Fall Series #3 - Sydenham Section - Oct. 7-9, 2025.

 Fall Series #3 - Sydenham Section - October 7-9, 2025.

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Day One - Lundy Road (132.5 km) to Graham's Hill Road (147.7 km) - Oct. 7, 2025.

It was a dark and soggy day ... wait ... that was just the forecast. Actually, we lucked out with just a brief shower maybe half-an-hour into the hike.  Check out the 'start' photo - not a poncho among us ...

From left to right, Steve R (photos), Donna (photos), Peter, Laura (photos), Nancy, Georgia, Frank C, Faryde, Annette, Ivan, Marion, Andrew (photos), Sandra, Lesley, Grace, Doug (HC, photos), and Frances.

Off we go ... but first, at Concession Road 20, a group photo of the five who will complete their BT End-to-End tomorrow:

Then towards and into the Kemble Wetlands...

... and after an early costume adjustment, we pass several piles of what look like bear scat (or a very big dog) and then meet a sign confirming a bear in the area. Peter is not fazed.

The expected rain arrives...Note Sir Hike-a-Lot's umbrella. Swank!

Lesley and Donna model their clever clothespin anchors for poncho hoods, allowing (some) rain protection as well as overheating avoidance.

We reach the memorial cairn to Charles Middlebro and John Stuart, founders of the Sydenham Bruce Trail Club, and key early agents of the Bruce Trail creation.  Steve is inspired!

In the Kemble Mountain's Tumbled Rocks

Looking north on Kemble Rock Road at Dodds Hill...

Final stages ...

End of Day One

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Day Two - Graham's Hill Road (147.7 km) to Bruce's Caves (163.7 km) - October 8, 2025.

We have come a long way as a group (both physically and metaphorically) since our inception in the summer of 2022 (as well as in our previous iteration as Pathfinder's End to End), and today, we will continue to bear the fruits of our labour (well, it's not actually "work" but there is a lot of effort), as FIVE more members of HWF will graduate as full fledged Bruce Trail E2E'rs at the conclusion of today's hike. This amazing feat is testament to what this family has achieved through camaraderie, perseverance, and dedication. Accompanied by many of those who have traveled that same journey, these five will need to traverse a pleasant 16 km or so from Graham's Hill Road to their "forever spot" at the Bruce Caves near the end of the Sydenham Section...let's enjoy their experience together...

 After dropping some cars at the end near Bruce's Caves, we gather at the start and present to you our "Fabled Five"...Peter and Laura (the second couple in our history to finish together), Lesley, Frank, and Nancy...

And here they are with the other 14 hikers who will get the pleasure of experiencing their big day with them...so there's myself, Annette, Frank C, Grace, Frances, Lesley, Doug (H.C), Laura, Peter, Nancy, Faryde, Marleen, Georgia, Marion, Donna, Sandra (Sweep), Steve R, Andrew, and Ivan...let's get this big day started!

 As we turn the corner onto Big Bay Side Road, we admire a great vista over Georgian Bay...while the local livestock seem udderly oblivious to the significance of our journey...then, it's a left turn into the fields of 2 BTC protected natural areas, "Dyke & Wood (2001) followed by "Hayes" (2018)...

We have a short regroup upon reaching Coles Side Road and before heading northward...it was a cool start to the day but the clouds are parting and a warm October sun is beginning to have its effect...add to this a buoyant mood and we have the makings of another awesome hiking experience...

  Turning into the Ancient Beach Nature Reserve (2017), we realize that we forgot our towels and bathing suits, but then also realize that this beach is even more ancient than we are, and all that remains is a pleasant stroll through cedars and deciduous forest...

The warming temperatures mean that a clothing adjustment is necessary after following Colpoy's Range Road (really just a potholed stony path) and reaching the bottom of what will pretty much be the only big climb today to the top of the escarpment...we reach the crest and prepare to enter the forests of Skinner's Bluff, a 100 acre parcel secured way back in 1996...when we were all younger, and likely skinnier...

 The trail around the bluff is spectacular...with stunning views of autumnal forests, Georgian Bay, and the islands just offshore...there is a pretty stiff cool breeze off the water that brings out an extra layer for most of us...

Hiking with Friends...there's no better way...

With a few hours of hiking under our belts, it's time to time to loosen them and fill up on some refreshment...and our "uber eats" drivers have arrived with our orders...really, they're just some nice ATV boys out there tearing up the forest all for...fun?

Colpoy's Bay comes into view on our right and we know that we are only a few kilometers away from Bruce Trail glory for our fantastic five...the excitement grows and helps keep tired legs moving...

And look who showed up to help capture these historic last few paces, our newly adopted photographer, Nic!..

Our beloved escarpment may be broken in places over time by forces much stronger than us, but the fortitude and determination of these five members has remained unbroken over the course of the last few years, and now, following in the footsteps of those before them, it's just a short walk down the hill to be feted and recognized for their collective achievement...

In a pole ceremony of a magnitude that may never again be equaled in HWF history, Peter, Laura, Frank C, Nancy and Lesley all display the unbridled emotion of what it means to have conquered the longest continuous footpath in Canada...having traveled with them for much of their journey, I can surely say that they all exemplify what Hiking With Friends has become for us...embracing a trail full of physical challenges, wondrous beauty, ups, downs, clowning around, falling down, getting back up and sometimes limping along...just because we can...and, we like doing it with good friends.

  

All that's left are some hugs, some bubbly, and a not to be forgotten pole ceremony for Marion upon her section completion!..how much joy can one hiking group have?..well (spoiler alert), tomorrow is another day...

Celebrations at Pappi's later that evening...

End of Day Two

Due to an unfortunate injury, our imperious leader, Steve K, was unable to join us today hiking, but did spend a pleasant time golfing nearby...here, he recreates a well rehearsed swing from a reportedly familiar environment...in the woods.

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Day Three - East Linton Access (115.6 km) to Lundy Road (132.5 km) - October 9, 2025.

So, after yesterday's emotional and memorable developments, what is in store for the Hiking With Friends group today you might wonder?..well, in a perfect follow up, we get to look forward to celebrating two more members achieving their Bruce Trail completion!..and, in a scenario that may bring celebrity status to some, we have a couple of special guests along for the ride (well, walk, really) to help document what will certainly be another historic marker in HWF history...

 But first, let me just say that this morning is what any hiker dreams of when setting off on the Bruce Trail...a rising sun, a setting moon, and a misty landscape puts your soul in a good place...especially for what will be another monumental hike with another rainbow of appreciation at the end...

It has never been a focus of the Hiking With Friends group to seek fame or fortune through their actions and deeds...impress to be in press, so to speak...but blessed circumstance and good fortune (which seem to follow us on the trail by nature) have conspired this day such that we have, embedded in our assemblage, 2 special guests...

And this beautiful woman is the reason they're here today...84 year old Rita, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother has been hiking the Bruce Trail...she showed up in March, 2023 (through, like a few of us, the Oakville Pathfinders) and I'll be frank here, I scratched my head and thought, mmmmm, is this going to last?...well today, I am happy to eat crow...because she has blown me, and everyone else here, away.

And, it just so happens her equally beautiful grandchild, Nic, who first appeared with our group back in the spring as we provided inspiration for a Sheridan College photography project they were completing (part of a program from which they have since graduated), has landed a coup that may have the name "Hiking With Friends" heard round the globe...or at least seen in the Globe. Their effort to solicit interest from this newspaper in covering their Gran's incredible story has come to fruition, and a long time writer from the publication, Gayle, has agreed to put her boots on the ground and come see what all the fuss is about...

Wherever possible, we try not to let our fellow hikers do things alone (hence the "with" in our name), and today, Rita is joined in her quest for glory (and fame apparently), by another woman has graced the Bruce Trail with her inquisitive style and infectious enthusiasm and will also complete the "Group of 7" who achieve End to End status on this week's trip...Andrea (inspired by her good friend and fellow hiker, Josie) has also taken on the Camino Trail (solo) this past year so her hiking resume is growing impressively. And what's really cool is...

   I found this excerpt in my blog archive from their first day...together!...from our hike on March 2nd, 2023.

Meanwhile, here we are, 952 days later (so they averaged just about a kilometer per day?), with a hearty contingent of 19 hikers ready for another big day...including myself, Grace, Rita, Nic, Andrea, Josie, Frances, Sandra (Sweep), Annette, Faryde, Gayle (Press Corp), Georgia, Ivan, Donna, Doug (H.C), Marleen, Steve R, Lesley, and Andrew...stop the presses!...We are going on a hike!...'cause we're just that type, right?..er.

 The start of this hike at East Linton Road access has a little bit of HWF history attached to it...it was on my first outing here that, with only 3 others along (Sandra, Arpi, and Lesley), we ended up mistakenly going north instead of south (as was planned) and had a much tougher hike than we bargained for...as well, it meant that the final hike for Sandra's and my E2E two days later was into Jones Falls...it was actually meant to be this one...the next year, Doug and Barbara completed their E2E at this same location...last year, Andrew and I took it on (mostly in pouring rain) and had an awesome day together...today, it marks the origin of another historic HWF adventure...

Nic gets to work capturing us travelling through the cool crevices, adorned with fallen foliage and prolific green mosses..

Rita is in fine form as usual...she makes hiking look effortless...and always has the smile of one who appreciates how lucky we are to be out on the trail...

Just some hikers working on their style....

It's payoff time for all our hard work early on as the magic of fall is revealed...wait, they make newspapers from these trees, don't they?..

At just over 17 km, today's route is a dyed-in-the-wool Bruce Trail beast that requires your full attention most of the day...this area especially has cracks and gullies and roots and rocks...oh, and it's beautiful and magical too.

  We paws to say hi to a canine hiker...

Saw these "shadow-glyphics" along the way too...looks like he's waving "hiro"...

After several hours in the forest, the open sky is a welcome sight (as is the smoother terrain underfoot)...Nic has been busy shifting up and down the line recording our passion (and their passion for photography is evident) and Gayle has been asking the probing questions that elicit both personal tenets and common threads regarding our hiking ethos...and you can print that!

And you thought our hiking was erratic...Lesley has never been bolder as she embraces this behemoth...

It's time for a welcome refreshment break in the warm sunshine...

We pass by the impressive archway in the Lindenwood BTC Protected Natural Area (2009), and then cross Lindenwood Road which stretches off into the distance...

It's often later in these longer hikes that both calm leadership and fellow support become instrumental in making sure everyone is having the safest and best possible hiking experience...we lean on each other a lot (figuratively, we don't allow pushing)...everyone has their own "hiking personality", but we all know what it takes to be a successful group...

I can see the headline now:

"Two Hiking Companions Share the Roots of Their Bruce Trail Conquest"

We have arrived in Bruce Trail Nirvana...perfect weather, a wide open trail in an idyllic forest, and a moment to relish...and we're almost done!..yee-haw!

It's times like these that you want to cherish...

A seriously big pole ceremony is established and Josie gets it going in style for her Sydenham Section completion!

Next is Andrea...she is now officially rocking her Bruce Trail End to End status...Congratulations!

  And finally, our Queen Mother of Hiking, Rita!

Inspirational, Motivational, Emotional.

All that's good about Hiking With Friends.

"952 Days...Look what we did together"

And we got these cool t-shirts!

New HWF graduates take their place among many former End to End'ers...thanks for enjoying our time together...glad you got to see, and "Read All About It!".

End of Day Three

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The End

One last shout out to a former and much loved HWF member (and another E2E'r), Arpi!..seen here accompanied by travel mate Sandra and recent hostess in her second home (Scotland), Barbara...looking good!