Sunday Hikes
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
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Happy Hikers On The Trail |
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Photo courtesy of Janet's Fine Photography - November 18, 2007 |
| Hike Date | Hike Description |
| Dec 16, 2007 |
We're going to attempt Terra Cotta with fingers
crossed that the weather is good and the joggers are done
jogging. Directions again.... Park in the same spot on Winston Churchill that you did for the hike a few of weeks ago.... south of Ballinifad Sideroad (flashing light) on Winston Churchill but before you head down the big C-bend. Parking is available on both sides of the road and we'll be accessing the trail system on the west side this time. Here is the map. See you there at 10 am. P.S. This Sunday will be the last hike before Christmas. To celebrate the holiday HO HO as well as Elizabeth's birthday (shhhhhhh), please let me know if you are available to lunch at the Terra Cotta Inn après la walk. |
| Dec 09, 2007 |
We could just do a Terra Cotta re-do except if I'm not
mistaken it's the Eggnog Jog and competing with those
runners can be bad for everyone's morale. Due to the
footing, how about we mix some road with some work and
hike from Escarpment Sideroad along the road allowance, up
Puckering Lane, into Forks Park, around and down McLaren to
the road allowance again. That makes it about half road
and half trail. Depending on the footing, this up and down
hike should take about 2.5 hours. For dog owners, we will be
passing numerous farms with a range of different animals so
please be happy with leash walking. Parking is available on Escarpment Sideroad at the foot of Willoughby Road (this is west of highway 10 and south of highway 24). This junction is an L bend and you will see parking at the elbow. Check out the map. See you Sunday at 10:00am. |
| Dec 02, 2007 | This week we'll be winding our way through the Terra Cotta Conservation Area. I have no idea about the weather so check it if you need and come prepared. We will park in the same spot on Winston Churchill that we did for the hike a couple of weeks ago.... south of Ballinifad Sideroad (flashing light) on Winston Churchill but before you head down the big C-bend. Parking is available on both sides of the road and we'll be accessing the trail system on the west side this time. See you there. 10 am. Directions. |
| Nov 25, 2007 |
This Sunday we'll head north to Primrose to knit together a
couple of Bruce Trail loops -- the Primrose Loop and the
Boyne Valley Side Trail. Drive north on highway 10 and
cross highway 89 -- highway 10 becomes County Road 19 (or
Prince of Wales Road) at this point. Look for a small
parking lot about 1 km north of highway 89 and from my map
book, it looks like it's on the right hand side of the road.
Here are
directions. I will attempt to get here early enough to
flag you down. I estimate the hike to be about 8 km and it is hilly although much of the trails are meadow-like. I expect this hike to take 2.5-3 hours so do come knowing that it will be longer than usual. The last time we did this hike, it was Superbowl Sunday. This time it's Grey Cup. Go Argos go! It takes about 40 minutes from Inglewood to Primrose. See you there at 10:00. |
| Nov 18, 2007 |
Without my mapbook handy, I've decided to choose the meeting
spot and decide the hike when I'm better informed. Because
we have introduced ourselves to hikes on the west side
(otherwise known as the Escarpment side), it's time to get
to know some trails on the east side (otherwise known as the
Moraine side). Please meet at 10 a.m. on Coolihan's Sideroad. Take Airport Rd north from Caledon East and turn east onto Coolihan's Sideroad. Coolihan's heads into the valley with parking along the widened right hand side of the road (about 1 km from Airport... this is an estimate). You'll see the stile that leads into Glen Haffy on the north side of the road and the white Bruce Trail markings or sign on the south side. Be prepared for anything but survival kits are not necessary. |
| Nov 11, 2007 |
This weekend we will be hiking through conservation lands
on the east side of Winston Churchill. Parking is
available on both sides of Winston Churchill before you go
down the big bend in the road -- about 2 km south of
Ballinifad Sideroad (I'm guessing about that distance). You
will see yellow conservation area signs on the east side and
a Bruce Trail sign on the west. If you go around the corner
and down the bend, you have gone too far. We will be heading east along relatively flat ground towards Heritage Road. There is some escarpment type footing which means rocks that can be slippery depending on the weather, and a few up and downs are there just to keep it interesting. We will cross Heritage and enter the trail on the other side or head up the road to enter the trail further north. See you there at 10 am. We should be out and about for about 2 hours. |
| Nov 04, 2007 |
I will not be along for the walk this Sunday but have no
fear... Neil will lead you. Sunday will be the famous
Devil's Pulpit which provides a stunning view of the
Credit River valley through which meanders Forks of the
Credit Road. Please meet and park at the top of Creditview at 10:00am, just north of The Grange Sideroad (east of Mississauga Road, west of the Grange hill). Check the map. Creditview ends here... parking is available on the east side of the road. Please do not park at the gate where it says no parking. You will follow the unopened road allowance that the Bruce Trail follows, down past Caledon Mountain Estates, to the Pulpit. From there, you will climb down the Niagara Escarpment to Forks Road. It is steep and it is rocky and it can be slippery. If you use a walking stick, bring it. From there, you may end up at the Lime Kiln or back up the escarpment along the Trimble Trail. I will leave it up to your leader. Enjoy the hike. As with so many, it's stunning. |
| Oct 28, 2007 |
I've been feeling very Hockley lately so no better
way to choose a hike than following a feeling. We didn't get
around to doing this trail last year but those of you who
hiked the year before will likely remember it. It's not a
particularly long outing -- about 5 km and maybe one
and half hours of Hockley-type hills. The trail undulates
into the the river valley following an initial steep uphill
section from the road. As with things that go up, they tend
to come back down so be prepared for a gradual hilly trek
with easy dirt footing. Please meet on Hockley Valley Road, about 3.5 km east of highway 10 at 10:00 am. You will see the 2nd Line EHS road sign on the south side of the road and the Bruce Trail sign on the north side. Parking is available on both sides of the road. You can also come in from Airport Road. Check the map (ignore the red "D" marker). Don't forget to become members of the Bruce Trail Association. We have them to thank for such wonderful trails. |
| Oct 21, 2007 |
It's true! The CCA's hiking season begins this Sunday
and I will be in my new hiking shoes, thank YOU very much.
For about 10 years, the CCA has run Sunday hikes in and
around the trails of Caledon and the surrounding area. These
hikes take between 1.5 and 3 hours. Most hikes start at 10
a.m. but this year there will be some 9 a.m. starts to
accommodate the early risers. Each week a message will be
sent out with details of the meeting place and some
description of the hike. If you are not familiar with the
area, I recommend getting a copy of a Caledon map either at
the Inglewood or Belfountain general stores, or at the Town
office in Caledon East (check beforehand to see that these
places still have maps). My directions to each location are
local so the map is a big help. Because we count on the trail systems that are set up and worked on so diligently by volunteers, I highly recommend we extend our gratitude and 'pay our way' by becoming members. We hike the Bruce Trail more than any other and the web site is www.brucetrail.org. We also take advantage of the Humber Valley Trail and their site is www.humbertrail.org. This Sunday there won't be fabulous colours to see which only means we can better focus on catching up with each other and getting to know new hikers. Please meet on 10th Line in Line Halton Hills (one line west of Winston Churchill Blvd) in the valley south of Ballinifad Sideroad (also known as 32 Sideroad -- runs east/west between Winston Churchill Blvd and Trafalgar Rd). Parking is available on the west side of 10th, across the road from the big house with the swans. For those of you who are new, I know this sounds vague... feel free to email me and I can direct you from wherever you are coming from. Meeting time is 10 am. We will be on the Bruce Trail heading up the escarpment from the valley so expect rocky footing. As expected, the top is flat but we will move up and down the escarpment face so expect at least one more climb before circling back. |
| May 6, 2007 |
This Sunday marks the last hike of the Winter/Spring 2007
hiking season. Thank you to everyone for making the
hikes worth our Sunday morning commitment, and an ever
bigger thanks to everyone who took on a hike or two
themselves. Nikki will be leading us on Sunday through the very new, not yet completed section of the Bruce Trail by the Lion Kilns. If you have not seen them, come... the kilns feel like a trip back in history. This hike includes hills, rocky footing, slippery trails, and gravel scrambling. In other words, please come prepared with walking sticks, good shoes and a good attitude. We have unknowingly been preparing for this hike all season! Please park by Nikki's house on Scott Street in Belfountain -- Scott Street is by Forks of the Credit Rd. Nikki's house is the last one on the right hand side (green roof, black board and batten). Feel free to drop off your pot luck treats in the house before we head out. See you Sunday at 10 am. If we don't, have a fantastic summer. |
| Apr 29, 2007 | Ken Whillans clean up -- Jan will not be there but Clint who supervises the area for CVC will manage the volunteers. Please meet in the Ken Whillans parking lot on the west side of highway 10, just north of the new, blue pedestrian bridge at 10 am. Take gardening type gloves if you have them, Clint will supply the garbage bags. The CCA has been cleaning up the area for about 5 years and CVC is very appreciative of our efforts. Please head out to Ken Whillans as you would on Sunday as usual if you are in town. |
| Apr 22, 2007 |
Thanks to Nikki for offering to lead the group on Sunday,
Earth Day. And it's supposed to be a fabulous day, sunny
and 21. Please meet on Coolihan's Sideroad. Take Airport Rd north from Caledon East way and turn east onto Coolihan's Sideroad. Coolihan's heads into the valley with parking along the right hand side of the road... you'll see the stile that leads into Glen Haffy on the north side of the road and the white Bruce Trail markings or sign on the left hand side. 10 am as per usual. |
| Apr 15, 2007 |
This hike starts at 9th Line, goes down into the
valley to the river, then back up and along the escarpment
(some up and down) until we hit a field on the east side of
Trafalger Road. We circle the field and come back up through
what I have called the Niagara Escarpment nursery because if
rocks could be born and grow, to me, this is what it would
look like. The footing changes from beginning to end but we
will go through the rocky 'nursery' section. This hike is long but there are places to loop back or cut out. In other words, don't let 3 hours turn you off because you don't have to do the whole thing. Please meet at 10 am on 9th Line, just south of 27 Sideroad (Silvercreek School is on the corner). You will recognize the spot as we've parked there before. See you Sunday (periods of rain or snow; +6). |
| Apr 08, 2007 |
Happy Easter! Grange and Creditview Take II;
without snow this time. This particular trail is similar to
an 18 hole golf course packed into a small space. We won't
cover many acres, but we will cover enough kilometers to
make us feel walked. |
| Apr 01, 2007 |
This week we'll be hiking from Willoughby Road along the
Puckering Lane road allowance and into Forks Park and back.
The route is hilly in sections and if it rains like they say
it's going to, it will be mucky. We'll most likely see some
mucklecoo but no need to be afraid. Please meet at Willoughby Road and Escarpment Sideroad. There are a couple of ways of getting there: 1. Take highway 10 north to Escarpment Sideroad (golf course on the east side). Go west onto Escarpment Sideroad and continue to the elbow in the road where it stops. This is Willoughby. The trail starts right there. 2. Take highway 24 (Charleston Sideroad) to Willoughby Road (one road west of highway 10, one road east of McLaren) and go south to the elbow in the road and stop. This is Escarpment Sideroad. The trail starts there. Parking is available along the roadsides. Elizabeth said she has never seen Cataract falls... we will see them this weekend. See you Sunday at 10. |
| Mar 25, 2007 |
Jennifer and Rowan have kindly offered to lead another hike
in Mono Cliffs Park this Sunday. For ease, we are meeting
at the same spot we did the last time... the dead end on the
2nd Line Mono, north out of the village of Mono Centre
(do not turn right into the village when coming from highway
10... stay straight). Parking is available along the side
of the road. For the eaters in the group, Jennifer mentioned the restaurant on highway 10 that you ate at last time or the pub at Hockley Resort. You can let your stomachs mull over that info. PS: There are 6 hikes left this hiking season.... 5 if we don't hike on Easter Sunday. Two of those hikes are already booked but there's still room for that shy leader who's been waiting for just this call out. I'm heading to the Big Easy April 22 so I'll need back up that day. |
| Mar 18, 2007 |
This week we are hiking in the Belfountain area. The
cold temps have hardened the ground so we won't have to
fight our way out of elephant sized mud holes. Please
meet in the parking lot (north lot) of Belfountain Public
School on the west side of Belfountain (Shaws Creek Road
just south of Bush Street) at 10:00am. It's supposed
to be sunny yet cold so come prepared. The hike will
be about 2 hours as per usual. |
| Mar 11, 2007 |
Thanks to Jennifer and Al for offering up ideas for this
Sunday's hike. For the sake of the footing, we're going
east where we'll stick to trodden trails and some roads
(mostly quiet). Please meet at Finnerty Sideroad (south of highway 9) and Duffy's Lane (just west of highway 50). Parking is available on the south side of Finnerty east of Duffy's. We'll walk south along Duffy's, east along the Bruce Trail, south on 50 into Palgrave, west along the rail trail and back to the cars along Duffy's Lane. There are no major hills to conquer and I expect it will take about 2 hours. See you there at 10:00, rain, snow or shine. |
| Mar 04, 2007 |
The trail conditions are varying from day to day considering
the wild weather we've had this past week. Please meet at
the top of Credit View where it dead ends just north of
Grange Sideroad at 10:00. You can park on the road.
The actual hike route will depend on conditions on Sunday. |
| Feb. 25, 2007 |
Nikki has stepped up to the plate and offered to lead you
through the Wellington County wilds in Jan's absence.
Please meet at the back end of the ValuMart parking lot in Erin (west side of Main St) at 10:00 am. It's a secret where she intends to take you but she passed the hike leaders course so feel safe in following. ☺ |
| Feb. 18, 2007 |
Jan is away this Sunday but Sue and Tony are leading the
hike. |
| Feb. 11, 2007 |
The words Jan keeps hearing are... go east. So east it is.
This Sunday we will venture into the Palgrave
Conservation Area, one of the last remaining places in
Caledon in which I can get thoroughly lost. Please meet in the parking lot at the north end of Duffy's Lane. You may notice a fork at the end of the road, go right. For those of you who partook in Roger's wildflower walks, we are meeting in that same parking lot. You have to turn north onto Duffy's from Patterson Sideroad because Albion Hills creates a roadblock south of Patterson. Duffy's is just west of highway 50 and Patterson is north of Finnerty. See you at 10. |
| Feb. 04, 2007 |
This Sunday is a special day where we say goodbye to
Anders and Gaye, active Caledon community members and
old time hikers. I think their departure rates up there with
the dispersal of one Neil Bird. Sob. Please join us for a
march around the Terra Cotta Conservation Area with some
grub at the Terra Cotta pub to follow. Think about your
toast -- some of you were already recounting stories of
Anders and Gaye last Sunday. Read toast, not roast. Please meet on Winston Churchill, south of Ballinifad Sideroad at 10 am. We will park where we parked two weekends ago, at the top of the big bend heading south. We will enter the conservation area via the Bruce Trail on the west side of Winston Churchill. See you there. |
| Jan. 21, 2007 |
Wonderful to see you keeping up the tradition in my absence.
A big thank you to Al and Helena for taking on the challenge
of such an unruly group. I look forward to more leaders now
that I'm home. For this Sunday we'll hike from Winston Churchill west through the conservation area, across Heritage, up, around, down and back over. I'm thinking it will take us between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on how much more snow we get (keep your fingers crossed... it is winter after all). The up and down portions may be slippy but we'll also carry on along the flats of the rail trail. Parking is available along Winston Churchill about 2 km (I'm guessing) south of Balinifad Sideroad, at the top of the big curve. You will see yellow conservation area signs on the east side of the road and a BTA sign on the west. See you there at 10. |
| Jan. 14, 2007 |
This week’s hike will be lead by Al Axworthy – a regular
hiker and past winner of the CCA Walking Stick Award.
We will be hiking in the south Glen Haffy area. Please meet at 10:00 a.m. on Innis Lake Road, just north of Finnerty Sideroad. Finnerty Sideroad is north of Patterson Road and runs east off Airport Road (north of Caledon East). Innis Lake Road is the first road east of Airport Road. |
| Jan. 07, 2007 |
Happy New Year!!! In Jan Hannah’s absence, Helena Ovens has chosen this week’s hike and she will be leading it. For this Sunday (which Helena has pointed out is also Orthodox Christmas) the hike will be to the high point in Alton. We will meet at 10:00 a.m. at the corner of Beech Grove & Porterfield Road. Beech Grove is north of Caledon Village (Highway 10 & Highway 124). Go west on Beech Grove past Willoughby and Porterfield Road T-bones Beech Grove. Helena did the hike this week and here is her report on trail conditions: If conditions remain the same (i.e., no snow, freezing rain, sleet, etc.) then we should have a brisk walk on slightly spongy soil. The wooden walkway over the swamp was a bit slippery. This walk should take just slightly longer than 2 hours. We can reconvene at the "Eggshell" after the walk if you wish for brunch. The New Year is always a good time to start hiking!! Come out and catch up with the regular hiking group. |
| 2006 | Sunday hikes in 2006 |
| 2005 | Sunday hikes in 2005 |
| 2004 | Sunday hikes in 2004 |
| 2003 | Sunday hikes in 2003 |
Last updated: 2007-12-13
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