Sydenham Section - Fall Series: St. Vincent/Sydenham Town Line (41.7 km) to Blantyre (0.0 km) - Sept. 28 - 30, 2026.

 Sydenham Section - Fall Series: St. Vincent/Sydenham Townline (41.7 km) to Blantyre (0.0 km) - September 28-30, 2026.

----------------------

Day One:

Bognor Marsh (27.0 km) to St. Vincent/Sydenham Townline (41.7 km) - Sept. 28, 2026.

 

The hikers assembled at the Bognor Marsh billboard - Steve R. Lesley, Andrew, Frank along with Maria (our very own Trail Angel) on a bright and cloudless morning for our 15km stroll to Sydenham Townline.

First challenge was to cross the marsh on the long floating boardwalk.

Then on towards the heart of the marshland on the elevated boardwalk and passing the local bird condos...

The requisite bridge picture (and Sir Hike-a-Lot's stash...)  

Passing the Bognor Marsh Side-Trail loop & we agreed to leave this one for another day!

Into the forest proper and upwards onto the escarpment.

Happily, the B.T trail team had come and installed a nice set of steps to help with the climb...

....that was well worth it as the views from the escarpment on this brilliant day were spectacular.

Descending into one of the many small valleys along the trail.

Andrew showing off his super-human strength with this bendy tree...(ok, ok it was already like that when we arrived)...

Near to the end of our hike we passed through some very tight crevasse(s) and emerged onto the Sydenham Townline to meet our Trail Angel Maria.

End of Day One

-----------------------------

Day Two : 

1st Concession Road (10.5 km) to Bognor Marsh (27.0 km) - Sept. 29,2026.

 

    The team assembled at the Bognor Marsh    billboard once again - Frank C., Lesley, Maria  (once again our beloved Trail Angel) and Steve R. ready to head off into a warm and cloudy morning for our 16.5 km stroll to 1st       Concession...

Enjoying the lovely colours of fall along the forest trail segment of this longest hike of the week and mostly consisting of roads...

The team assembled on the road-side, girding for the march ahead...

    

    ....the long and winding road...led us to the forest once again...

...which was soft underfoot and with the straight/denuded  cedar trees giving an eerie feel to the forest - which is best represented in the next pic as the our colours all ran dry...

Ghost Hikers in Forest

       Half-way and ready for an 11'ies break at a B.T campsite along the trail.

                      Impressive 'shrooms along the trails...

    Joined by two other hikers who appeared and then disappeared...(doppelgängers?)....spooky...

    

    After a long road walking section, Steve and Frank were doing the silly zombie thing in front of the cemetery entrance...

 

    

    Back on the road that went on and on and on...

        ....and on and on and on....

Until we arrived at a nice fresh veg stand where Steve R. looked over the merch and engaged the local farmer in a discussion of the pros and cons of the business of hydroponics.

        ...and then home again, home again jiggety-jig...to conclude our rather tiring ~17km walk today.

End of Day Two

---------------------------

Day Three :

1st Concession Road (10.5 km) to Blantyre (0.0 km) - Sept. 30, 2026.

It's the third and final day of the Hiking With Friends sole Fall Series this year (seems a side trip to Scotland for quite a few members curtailed our window of opportunity this season), and it's another big day in the annals of HWF.

While the vast majority of Canadians were recognizing and dwelling on our Nation's Day of Truth and Reconciliation, our group also had the chance to take part in a hike that recognized and honored the efforts and perseverance of one determined hiker, as he reached the ultimate Bruce Trail accomplishment...and End To End glory.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Steve R, a.k.a "Sir Hike-A-Lot" who, after literally hiking a real lot over the past few years, is about to travel the last 11 kilometers or so of the only section remaining untrod... 

From the archives, we find Stephen on one of his first hikes with the group, back on August 18th, 2022 at Felkers Falls...

 Today, and around 900 kilometers later, he stands at 1st Concession South on another gorgeous fall day, ready to be escorted and feted across the finish line...there's myself, Andrew, Marleen, Sir Hike-A-Lot himself, Andrea, Josie, Frank C, Lesley (H.C), and our Trail Angel, Maria...well at least one of us has a touch of orange to respect the national holiday...time to get the big show on the road...

 Fortunately, there will be very little road walking today on a piece of the trail that has many beautiful forests to pass through...and this is the perfect time of year for enjoying arbor heaven...

And here is a prime example of what we are talking about...a king of maples stands majestically among its peers...

A quick stile crossing at 1st Concession South (having looped around from the start) leads us into the Walters Creek Management Area...

It's turning out to be a very pleasant morning, but after a quick clothing adjustment for some, and passing through a lovely meadow, there's some climbing to do...reminding us that with the pleasure, often comes some pain...

Here we go again...going down the only road we've ever known...or at least, will know today...the St. Vincent/Sydenham Townline crests nicely at this point and reveals the colorful countryside that surrounds us...

We will spend virtually the rest of our hike today travelling through the magnificent Rocklyn Creek Management Area, one of the nicest stretches of Bruce Trail you will find...and the excitement and anticipation of what our arrival in Blantyre will mean for Steve is percolating to the surface...for the rest of us (all E2E'rs btw), this is the kind of day that resonates, and speaks to one of the reasons we keep going...and going...

You can tell by Frank's smile that he is enjoying the moment...and the fact that the Habs beat the Leafs last night...

 The landscape here is so made for hiking...and we are savoring every step...even though every step is getting a little more arduous...

A pause was definitely required after that climb...

And it's a good thing we rested, cause there's more elevation to gain!..

Andrew elevates his game...crossing over some suspended maple sap feeder lines...

We never get bored walking through such magnificent woods...

How cool is that?...we arrive at the Rocklyn Creek Bridge precisely on its 8th Birthday!..and celebrate with a bridge pic of course...Lesley and Steve have crossed many bridges together in their lives, figuratively and metaphorically, and it's fair to say that Sir Hike-A-Lot would not be where he is today without having had her by his side, on the trail and in life...

Everyone's journey on the Bruce Trail tells a different story...over and above the thousands and thousands of steps, the roots and rocks and streams to cross, there are other battles that are fought off the trail that make the victory on it so much more gratifying...life can throw you curves, the trail has ups and downs, but if you keep following the blazes, you'll get there.

And get there he did!

Congratulations Steve!..Hiking With Friends and the Bruce Trail Conservancy welcome you to the End to Ender's club...well done!

There's time for a little celebration buffet before we head home...thanks for sharing a great day with us...and happy trails!

End of Day Three

-----------------------

And he's got the t-shirt to prove it!