Peninsula - km 66.4 to 80.3 - 14 October, 2014

Hikers: Andy, Christine, Helgy, Anne H, and Steve

Leaders:  Karen and Richard

Guest:  Pam

Section and Distance:  Peninsula - km 66.4 to 80.3.

Weather:  Cloudy and humid with drizzle

Actual Distance hiked:  14.9 km

The two cars left Oakville at 6:00 am and we stopped at Tim Horton's at 8:30 in Hepworth to meet with Anne.

After a pit stop we traveled to Barrow Bay to start the hike at 10:00.  Pam went on to the hotel to check in and to prepare our dinner.  It was warm, humid and  raining when we started the hike but it soon turned to drizzle with period of dry spells.

After a 2 km road we entered the forest and turned to the edge of the Escarpment with great views of Barrow Bay, Cape Dundas and Barrier Island.

At the Gun Point the trail bore left providing us with spectacular views of McKay's Harbour and across Isthmus Bay.  We followed a logging track to McKay's Harbour and continued along the shoreline to a broad cobblestone beach where we stopped for our elevensies (snack time).   We left  the beach and entered a dense forest.  After lunch,  we climbed the Escarpment and passed a huge boulder and then under an impressive overhanging ledge.   At the top were great views of Cape Chin, White Bluff and Isthmus Bay.

The climb continued to Lion's Head Point with spectacular views. The trail then turned south inland and passed between two rocky outcrops.  We hiked the short side trail  to view a chimney-like pothole formation.

After three kms we reached the end of the hike at McCurdy Drive parking lot where Pam was waiting for us.  We headed back to the hotel and picked up  the other two cars at Barrow Bay.

We retired relatively early after Pam's delicious supper.

Caledon Section - km 61.6 to km 72.3 - 7 October, 2014

Hikers: Andy, Christine, Helgy, Anne G, Nancy and Steve

Leaders:  Karen

Section and Distance:  Caledon Section - km 61.6 to km 72.3.

Weather:  Sunny and cool

Actual Distance hiked:  11.7 km

We left the centre at 8:00 and parked a car at 3rd line south of County Rd 8 and parked a car.  We then drove to the Hockley Road Side Trail Parking Lot to start the hike. 

From the parking lot we entered the Hockley Valley Provincial Nature Reserve. We passed the Tom East Side Trail and continued straight ahead onto the road allowance.

We climbed to a hikers' rest bench for outstanding views of the valley before entering a hardwood bush.  We continued along an abandoned track from pioneer days and crossed a series of three bridges over a tributary of the Nottawasaga River.

Dead salmon

From there we climbed steeply on a switchback to the ridge.  From here we climbed to the northern portion of the park.

We left the woods and hiked through open fields and pineries to the top of Hockley Valley with vistas to the south and east, where we had our lunch.

We passed a BTC reforestation project on the way to Dunby Road.

We followed Dunby Road right to the 3rd Line and headed north along the road.

After 330 m we left the road to climb a rocky path to the top of the Escarpment.  We headed through mixed hardwoods along the brow before descending the Escarpment crevices and a series of steps and continued to 3rd Line Centre Road, which is the end of our hike today and the completion of the Caledon Section.

End of Caldon Section

Caledon Badge

Caledon Section - km 44.4 to km 61.6 - 30 September, 2014

Hikers: Andy, Christine, Helgy,  and Steve

Leaders:  Richard and Karen

Section and Distance:  Caledon Section - km 44.4 to km 61.6

Weather:  Cloudy, rainy and warm

Actual Distance hiked:  19.3 kms

We left the centre at 8:00 and parked a car at the Hockley Road Side Trail Parking Lot and drove back to the 7th Line Parking Lot to start the hike.

Starting the hike

We then passed the Hockley Valley Resort where we passed the ski facilities where we took a well deserved rest on the raised benches used by the skiers in the winter.  After the short rest, we proceeded past the golf course on a long descent over golf cart paths and up the other side of the valley. 

By this time it had started to rain.  We then passed by more golf greens and hiked through a grassy field ending on 2nd Line.    We then hiked up 2nd Line to Hockley Valley Road to our car.

We drove back to the second car, stopped in at Tim Horton's for coffee and drove home.  We all agreed that this was our most challenging hike to date.