Niagara Section - Woodend Conservation Area (13.0 km) to Decew House (29.8 km) - Dec. 7, 2023.

 Niagara Section - Woodend Conservation Area (13.0 km) to DeCew House Heritage Park (29.8 km) - Dec. 7, 2023.

Hiking With Friends was out, in force, on the Bruce Trail again this past week, taking on a roughly 17 km walk from the Woodend Conservation Area on Taylor Road to the Decew House Heritage Park...as it turned out, it was all "Well and...good"...

Our bird's eye view of the route reveals a voyage through both natural, and urban areas, with a crossing of both old and present versions of the Welland Canal, and the circumvention of the Brock University campus at the tail end...the hike took us 5 hours and 15 minutes to complete (which included a couple of stops along the way which I will detail), and was not overly strenuous from a climbing perspective, requiring just 235 meters of "self-elevation"...

Upon our arrival at the Decew House Heritage Park parking lot to drop some cars, we were immersed in a cold, windy, and wet morning storm...not the best environment for a happy hike. Fortunately, having shuttled over to our start at the Woodend Conservation Area, the rain had relented, and that brought smiles to our faces for our group photo...in this picture, you will see myself, Barbara, Lesley, Steve R, Steve K, Rita, Andrea, Doug, Annette (H.C for today), Muris, Liz, Dave, Andrew, Laura, Ron B, and Peter...16 hikers eager to walk from here to there just because we can...

I have been away from the group for several weeks and it feels good to be back "in step"...despite the lightly snow covered ground, icers don't seem to be necessary...but there will be some mud, well, actually a far bit of mud, but overall the trail is decent and our pace is brisk at the start as we move past the Walker Living Campus, a valuable children's educational institution that embraces and promotes environmental awareness in young students...

A quick pause for a regroup gives Dave, a certified hike leader with the Iroquoia Club, a chance to speak about a future side trail adventure in this area...it's a tall order to match his B.T experience in this region and we welcome his knowledge in our group again...

A very weathered sign on the other side of Taylor Road suggests that maybe hikers, perhaps through natural selection, will eventually evolve into cross-country skiers, and then, ultimately, snowshoers?..for now, I guess we will remain at the bottom of the food chain...will we ever find the missing "Bruce Trail Link"?..

...meanwhile, those "smart kids in school" line up to be first back at their desks after recess...

A nice stretch of forest bathing leads us eventually to the edge of the Royal Niagara Golf Club and a pleasant vista...time for another regroup/chat/appreciate the moment...

Golfers get the nicest blazes!..

A climb up the back side of the golf course leads to the edge of a former canal route (with the locks removed) and a quite precipitous drop to a concrete canyon below...not a kid friendly stretch...

 Remnants of the old concrete bollards line the narrow path between the canal's edge and the expansive golf course property (such privilege to the land they command)...one was even incorporated into this tee box...

The trail meets Glendale Ave. (the sign suggests "Road" but Google Maps suggests otherwise), and we turn left to cross over the canal...two enormous culvert pipes eye us as we leave nature for a bit and travel on concrete...there's just no way for the Bruce to avoid this quasi urban road/park trail connection through the next few kilometers...it can make a hiker "Thorold-ly" unimpressed...

I wasn't sure why we lingered here by the jet propulsion plant entrance for a bit, but now I feel it was for some "air or space", or perhaps both...the lawn was also amazingly soft underfoot so that was comforting...I think we also enjoy each other's company...

And then...we finally discovered something...taller than Dave...

The crossing of the Glendale Ave Bridge over the (present day) canal went all "well and good"...

Sir Hike-A-Lot then exhibited his superhuman powers and started the lift bridge in motion...counterweights and chains apparently then took over to raise it high enough for the ship to pass (or so he told me)...

This was an experience well worth waiting around for...akin to watching planes land close up, the majestic power and solemn momentous propulsion these enormous craft exhibit makes for captivating viewing...

The self-unloading Trillium Class lake freighter, Whitefish Bay, entered service with Canada Steamship Lines in 2013 and is used primarily to transport goods on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway...it looked empty...but it still provided great companionship...as we strolled along the banks on the twinned Welland Canal Trail...

But enough of that ship...We head across some railroad tracks and through a scruffy forest, and arrive eventually at Mountain Locks Park...

 ...and yet another (older) iteration of the canals that have played such a significant role in the history of this area...this one did not handle lake freighters...

 Our urban adventure resumes on Glendale Ave and one of the luxuries afforded on this particular hike is a nice warm Tim Horton's (the only one actually on the Bruce Trail) in which we can take our break...no "Hike Thru" lane, but there was "pole parking" available...

The climb up to the end of Tremont Drive takes us back into the woods on the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site...

...and Sir Hike-A-Lot has possibly found information pertaining to that missing link!.."hikerus brucetrailius"...

As we emerge onto the back of Brock University campus, there's an indigenous structure, a ceremonial lodge, that has garnered a respectful place on these grounds...

We don't linger on campus, knowing we all have our PhD's (Professional Hiking Degree), and instead take on a far more educational pursuit...a bridge picture!..

Having crossed the bridge on Decew Road, we reach our dropped cars and our happiness at having completed our trek safely and soundly is only surpassed by the celebration of Andrea's completion of another section!...congratulations as you continue your quest...and from HWF, have a safe and happy holiday season!

The End

"Niagara Mud"

               2023.