Leaders: Karen and Richard
Section and Distance: Niagara Km 15.2 to Km 29.8
Weather: Coldish, Sun and Cloud with some wind
Actual Distance hiked: 15.38 Km
After positioning the cars we started the hike at the Woodend parking lot. We crossed the road and continued west through the woods along the edge of a golf course. We then followed an abandoned roadbed to the Third Welland Canal (1887 to 1931). After a short climb we continued northeast for about 1 km along the banks of the Third Canal. At Glendale Ave. we turned left and crossed the Glendale Bridge over the Fourth Welland Canal.
We then entered the Greater Niagara Circle Route (GNCR) which is a multi-use trail and followed the GNCR under the CN Rail tracks. We turned right into a light bush and crossed a spur line before entering a denser bush behind a new subdivision. We took a sharp turn up another spur-line embarkment and crossed the tracks into another bush. We paralleled the tracks for 300 metres to a sharp incline to Merritt Street.
We crossed Ball Avenue over a small concrete bridge and continued to an old chain-link fence which we followed over a steel bridge crossing the old canal. Here we met the Merritt trail which we followed for 500 metres to Glendale Avenue. We turned left under Highway 406 to Tremont Dr, were we stopped at Tim Hortons for our elevensies.
After about a 1/2 hour break we continued to the top of the hill before entering into a light bush and then into mature woodlot. We continued along Glenridge Avenue to the footpath on the Brock University Campus.
We followed the north side of the Brock University campus and then headed along the edge of escarpment. We continued along the escarpment edge to the hydro property above the outskirts of St. Catharines. We followed the fence along a hydro canal and then turned left over rough ground onto a gravel road.
After 600 metres we turned right into the forest. We crossed two bridges winding through scrub land to the eastern side of Lake Moodie and hiked along the water's edge to the east side of the DeCew Rd. Bridge. We crossed the bridge to DeCew House Park where we had parked the first. car. After easting lunch at the picnic table and touring DeCew House, we picked up the other car from Woodend and drove home.
"Legend says that Laura Secord, the wife of a Canadian militia officer, was responsible for a British/Canadian victory in the War of 1812. Queenston had been occupied by the Americans, and U.S. officers were being billeted in the Secord home. Laura apparently overhead plans for an American attack and decided to take action. She is reputed to have traveled on foot overnight from Queenston to the British headquarters at DeCew House (a distance of over 30 km), in order to warn the British. Because of her warning, the British were well prepared and scored a major victory at Beaver Dams."
