminder left behind by a previous hiker ....

 A beaver pond and dam on the Black Creek.

The restored remnants of one of the many lime kilns in the area, hence the name Limehouse.