Toronto Section - Speyside (11.4 km) to Kelso (0.0 km) - April 13, 2023.

 Toronto Section - Speyside (11.4 km) to Kelso (0.0 km) - April 13, 2023.

The Hiking with Friends group was back on the Bruce Trail this past week with a "local" hike in the Toronto Section that captured 11.4 km of the main trail as we trekked from the Pear Tree parking lot in beautiful downtown Speyside to the designated start of the section by Appleby Line between the Kelso and Hilton Falls Conservation Areas. This hike would be significant for two members of the group who would complete the Toronto Section and earn a feather in their B.T cap...

If you can ignore the scorched earth portion of this birds eye view of our trail, you will see that the hike was primarily along the edge of the escarpment, without a heck of a lot of climbing ( a mere 160 meters of ascension which is about as low as you will find)...the challenge in this area is primarily the high concentration level required in picking your steps...it's a "roots and rocks" hopscotch game pretty much straight through...unfortunately, those rocks brought down one hiker on this day who suffered a painful, but hopefully not too long term injury...our thoughts are with him for a speedy recovery.

It's an unusually warm spring morning at Pear Tree parking lot where a (new) record 24 hikers have successfully shuttled from Hilton Falls C.A over to Speyside...not sure I managed to capture everyone but I can tell you that included myself, Peter, Laura, Nancy, Liz, Barbara, Josie, Sandra, Andrea, Frank, Rita, Carol, Catherine, Muris, Frances, Ron B, Marleen, Michael, Steve R, Doug (Hike Coordinator), Dave, Steve K, Lesley, and Annette!..phew! Thanks go out to Josie, Laura, and Doug for their photo contributions to this blog...

It's time to get the boots moving and our long line of hikers sets off into the woods single file...we have been dealing with larger numbers on a couple of recent hikes and the associated responsibilities (especially for our regular sweep Sandra) that come with moving a big group safely through a long hike...but we are learning to stay as compact as reasonably possible (while still leaving the requisite 2 meter gap between hikers) and regrouping when and where necessary...

You may notice that short sleeve shirts, and even shorts, are appearing on some hikers...today's forecast is for unseasonably warm temperatures in the high 20's...it's a bit of a shock in that just a few weeks ago we were in multiple layers and donning icers, but such is the nature of hiking in Canada!

There is little protection from the rising sun due to the lack of foliage...but it is still early and a slight breeze keeps the heat at bay for now...it is really a quite pleasant start to our hike...

We have been passing through the Speyside Resource Management Area...in addition to the tricky terrain, there are numerous small shallow streams and ponds (which I'm sure will be excellent mosquito breeding grounds in the near future)...

Hikers' faces can be an excellent visual barometer of how the day is going and judging from this last photo, all is well!..so many different personalities and backgrounds, but all of us with the common bond of the love of the outdoors...

We eventually reach the top of St. Helena Road and a short stretch of walking abreast...

At the end of the road, the trail resumes and a sign advises that the upcoming portion has been twinned with the Kythera Trail in Greece...I think we have "urned" the right to explore it further...

There's a new sign in the woods a bit further on...the Wilfred G. Crozier Nature Reserve has been designated by Ontario Nature (as part of their effort to help preserve the beauty and ecology of the Niagara Escarpment) as a four hectare area of natural and scientific interest. The Halton/North Peel Field Naturists are the official stewards of the reserve...

 Speaking of signs and nature!..here are a couple of natural signs that spring is springing to life...the mono-chromatic brown of the forest will soon be transformed by plants and flowers like these and bring much appreciated colour to the landscape...

A look out spot is reached and we gaze over the edge across a familiar urban landscape...

It's a "king of the world" spot for some (well, me mostly) and there's a flurry of picture taking before we move on...

The terrain gets a little more challenging...and beautiful...

I don't get to see my golf pro brother often, so why not call him up at his course, Greystone G&CC, which we are passing by (over?) and get him to come outside to wave hello?..

We knew it was coming, but the stark visual reality of the Dufferin Aggregate Milton Quarry at "The Gap", is always a bit disturbing...a harsh reminder of what the man made destruction of this area of the escarpment in the name of "progress" and "development" has left in its wake...

This man is the definition of perseverance as he carries on through difficult circumstances...

Having bridged the gap, we deserve a break in the ever warming sunshine to replenish our energy levels...

 And it's a good moment in the blog to say hello and welcome to Carol, who has joined HWF today in preparation mode for an upcoming hiking trip to Italy with her daughter...good luck Carol!..

It's back to the business (well, pleasure) of hiking as we focus on getting to our ultimate destination...

We eventually emerge on to Sixth Line and a stark reminder of the hazards that exist on these roads...a "ghost bike" stands as a grim testament to one cyclist's unfortunate (yet wholly preventable) death at the hands of an inattentive motorist...

Michael takes advantage of the short break to tutor Peter in the art of the "hiker's repose"...it was also at this juncture that two of our hikers exhibited compassion and assistance beyond the call of duty, as they initiated the retrieval of a vehicle from Hilton Falls in order to assist our injured hiker, who, despite tremendous fortitude, was accepting of the benefit of concluding his day and attending to his personal health...many thanks to Dave and Steve K!

The rest of us move on...skirting the corner of the Hilton Falls C.A...at the intersection of the Philip Gosling Side Trail, several of the group elect to take a somewhat shorter route back to the parking lot...those that are looking to complete this section for the first time (along with a blog photographer who needs to record this event) strive towards the designated finish...

After crossing Campbellville Road, we enter a quite enchanting area that belies its proximity to likely Canada's most busy transportation corridor...there is a constant cacophonous concert of traffic noise in the background from Highway 401, but we focus on the visual beauty of the forest...

It's the end of the trail for these two and the Toronto Section is in the books!..

It's been a while since we have had one of these ritual celebrations as Lesley and Steve R are feted in the traditional honour guard style...having had the privilege of completing the B.T myself, it is these moments that I now treasure as I get to see others achieve their goals and move ever closer to becoming an true "End to Ender"...thanks for spending time with HWF and hope you enjoyed this day as much as we did...and good luck to Ron B...hope to see you back soon!

The End

"A new type of directional blaze?.."