Sydenham Km 131.4 to 145.1Km - 14 July, 2015

Hikers: Helgy, Christine, Andy and Case
Guest Hikers:  Anne Giles and Carolyn

Leaders:   Karen and Richard

Section and Distance: Sydenham Km 131.4 to Km 145.1

Weather:  Cloudy, Warm and Muggy with some rain

Actual Distance hiked:  14.67

Steve left us yesterday after the hike and Richard joined us this morning.  We left the hotel at 8:00 a.m.  and started the hike by 8:30.

After positioning the cars, the rain stopped and we set off down Concession 20.  We turned right and followed the paved road to the next intersection.  We turned left and followed the Cole's Sideroad north until it became a logging path leading up the Escarpment.   The path was very muddy and slippery with puddles in the middle.  We continued along the road allowance for 2 km before reaching a turn to the right.

We then headed east and south through mixed forests.  It rained occasionally, but rain gear was not necessary.  We passed a memorial cairn to C.C Middlebro and John Stuart founders of the Sydenham Bruce Trail Club.  This area is known for the variety of rare firns.  We climbed the Escarpment out to Kemble Rock Road where we had our elevensies/lunch.

Lunch Stop

We crossed the road and swung north.  We dropped below the Escarpment and climbed it again on a road allowance to Dodd's Hill Side Trail.

We continued north and then west to a pasage through a fissure in the Escarpment.  We continued west across a wide dolestone outcrop, providing beautiful views to the north.  We skirted a woodlot before reaching Graham's Hill Rd. where we had parked our cars.

We picked up and other car and drove home.

Sydenham Km 115 to Km 131.4 - 13 July, 2015

Hikers: Steve, Helgy, Christine, Andy and Case
Guest Hikers:  Anne Giles and Carolyn

Leader:   Karen

Section and Distance: Sydenham Km 115 to Km 131.4

Weather:  Sunny, hot and muggy

Actual Distance hiked:  17.7 km

 
Today Carolyn and Ann joined us for the hike.  After positioning the cars we hiked the East Linton Access Trail to the main trail.  We dropped through a narrow crevice and for the next kilometre we followed a series of spectacular crevices.

Walking Fern

We then ascended to the top of the Escarpment for a fabulous view the passed through a mature forest where old stumps left by loggers a century ago are still scattered throughout the understorey.  This area is known at The Glen as it is like a bay of beautiful treetops.

 We continued hiking north along the Escarpment through mixed forest and cedar bush.

We turned west and headed down through a crevice to the bottom of the Escarpment.  We crossed a stream and reached a field before re-entering a forest to the left.   The trail was through high ferns. A short distance later we entered BTC-owned property by a large hay field and followed a fence line west for almost one km before turning sharply to the right along another fence line, before entering another hardwood forest.  We continued north and slowly emerged from the overlying glacial tilt before crossing Lindonwood Rd.

We crossed Lindonwood Road north along the top of the Escarpment  through a wooded section with views of Georgian Bay.

We headed north for 800 m and turned left along an old logging road.  After leaving the logging road, we followed the Escarpment and descended through a crevice into a field.  We followed a fence line and turned onto a cart path before reaching Lundy Lane which we followed to our car.

We drove to the Knights Inn.  After cleaning up we went out for supper before retiring for the night.