Slow and Steady on the Bruce Trail : Silent Valley to Sydenham Forest

Slow and Steady on the Bruce Trail

Bruce Trail and Trail Angels

Well rested and with only partially dry shoes, our morning began with a quick trip to Tim Hortons for large coffees and breakfast sandwiches before meeting up with a local BTC Trail Angel who was helping us by driving us to the start of the day’s hike.  With our rental car parked at the eastern edge of the Sydenham Forest, we were then transported back to the Silent Valley Side Trail just north of Bognor Marsh Management Area.  Saying our thanks and sliding on our day packs, we were soon back on the Bruce Trail.

Once again slack packing, we followed a logging road through a pine forest before climbing back up the 1.5-kilometre side trail onto the escarpment.  As we discovered yesterday, much of this region was very rocky, which forced us to watch our footing constantly.  After the tough climb, we were rewarded with terrific views of the pastoral landscape.  The patchwork and developed nature of the properties around us once again made us grateful for the thin band of green space and dense forest which the Bruce Trail navigates and maintains. This is certainly no easy task in a modern world fixated on efficiency, clear-cutting, and development.

Back on the Bruce Trail

Back on the main pathway of the Bruce Trail amid a beautiful and cool morning, our route continued to climb, eventually leading us to another terrific lookout over the Bighead River Valley below.  From this point our path, having reached the rim of the escarpment, had only one place to go – downhill.  The descent was treacherous.  At this point, we were reduced to navigating the uneven terrain and slippery rocks on our butts.  We had to take our time weaving through the narrow crevices that the pathway followed, and made good use of the installed ropes to keep our footing.  In this way, we slowly began trekking north down the escarpment along a forested path before almost immediately climbing back up again.

At times the trail became incredibly narrow, only held in place on the steep slope by logs intended to keep the compacted dirt from washing away.  In these stretches, with the escarpment rising up on one side and a sheer drop on the other, we were grateful to those who maintained the pathway, and for the fact that we weren't carrying our bulky, heavy backpacks today. Regardless of the challenges, it was a beautiful region that gave us quite a workout as we navigated the rocky terrain that took us past maple sugar lines, to a number of lookout points, and past a number of deep crevices in the escarpment. To us, it is always fascinating to see that many of the deep nooks and crannies in the escarpment are, even late into the spring, still filled with patches of snow that emit huge drafts of cool air.

Our route also took us past numerous small spring streams running downhill and over the edge of the rocky ridge.  Long before we arrived, we could hear the roaring roadway ahead, and far too soon we walked out of the stand of conifers that had been shading us and onto the edge of HWY 26.  This busy roadway came as a shock to us on the edge of the Bruce Trail.  Not only did the noise and stench of vehicles permeate the region – in strong contrast to the peacefulness of the natural areas we have recently been treading across – but at such dangerous roadways the BTC had previously done a marvellous job of utilizing alternative routes, pedestrian bridges, or tunnels.  Here there were no other options but to cross the steady stream of speeding traffic flowing past.  The process took us 20 minutes of waiting to find a gap big enough, and safe enough, for us to run across the two lanes to bring us to the community of Woodford.

Woodford Ontario

Off the busy thoroughfare, we wandered past the quaint Woodford Community Centre and a number of cozy homes.  With a 2-kilometre reprieve from local roadways, we crossed through the Woodford stretch of the BTC, back into a dense conifer forest amid the geology of the escarpment and traces of regional history.  The first unique site we came to was a stand of semicircular ruins on the side of the ridge.  According to the BTC guidebook, this stone wall is the remains of an old limestone kiln speculated to have been made from an old glacial pothole.  This historic site, long abandoned and fallen into disrepair, has given way to trees that have since grown along the top of its remaining walls – though the hole at the bottom is still very much in evidence.

Beyond the kiln, the trail continued to meander around the mossy rocks and flowing streams of the region.  We were amazed by the spectrum of greens which the various lush mosses and lichens frequently gave way to along the Niagara Escarpment.  Not for the first time we both wished that we knew more about both bryology (the study of mosses and liverworts) and geology (the study of how the earth was formed, its structure and composition, as well as the types of processes acting on it).
With our next road crossing within earshot, we passed the remains of a stone building whose walls stood along the trailside.  Sadly, as with so much of Ontario’s local history, we could find nothing about this building to indicate its story.

Tight Squeeze

Soon after this, the Bruce Trail dropped into a very, very, very narrow crevice, the nature of which should have been evident given the nature of the Bypass Side Trail sign.  It has long been our experience that trail names are either fun in nature or warnings of what is to come.  This one was clearly the latter.  The unique trail sign in question noted that: “The Trail ahead passes through a narrow crevice.  Consider using bypass if carrying a large backpack or if claustrophobic”.  This was an apt warning, given that we soon descended into a segment of the escarpment that I am not entirely sure we could have navigated with our full backpacks on.  Indeed, at times even our small day packs made weaving through it an adventure.  While neither of us suffers from claustrophobia or is generally too worried about tight spaces, there was certainly something about squeezing through those tight corridors of ancient stone that gave way to a duel sense of fascination and fright. Navigating around large boulders, pushing through tight spaces, and ducking under outcroppings made this stretch the very definition of cramped quarters.

 
Eventually, we climbed back out of this steep crevice and briefly found ourselves back amid a stand of trees before setting off on a short stint along the St. Vincent-Sydenham Townline – a stark gravel route. While we are certainly not fans of road walking, it was with a heavy heart that we realized the pathway we were following would take us along 8-9 kilometres of trails, only to bring us back approximately 1-2 kilometres away from our current position. 

Bayview Escarpment Provincial Nature Reserve 

With the Bruce Trail back off the roadway, we followed the white blazes along a hedgerow and property line, tracing along the edge of freshly plowed fields toward the Bayview Escarpment Provincial Nature Reserve.  En route, we were met by a flock of sheep whose curiosity led them to follow us along a nearby electric fence.  In short order, we left the muddy track behind and crossed a bridge, as well as a succession of stiles before turning north.  To our dismay, we discovered that our route was not so much a trail as it was a muddy logging or farming road, which had recently been churned up into a thick morass by the combination of recent rainfall and local vehicles.  

Slogging on, the trail traced the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, which continued to provide amazing views over the surrounding landscape, as well as glimpses of Georgian Bay.   This was a wonderful stretch, perhaps best defined as a beautiful ridge walk.    This section of the Bruce Trail, as seems par for the course, continued to present somewhat of a challenge given the rocky terrain, which required that much of our attention remain focused on our feet.   Regardless, we were nonetheless fascinated to come across a number of large boulders (likely glacial erratic), which were scattered across the top of the escarpment and throughout the property.   Perhaps more stunningly, throughout this stretch strong winds buffeted the escarpment and made the canopy of the trees above us wave and shake as though the entire forest was breathing in deeply.  It seemed as though nature was reminding us that boulders weighing several tons can indeed move and that trees do dance!

Along the escarpment, we also skirted around a military base – the Meaford Land Forces Training Centre, also known as the Meaford Tank Range.  This discovery, as well as the ongoing artillery blasts, answered a growing mystery for us.  Over the course of the last few days, we had heard loud explosions which had reverberated throughout the region but had been unable to guess what caused them.  Our arrival at the fence line denoting the Department of National Defense boundary, with its warning signs indicating that “this is a military target area.  Do not touch anything.  It may explode and kill you” provided the answer.  With this advice in mind, we kept our eyes open and our hands to ourselves as we proceeded. 

Lebanon Mountain Friendship Trail 

Also inside the Bayview Escarpment Nature Reserve is the Lebanon Mountain Trail-Bruce Trail Friendship Trail.   Established in 2007 as a means of developing ecotourism in the country, the Lebanon Mountain Trail is 470 kilometres in length and navigates some of the nation’s remote mountainous regions.  The trail itself runs from the village of Andqet in the north to Marjaayoun in the south.  Along the way, it ventures through more than 76 villages and towns, as well as passing through UNESCO Heritage Sites, and exploring amazing natural preserves such as the Al-Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve, the Qadish Valley, the Wadi Jahannam, and the Akkar mountains.
 

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 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, which means that we have already visited 5 of them!  These include a section of the BTC in Short Hills Provincial Park that is twinned with the Rim of Africa, a section near Waterdown that is matched with Offa's Dyke Trail in England, a piece of the BTC north of Milton that is twinned with the Kythera Hiking Trail in Greece, and a section of Hockley Valley Provincial Park that is connected to the Jeju Olle Trail in South Korea.  Perhaps one day we will have a chance to trek some of these partnered trails around the world.

Our final stretch in the Bayview Escarpment Nature Reserve briefly took us away from the escarpment, following the long military fence line before turning south.  Eventually, we began to follow another soggy and muddy track – perhaps a logging access or abandoned cart path – which then directed us back to the road.  

Tom Thomson Trail 

Now almost 20 kilometres into our day’s hike, we took a break at the BTC parking area and juncture of the Bayview Nature Reserve and St. Vincent-Sydenham Townline.  There we found signs for the Tom Thomson Trail – a pathway which joins Meaford and Owen Sound.   Unfortunately, much like the BTC in this region, this stretch of the Tom Thomson Trail utilizes roadways, side roads, and concessions to excess. I suppose the reality is that some areas are just not suited to off-road trail development.

 
While resting on the trailside enjoying our break and cold water, I took the opportunity to look up Tommy Thomson.   Thomson spent many years in the region, growing up in Rose Hill on a farm overlooking Georgian Bay.  Throughout his life, Thomson often returned to visit family in this area and later on in Owen Sound after they moved. 

A commercial designer by trade, Thomson spent much of his time exploring Ontario’s north and the Algonquin region as a painter.  The results from his forays and his time spent as a guide and woodsman soon made him one of the nation’s greatest painters.  Thomson’s art reflected his interest in changes in the seasons, weather, and lighting across Ontario’s natural areas.  The time he spent with his friends, Lawren Harris and A.Y. Jackson, would influence them as they went on to form the Group of Seven. 

Thomson is officially listed as having drowned in a canoe accident in Algonquin Park in 1917.  However, his passing has given way to one of Canada’s enduring mysteries.  The Tom Thomson Trail passes the historic Leith Church and cemetery where the young artist is rumoured to be buried.

A Long Road Walk 

Setting off again, we crossed the boundary of the Bayview Escarpment Provincial Nature Reserve and began what would be a 10-12 kilometre trek that primarily boxed along country roadways.   Much of this stretch, including the St. Vincent-Sydenham Townline, Sideroad 24, the 2^nd Concession, and Sideroad 22 consisted of long unbroken gravel roads, which went off onto the horizon in front of us.   While they admittedly did provide expansive views of the rural landscape, they were nonetheless tough.  These quiet, tree-lined country roads were dotted with stone houses and iconic red barns.  The endless crunching of our footsteps was punctuated by the loud, repetitive keening of Killdeers on the edge of plowed fields and the iconic screams of Red-tailed Hawks calling overhead.

After almost two hours of walking, our long road trek was interrupted as the path of the Bruce Trail turned and passed through an overgrown hawthorn hedge and began to climb the escarpment.  Back in a forest, we enjoyed our walk as the rocky terrain of the escarpment again made itself evident.  Passing a sign for the Beaver Spring Side Trail, a BTC wetland, we left the forest and traced the edge of a plowed field. After this, in short order, we crossed Irish Block Rd, traced the escarpment edge through a brief forest, and stepped back out onto the busy HWY 26 – the same roaring highway we had earlier dealt with outside of the community of Woodford.  By our calculations, we were now approximately 4 km away from our last juncture with this highway, having taken 23 km of pathway along the route of the Bruce Trail to get there.
 
As we stepped off the dirt path and onto the road, a family of day walkers pulled up, asking if we were hiking along the Bruce Trail toward Owen Sound.  When we indicated that we were, they warned us that we needed to be careful given that HWY 26 is a highway which is often a busy road, especially in the summer during the vacation season.  Their advice and concern was welcome.

 
With our recent warnings in mind, and not willing to risk crossing HWY 26 again to hike facing the traffic, we reluctantly walked with our backs to the racing traffic for the next 1.5 kilometres.
I have to admit that few things are more nerve-wracking than hearing a transport coming, feeling your body tense, and then being buffeted by the wave of air created as the giant vehicle races past.  We each have different reactions to this type of situation – I grip my hiking poles harder and stay as far onto the shoulder as I can, alternatively, Sean walks much, much, quicker.  As a result, we were soon separated by a fair distance.  All in all, it was not an enjoyable stretch and one of the few sections where I believe the BTC should reconsider the trail’s route if at all possible. 

Farmlands and Fence Lines 

Reaching the corner of a farm fence line, and a point at which the escarpment rose up out of the landscape once again, we turned down a densely shaded property line that would take us north.  We were extremely grateful to put the rush of traffic behind us.  Within several dozen feet it seemed as though even the roar of the traffic was being held back by the brush and forest canopy – the blessings of nature!  No longer focused on merely surviving, we again began to notice the world around us.  Nearby squirrels called out as we passed, birds were racing across the pathway, already gathering food for young nestlings, and overhead was a near-constant stream of small Cessna airplanes - likely coming or going from the Billy Bishop regional airport. 

 
Our path followed the fence line, passing the Laycock Cave Side Trail before descending into a wonderful cool valley.  There we skirted a pond and marshy region, vexingly soaking our shoes just a few hundred meters from our parked car. Not tired after a long day's walk, we soon crossed a long field and began climbing uphill to Sideroad 22 and the boundary of Sydenham Forest East.  Arriving at our destination for the day we loaded into our rental car and headed back towards our motel in Owen Sound - now only a single hike on the Bruce Trail away from our final goal for this trip! 

Reflecting 

Throughout the evening we talked about one of our central frustrations during our hikes – road walking, which was a fitting topic for the day’s trek on the Bruce Trail.
 

To go out walking in the digital age of efficiency, quick answers and instant gratification was once described to us as a “radical act”.   In many ways, hiking is the direct antithesis of modernity.  Take the BTC for instance.  Someone who drives from Queenston Heights to Tobermory will travel approximately 380 km.  Someone who follows the Bruce Trail between the same two points will hike nearly 900 km.  This disparity exists in each section.  In Sydenham, the distance between Bognor Marsh (today’s starting point) and Owen Sound (tomorrow’s destination) is a mere 17.2 kilometres by road.   In contrast, the path of the Bruce Trail is almost 60 kilometres.  Clearly, when setting out on the Bruce Trail we aren’t expecting to take the most direct route, but are instead looking to slow down, see the world differently, and push our boundaries.

So why does trekking on roadways and gravel concessions bother us so much? Why does the Bruce Trail’s recent fascination with boxing along concessions – at times bringing one back almost to the point of departure – frustrate us so much? Especially if we earnestly believe that the hike is about the journey, not the destination.

 

After all, in setting out we have accepted that the trail is 2-3 times longer than the most expedient route, so there is no expectation of efficiency.  We recognize that most long-distance trails have sections that out of necessity have to be stitched together by paved connections.  It is evident that often the most direct route is neither practical nor the best way for someone travelling on foot. So, with all of this said, if we are out to walk or hike, then why does it matter where we walk and hike?
 
Is it because we have come to expect and associate trails with idyllic natural settings or venturing through nature?  If so, do we somehow feel scammed or “lied to” for extended periods along roadways? Is it the exposed nature, heat, and dust of long stretches of pavement and gravel that upset us?  It is the fact that road trekking is hard on the feet and body?  Is it because we feel that busy roadways are dangerous for pedestrians? Is it the contrast been our slow pace and the high speed of vehicles?  Is it because roadways remind us of everything that we are trying to get away from?

 
Well, after much reflection, talking, and debating, we have to admit that we don’t know why we find road walking so frustrating.  All we can say is that if time in nature is supposed to push you beyond your comfort zone, lead you to be introspective, and get each of us to ask essential questions, then today’s trek has done so.   
 
Why does road walking bother us? I don’t know, but I do know that this is a question that will linger. 

Thank you to the Bruce Trail Builders 

None of this debate should be taken as criticism of the Bruce Trail Conservancy – merely a critique of our own hang-ups amid a bout of self-reflection.  

 
Thank you as always to the many people who have worked tirelessly to procure the land, build and maintain the pathways, and take care of those who love nature and wish to spend time on the Bruce Trail.  Thank you also to our wonderful trail angel who has taken time over the past two days to deliver us to our starting point! 
 
Tomorrow morning we will walk our final trek of this thru-hiking adventure from Sydenham Forest into Owen Sound!

See you on the Trail!