Hike 18 : Return to Nature - Airport Rd to Mono Centre

Bruce Trail and Time in Nature

Caledon Hills End to End Hike

We were early for our third day on the Caledon Hills section of the Bruce Trail, we slowly made breakfast at our campsite, packed down our tents, and set off to today’s End-to-End rally point - the Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chi International Centre. If our bodies hurt yesterday, they screamed this morning – our muscles were now exponentially sorer for the efforts of two days and 50 km of hiking.  As on the previous days, we had soon registered for the final day of this organized hike, and were soon re-walking a small portion of the local ski trails back to Airport Rd.   Today we ventured approximately 26 km from Airport Rd to the southern edge of Mono Cliffs Provincial Park.

Dufferin Hi-Lands End-to-End Continues

By the time we had gotten back to Airport Rd our stiff legs had warmed up and were feeling better for today’s trek. After crossing the concession road we were immediately plunged back into nature, and found ourselves following the ridge of the Niagara Escarpment. This was a wonderful change from the long hours of road walking over the past two days.  We were thrilled that today began in nature and saw us climbing to the top of a gentle hill, where we entered a strip of forest running along the edge of agricultural fields. 

Following the dirt pathway and grassy tract we moved through a hemlock forest where birds were clearly busy collecting and stashing food for the coming winter. The narrow footpath soon widened into an old logging road, which wove us through a dense forest where there was clear evidence of recent tree cutting and replanting. The unmistakable uniform lines of trees throughout the area reflected the difference between natural forest growth and plantations.  Regardless, we were grateful for the shade over us as the fall temperatures of the day continued to rise.

‘PUDS’

Amid this stretch the Bruce Trail traced the landscape past clearly marked blue blazed side trails such as Hemlock Ridge, Glacier Valley, and Griffith Ravine.  These names accurately reflected the reality that much of the landscape in this area undulated throughout his eight kilometre stretch.  As a result, the trail was frequently either descending into valleys or climbing to the tops of ridges and hills. Unsurprisingly, according to the BTC guidebook, portions of the trail in this region were built on former ski areas.  Our legs certainly had no difficulty in believing that this was a ski region.

Among long-distance hikers, especially those traversing the famed Appalachian Trail in the United States, there is a well-known acronym – PUDS – which stands for ‘Pointless Ups and Downs’.  While today was hardly the first time on the Bruce Trail that the notion of PUDS has come to mind, it was certainly the section which perhaps best defined the frustration of the endlessly descending and climbing. These stretches of trail use the topography of a region as deliberate obstacles that require far more effort than a pathway which simply followed the top of a ridge would require. 

There are of course practical reasons for the creation of 'PUDS' along trailways.  First off, they break up the monotony of a single straight line of boring pathway.  Second, they make hikers push to increase the amount of effort they expend, making them ‘earn the trail’.  Third, they are easier to maintain, because the trail naturally drains rather than giving way to marshy spots and large puddles.  Finally, PUDS often reflect the realities of building a pathway between properties where trail-builders are limited in terms of their route choices.  While I can’t say that I am a fan of eight kilometers of ups and downs, I also can’t deny that a tough day on the trail is better than an easy day at a desk in an office. 

Between the 3rd Line EHS and 2^nd Line EHS, the Bruce Trail boxed around the edges of the Hockley Valley Resort Golf course and a local estate winery.  Here our route passed golf greens and ski lifts, and we were tickled to receive friendly waves from a couple of the golfers out enjoying a nice fall day on the course.  Pushing on, we followed a fence line, traversed a forested valley, crossed several streams on boardwalk bridges, and again climbed on switchbacks to the 2^nd Line EHS.  Back on roadway, we had a short but easy venture along the gravel concession on which we descended into a ravine and crossed the Nottawasaga River before climbing uphill into Hockley Valley Nature Reserve.

Hockley Valley Provincial Nature Reserve

Crossing HWY 7, we followed a short road allowance and entered into the Hockley Valley Provincial Nature Reserve, also known as Hockley Valley Provincial Park. This property is located between Hockey Valley Resort and the community of Mono Centre and is managed by Ontario Parks. 

Hockey Valley serves as a nature reserve and incorporates Cannings Falls Area of Natural and Scientific Interest within the park.  As a result, it gives visitors the possibility to see locally rare wildlife species such as Louisiana Waterthrush and Jefferson Salamanders.  Given our experiences hiking across the Hemlock Ridge to Hockley Valley Resort, it was unsurprising to discover that the topography of the area was shaped by glacial moraines and erosion resulting from the Nottawasaga River, which traverses the provincial park. 

After a brief break at the southern trailhead, we entered this rugged section and almost immediately began climbing to the top of a ridge.  Thankfully, wooden logs had been inset into the land to aid in this steep ascent. Once at the top, Sean collapsed onto a bench to rest while Lenora and I took in the terrific views and grand scenery of the region – our reward for the challenge of getting here.

Continuing north, the Bruce Trail followed a pioneer tract along the escarpment before descending into a marshy region.  Here we were again grateful for a series of wooden bridges over flowing creeks, marshy stretches, and escarpment crevices that had been installed to help hikers.   Apparently, this portion of Hockley Valley PNR is a tributary of the Nottawasaga River and serves as the headwaters for the Grand, Humber, and Credit Rivers.  The valley we had just descended into was cut by the river through the escarpment in a process known as fluvial erosion, which takes place over centuries of activity. 

In short order our route (again) climbed the escarpment on a series of switchbacks to the next ridge.  What followed was a wonderful forested walk along a relatively flat trail. While this region is moderately challenging given its constant changes in elevation, the trail itself is well established and clearly blazed.

Jeju Olle Friendship Trail

Throughout much of Hockley we followed along the Jeju Olle Friendship Trail or Korean Friendship Trail.  The Jeju Olle Trail, translated as ‘small path’ is a 425 km long route that circumnavigates the small South Korean island of Jeju-do.  It can be walked in a series of 26-28 sections while exploring the volcanic island located some 130 km off the southwest coast of South Korea. In Ontario, the Friendship Trail, or paired trail with the BTC, runs about four kilometers from HWY 7 to the Glen Cross Side Trail at the northern edge of Hockley Valley.

 

Online Images from Bruce Trail Webpage

According to the BTC website, an International Friendship Trail is used by the Bruce Trail Conservancy and the World Trails Network to raise awareness of and support for public trails around the globe.  The concept is similar to “twin towns” where regions across the world partner towards mutual cooperation and publicity.  At present, the Bruce Trail has 9 Friendship Trails along its route, a number of which we have already trekked.

The conclusion of the Jeju Olle Friendship Trail brought us to the edge of the forest and led us into a small section of meadowlands.   Here bird boxes had been set up through the property, and we even found a sign noting that more than 100 trees had been planted by volunteers throughout the park.   Unfortunately, this beautiful section of trail lasted for only a few kilometers before taking us back, briefly, to road allowances and concession roads.

North to Mono Centre

The final portion of our amazing day on the Bruce Trail would see our group marching single file along Dunby Road and the 3^rd Line EHS, heading northward.  As we made our way down the concessions, both horses and ponies frequently came to the fences of their pastures to investigate us.  Many had expressions of amazement on their beautiful faces as they thoughtfully chewed and watched the odd progress of the “two legged breasts” walking past. 

We soon arrived at the southern corner of Mono Cliffs Provincial Park near the town of Mono Center. Waiting for us was a line of yellow school buses which drove us back to our starting point for the day, the beautiful Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chi International Centre. Exhausted but elated, we unloaded into the parking lot to receive cheers from the volunteers, enjoy drinks and treats, and to receive our End-to-End Crests!

Online Image of Caledon Hills End to End Patch

Thankful Reflecting

Our arrival to Mono Centre and the edge of Mono Cliffs Provincial Park meant that we have now completed our fourth section of the Bruce Trail and arrived at the boundary of the Dufferin Hi-Land Club!  This also means that we have now completed more than 300 km of the Bruce Trail.  While our progress might seem slow to most, the fact that step by step, day by day, and walk by walk, we have made our way from Niagara Falls across this much of the Bruce Trail is exciting to us.  It reaffirms our hope that the trail can be successfully completed through a series of day and weekend hikes, rather than tackled as a single thru-trek. I now feel as though we are making significant progress. 

I also want to pause and thank volunteers of the Bruce Trail and the Caledon Hills Club for making this weekend’s hikes terrific!  The amount of work they undoubtedly undertake to organize and arrange the buses, to ensure that there are treats and cold drinks for every hiker, and to maintain the section’s pathways is staggering.  Thank you so much for everything!