Caledon Countryside Alliance - Caledon Speaker's Series

Welcome to the Caledon Countryside Alliance's (CCA) tenth walking season. Each Sunday morning from October to April, a group of between 10 and 25 people meet for walks in and around the Caledon area. The terrain of the 2-3 hour hikes ranges from flat to hilly to everything in between, and many hikes are followed by a visit to the local pub or restaurant. Walking messages are sent out mid-week with details for that Sunday's walk and, as in past years, we welcome input from those of you who would like to share your favourite hike with the group.

If you are interested, please send an email to hikers and we will make sure that you receive weekly messages for the rest of the walking season. If you know of anyone else who may be interested in joining the hikes on a regular basis, please ask them to visit us at CCA or email us for membership information.

We look forward to sharing your ideas and countryside for another hiking season.

Cheers,

Jan

Happy Hikers On The Trail

Photo courtesy of Janet's Fine Photography - November 18, 2007

Hike Date	Hike Description
Apr. 27, 2008	Mississauga Road: New hike alert! Sue will be taking the group through some new territory so bring your compass. Please park at the northerly end of Mississauga Road. It deadends north of highway 24 and there is an outdoor education centre on the right hand side. Park there and follow Sue.
Apr. 20, 2008	Palgrave Conservation Area: Al, without Gail, will be leading you somewhere through the trail system of Palgrave Conservation Area. He's keeping it a secret which either means it actually is a secret or he's still pouring over the map. I would assume this hike to be 2-2.5 hours and recommend it to anyone who doesn't know the conservation area well. It's a beauty. Parking is available in the parking lot at the end of Duffy's Lane.
Apr. 13, 2008	Glen Haffy: Please meet on Coolihans Sideroad (east of Airport Road) where the Bruce Trail crosses the road (you will see the BTA flashes). Parking is available on both sides where the road widens slightly. Al and Gail will be taking you north through Glen Haffy and across the road to the wilds beyond. This is a lovely hike, with nice up and downs, a beautiful pond and the ease of a road coming back. Think 3 hours.
Apr. 06, 2008	TBA
Mar. 30, 2008	TBA
Mar. 23, 2008	Cancelled for Easter Sunday. Have a Hoppy Easter!!!
Mar. 16, 2008	Top of Creditview Road Part II (this is the northerly end of Creditview where it dead ends just north of The Grange. Do not attempt Grange Hill... come in off Mississauga Road or from Creditview). It's supposed to be warm today and tomorrow which will make the 2 feet of snow on the trails unbearable. But then Sunday is supposed to be colder again so we'll hack along the trail and then rest along the road -- this way, I'm guaranteed to make half of the people happy half of the time. I've heard from about 6 people that they won't be joining us... for those of you still in country and in need of some exercise, see you at 10 on Sunday.
Mar. 09, 2008	More snow, yay! If you have a chance, get out the skis or snowshoes before the end of winter finally arrives. And it will. Please meet at the top of Creditview, north of The Grange Sideroad. Either take Grange east from Mississauga Road or Creditview north from Olde Base Line. DO NOT attempt the Grange hill from McLaren under the graffiti bridge. It is closed, impassable and dangerous. Parking is available along the right hand side of Creditview north of Grange. For those not familiar with the area, Creditview dead ends here and we will be walking in along the unopened road allowance. There is road walking on this walk. See you Sunday at 10.
Mar. 02, 2008	It may seem like we keep walking very close to Jan's house (and we do) but it has little to do with proximity and more to do with not knowing, or having time, to test the trails further away for footing. If you know that the footing is good somewhere (i.e. has been packed down in some form or another), let her know. This week, please meet on Sunday at 10 am where the Elora Cataract Rail Trail crosses Winston Churchill Blvd north of Bush Street (it may not be named such here but it is the road that runs between Belfountain and Erin and is named Bush Street in Belfountain). Winston Churchill runs north/south and is located between Shaws Creek (to the east) and 10 Line (to the west).
Feb. 24, 2008	We’re hiking a new route this Sunday. Nikki will take us on a loopy loop through Orangeville’s Island Lake Conservation Area. We’ll walk around much of the lake and through some lovely forested areas. It’s a very pretty spot and we've never done it before so don't miss it. The route could be snowy, but there is a fair bit of traffic in the conservation area so we can hope that a snowmobile will have carved out a path. (No promises though.) It is a flat walk that will take about 2 hours. You may be required to pay an entrance fee to the conservation area so bring about $5 just in case. Meet at 10am in the parking lot that is on the south east corner of Highway 10 and Broadway. It is just below the Boston Pizza on Highway 10. (I believe the road is called Buena Vista on the east side of the highway and Broadway on the west side). If you take Highway 10 north, turn right at the lights at the bottom of this hill past the hospital. If you went left, you’d be driving into Orangeville. The entrance to the parking lot is just around the corner. If you take Highway 10 south, turn left at the same lights. Take the opportunity to see some new territory!
Feb. 17, 2008	Meet at the rail trail where it crosses Chinguacousy Road between Boston Mills and Olde Base Line Road at 10 am. We will walk the trail or the road into Cheltenham and return the opposite way. We usually stop at the store for hot chocolate. (Details: rail trail west to Creditview, south on Creditview to general store. Return take Station Road to Chinguacousy and follow it back to the cars. Or vice versa).
Feb. 10, 2008	This hike will start from the far west end of Boston Mills where it dead ends on the west side of Mississauga Road. Parking is available there. This section of the Bruce Trail meanders along and down the escarpment so the footing might be rocky/slippy depending on the snow cover. We will most likely come back up via Heritage Road and the unopened road allowance that connects with Rockside Road.
Feb. 03, 2008	Sue has kindly taken the lead for this Sunday where you will be hiking in Alton. Enjoy! Here are Sue's directions.... Meet at the library car park which is signed. In the village of Alton you turn off Station Rd, which is just North of the school. To get to Alton take 136 (or Main Street) (this is the northerly extension of Cataract Road -- Esso gas station on the southeast corner) north from Charleston Side Rd (highway 24). It should be a gentle walk, depending on how much fresh snow there is but it is usually well trodden and there is a short road portion.
Jan. 27, 2008	Meet this Sunday at 10 am on Chinguacousy Road where the rail trail crosses (north of Boston Mills Road, south of Olde Base Line). Parking is available on both sides of the road... be careful not to pull too far off the shoulder and into the ditch -- which you can't see because of the snow. We will be partly on the road and partly on trail. The weather is supposed to be grand!
Jan. 20, 2008	I spent some time skijoring in the Palgrave Conservation Area over the Christmas holidays so let's go there and see how long a 1.5 hour ski trail is when you convert it to a walk. Please meet in the parking lot at the north end of Duffy's Lane. You may notice that the road forks (there is a sign that says the road straight ahead is not maintained), go right. It's a small parking lot with a wide gate that leads out to the trails. You have to turn north onto Duffy's from Patterson Sideroad because Albion Hills Conservation Area creates a roadblock south of Patterson. Duffy's Lane is just west of highway 50 and Patterson is south of Finnerty. I don't know what the footing will be like so come prepared. Palgrave CA is stunning so come and enjoy. As is known to happen, we may even have a local or two come out of the woodwork and lead us! Note: Palgrave Conservation Area is north of the green arrow on this map (this arrow is pointing out Albion Hills CA). The Palgrave Conservation Area parking lot is just past the elbow turn on Duffy's Lane that you can see south of Finnerty.
Jan. 13, 2008	Happy New Year!!! Hi everyone and welcome to the 2008 part of the 2007/2008 CCA hiking season. Due to the changing weather, let's do a trail that we know in case a freak blizzard separates us or we lose contact due to howling winds. Scottsdale Farm here we come. This trail has some steep ups and downs at the beginning and then continues through the maple bush and onto the far side of the farm after crossing 8th Line. This is a long hike (expect 3 hours) but you can jump out early near the end, saving about 1/2 an hour. I expect the footing to be slippery in spots... and wet. Between now and then, the weather people are calling for rain and temperatures hovering around 0... periods of snow for Sunday. Please meet on 27 Sideroad just west of 9th Line (Halton) (take 9th Line south from Ballinifad Road, also called 32 Sideroad, and turn right at Silver Creek Outdoor Ed Centre at the corner of 27 SR. Proceed over the heritage bridge; don't forget to go back and look at it). Parking is available on the south side of 27 Sideroad and you will see the stile and blue BTA trail marker on the north side. Here is a map. See you Sunday. 10 am.
2007	Sunday hikes in 2007
2006	Sunday hikes in 2006
2005	Sunday hikes in 2005
2004	Sunday hikes in 2004
2003	Sunday hikes in 2003