Date – November 20, 2011
Location – Map 8, Dundas
Distance – 11 km (but only 7.1 km count! Details below)
Total Trail Distance – 171 (723 to go)
Hikers – Steve, Simon, Dean, Marlene, Benjamin, Harold and Janette
Start – 53.5 Iroquoia Club - Davidson Boulevard
End – 60.6 Rock Chapel Road
Direction – North
Weather – Cool and sunny, some wind.
Details – As noted above, today we hiked 11 km, however only 7.1 km of that counted towards our Bruce Trail main trail total. Some years ago, what is now a side trail through Spencer Gorge that leads past Websters Falls was part of the Bruce Trail main trail. It was rerouted along Dundas city streets, in order to avoid crossing the CN rail tracks.
After much time spent with Google Earth, plotting and planning, Dean and Steve determine that we can carefully and safely hike the Websters Falls side trail, and avoid most of the road section of the main trail. After meeting at our end point and leaving a vehicle there, we all head to the start. We find the trail that leads to Websters Falls without any problem, and very soon after starting our hike we all agree that choosing the modified route was a good decision.
As we follow the stream through the beautiful Spencer Gorge, the boys find many opportunities to risk a soaker by crossing back and forth over the water on fallen trees. We approach Websters Falls from below, and it is spectacular. As captured in the photos, there is a permanent rainbow when the falls are viewed from the right angle. We climb around to the viewing platform at the top of the falls. Here we see a very interesting graphic describing all the different rock layers, while across the gorge we can clearly see the delineation of all those rock layers in the sheer cliff face. According to the sign, this is one of the best examples along the entire Niagara Escarpment of the different layers that make up the escarpment.
After rejoining the main trail, we walk through a Dundas neighbourhood and pass a house that Simon tells us is where his friend Luke lives. We finish up by walking through a lovely forest along the top of the escarpment before reaching our vehicle. It was a beautiful fall day and we are glad to have spent it on the trail.
Guest post by Dean.
