Iroquoia Section - Sydenham Road (58.8 km) to Grindstone Falls (71. 2 km) - Sept. 18, 2025.
Hiking With Friends kept it "close to home" this past week, with an outing on the trail that is always "close to our hearts", and closed out a cool 14 kms on the Bruce by starting at the Sydenham Road parking and heading northwest to Grindstone Falls ar Smokey Hollow...close to Waterdown.
How close is it to a perfect day for hiking?..pretty darn close I'd say...and for myself, Catherine C, Frances, Marleen, Rita, Donna, Annette, Ron B, Lesley (H.C), Steve R, and Frank L, it's looking pretty promising that the next 4 1/2 hours spent as a close knit hiking group will not require keeping a close eye on the radar...
If we weren't married to the idea of liking the Rock Chapel Sanctuary before closing in on its beautiful environs, we certainly became worshipers soon thereafter...
Whether spending time at close quarters discussing all matters, or looking out at a verdant view (which belies the close to a million people hiding behind those trees), no minute spent on the trail lacks for close comfort...
After passing by a virtually dried up Borer's Falls, we descend into the Hopkins Creek valley...and these stairs are not even close to "code"...
An ongoing bridge repair means that the BTC has had to close a section of the trail in this area, and the reroute results in us being pushed out onto Snake Road a little further up than usual and a bit more of a road walk...the old course was also slightly shorter, so of the two, I think I prefer the "ladder"...
I try not to be close minded about graffiti, and in the case of the urban artwork gracing the pedestrian tunnel under busy Highway 6, it comes pretty close to evoking a certain appreciation for this medium...
We are close to halfway through our day, which has gotten a little warmer than you would expect for late September but hey, we're not complaining...it's a great way to close out the last of summer...
There are no close calls as we traverse the rail line in Clappison Woods...remember, we train for this...
If you thought this hike would soon be over, you would be close...but no cigar...we have reached Grindstone Creek and the gnarly nature of the footing is the root of our slow progress...
It feels like we've climbed a lot of stairs today...and we have (my hamstring is telling me so)...but as the day draws to a close, we appreciate that through effort and perseverance, we have achieved great satisfaction...and no other feeling comes close to that...
As far as Bruce Trail hikes go, this one has been close to perfection, and as we look forward to a short commute home (and a cold shower), let me close by saying it's been a pleasure having you along for our day...and remember, keep your friends close, and your hiking friends even closer!..
The End
He closed the book on goal tending...RIP.
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