Niagara Section - Kinsmen Park (69.8 km) to Glen Road (56.6 km) - July 20,2023.

 Niagara Section - Kinsmen Park (69.8 km) to Glen Road (56.6 km) - July 20, 2023.

Welcome back to the adventures of Hiking With Friends!..this past week, we drove "around the horn" again, down to the beautiful Niagara region, to enjoy a hike from Kinsmen Park near Beamsville over to Glen Road, by the town of Jordan...capturing 13.2 km of the main Bruce Trail...

A bird's eye view of the route which follows the distinct green band of the escarpment, dividing the lower and upper agricultural enterprises of vineyards and fruit farms that are the economic lifeblood of this region...our walk (which came in at roughly 14 km) took us exactly 4 1/2 hours and involved a modest 315 meters of climbing, fairly typical of this section...

 Having dropped some cars over on Glen Road and shuttled everyone over to Kinsmen Park (where apparently if you are a famous 'kin', you get your own 'kiln'), we assemble for our (early) morning group shot...our group of eleven hikers today includes myself, Rita, Josie, Andrea, Frank, Marleen, Muris, Barbara, Nancy, Annette (today's H.C.), and Ron B...

The day begins with a staircase descent of the escarpment...there are "handy" blazes right on the rails to guide you safely down the metal steps...

Having reached a proper trail, we soon encounter a glimpse of one of the many vineyards we will pass by today...and then (and I know, I know, we just had our group shot), we take a bridge selfie shot while we are still fresh as daisies...

There's a short stretch that takes us out in the glorious morning sunshine...our early start today will help avoid some of the anticipated mid-day heat but right now, it is a classic summer hiking day!..our return to the woods however, reveals a rare example of "dying by blaze" as a marked tree slowly succumbs to its "fate through designation"...

We have a short stroll down Quarry Road, past the iconic historical home on the grounds of Quarry Ridge, a vineyard management company that specializes in "beverage alcohol logistics"...the "vine to glass" equivalent of "farm to fork"?..we soon re-enter the forest and are faced with an uphill climb...no whining here though...

We have entered the Cave Springs Conservation Area and are immersed in lush green foliage...it's been a summer of alternating rain and sun and the forest is a verdant reflection of these conditions...

We get some great views to the north towards the lake and then an interesting view through this small archway...

Having had a pretty good start to our day with a decent pace, it's time for a short break..the smiles on these hikers tell you all you need to know as far as how we are feeling this morning!

Our biggest descent of the day takes us right down to the bottom of the escarpment...

...and, you guessed it, more vineyards!..

As thoughts of a refreshment break started to arise, it was requested of our hike coordinator to locate a "grassy area, under shady trees, with a pleasant view"...well, she came through in spades (grapes?) when, shortly thereafter, we arrived at this lovely spot...

"Man, eating a sandwich, under a tree".(2023)

Our next road crossing is at Cherry Ave...we then catch a glimpse of the home of the vitally important inhabitants of this area...or are those the boxes of files from my office I misplaced?..I'll bee darned...

There's another short stretch of pavement at Moyer Road, but then, it's back into nature we go...

After approaching this stile and thinking "haven't seen one of these for a while", I immediately heard someone behind me remark that exact same observation...over we went, and on we went...

The view just prior to crossing Victoria Ave. is usually a spectacular one...on a clear day (which we seem to have fewer and fewer of), you can see the Toronto skyline, which according to these new signs, is 60 km away...not today however...

A short stroll down 5th Ave takes us to a dead end and probably one of the most famous hobby farms on the Bruce Trail...this guy is a legend, and several hikers take time to admire his bountiful berry production (in addition to many other vegetables)...

...and dozens of hens!..what an egg-cellent spot!..

Our enjoyment is tempered by this tragic reminder of the long term effect of blazing trees...will it ever end?..

The trail winds its way up the west side of Twenty Mile Creek and we emerge from the forest at Balls Falls Conservation Area...I catch this ATV making its way across the creek just above the falls...

After passing a couple of the historic pioneer buildings that grace this beautiful property, the last kilometre or so of today's route will take us down to the bottom of the east side of the gorge, a section that is twinned with the "Twenty Valley Trail"...

It's probably the most technically challenging stretch of the day, and with tiring legs and minds, it takes a bit of extra concentration, but we eventually climb back out of the valley and onto Glen Road to the welcome sight of our dropped cars...this has been a "grape" hike with lots of variety, interesting viewpoints, and pretty "vine" weather as well...thanks for spending time with us and hope you enjoyed the walk!..

The End

Signage hiker showing great form...like the floating backpack concept...