Iroquoia Section - Felker's Falls ( 23.2 km) to Lewis Road (11.1 km) - July 13, 2023.

 Iroquoia Section - Felker's Falls (23.2 km) to Lewis Road (11.1 km) - July 13,2023.

The Hiking With Friends group, after having had the previous week's planned hike scuttled by extreme heat and the chance of stormy weather, made it out this past Thursday to the Iroquoia Section to enjoy a 12(ish) km part of the Bruce Trail between Felker's Falls and Lewis Road to the east...

It doesn't get much more "linear" than this route, with hardly a major twist or turn, as we travelled along the thin green oasis that separates the dense urban environment along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, and the (for now at least) primarily agricultural lands above the escarpment...we covered this distance in 4 1/2 hours (actual distance including side trails, etc. was closer to 14 km) and climbed a surprising 300 meters...

After the previous night's intense and prolonged rain storm, the skies overhead this morning at our Lewis Road drop area were clearing somewhat... having made our way to the parking lot at Felker's Play Park, and gearing up, we assembled for our group shot using the children's structure (took a minute to shoo off all the annoying kids first)...today, our 13 hikers include myself, Nancy, Grace, Doug, Lesley, Marleen, Frank, Barbara (this week's esteemed H.C.), Steve R, Ron B (welcome back after a long injury recovery), Muris, Frances, and Rita...

It's only a few minutes before we reach a well-flowing Felker's Falls...the previous night's rainfall helped to increase its voluminous nature...

 After a bit of a stuttering start, we begin to hit our stride...it's a bit humid, but overall as nice a morning as we could hope for, and our anticipation of a muddy track proves to be unfounded...the precipitation has been well absorbed and the trail is in quite good shape...

We descend down from the top of the escarpment to travel more or less along the middle of it...it is going to be a "single file" hiking day with not a lot of "abreast" opportunities...

After a short hydration break, we pass under Centennial Parkway by using the railway track underpass...

It's a double bridge picture week!..we cross Battlefield Creek, which eventually joins Stoney Creek coming from the Devil's Punch Bowl...

The staircase at the Lower Punch Bowl Falls is our next challenge...

Having tackled the stairs, we are soon heading back down to the rail line...I'm not sure if we were on the "wrong" side of the tracks and crossed to the "right" side, or vice versa, but it was more important to "stay on track"...or "trail" I suppose...

...and back into the woods we go...

Having covered just over half our planned distance for the day, it's well on time for a refreshment break and a couple of suitable logs provide a welcome resting spot for just that...

It's been a summer of alternating sun and rain which is evident in the lushness of the forest...even though we are travelling in close proximity to the urban area below us (and have had views of many nice backyards with inviting pools), there are many moments in which we are swallowed up in greenery...

"I really needed to get that rock out of my boot!"...

We have entered the "where the heck are we and more importantly how much farther do we have to go?" phase of the hike...as the B.T app is consulted...it's warmed up considerably and legs and minds have begun to get weary...Frank, as usual, continues to smile throughout...

It's our last road crossing, and a bit of a challenging one as the trail transects McNeilly Road right at a steep bend...so it's a blind corner in both directions!..

With help from those that made it across safely, we all manage to traverse, and then put our heads down for the final push to Lewis Road...

We reach the designated side trail and then it's all downhill from there, as they say...

And there you have it...another great hike in the books!..we sang to celebrate a couple of member's life milestones...I would normally say that this morning was the highlight of my day, but I was a little preoccupied with another marathon effort going on in another part of the world that would mark a significant milestone in my own life...

Hope you enjoyed the walk with us...thanks for spending time with HWF and see you again soon!

The End

Say hello to Nolan..our first grandchild (born later that same day) and future hiker extraordinaire...