Hike #56 April 18, 2015 Owen Sound Weekend Day 1

Hike #56

Date – April 18, 2015

Location – Maps 31 Owen Sound East and 32 Inglis Falls

Distance – 22.4

Total Trail Distance – 769.2 (124.8 to go)

Hikers – Dean, Marlene, Benjamin, Steve, Simon, Jacob, Harold and Janette

Start – 69.0 Sideroad 22

End – 91.4 Grey Sauble Conservation Authority Headquarters

Direction – North

Weather – Cool and sunny

The sun is shining in a brilliantly blue sky but the forest is only just beginning to wake up as we embark on our first day of a two-day hiking weekend.

This hike features some fantastic sections where the trail passes through deep crevices; in some cases there is still deep snow.

Even though most of the trail is beautiful and scenic, or perhaps, precisely because it is so beautiful and scenic, passing a small but ugly industrial strip on the outskirts of Owen Sound makes us appreciate just how beautiful and precious the Bruce Trail is.

Near the end of the hike, around the time when our bodies and GPS watches tell us we should be done, we realize that we are on the wrong side of the Sydenham River. There is much frantic consulting of maps and GPS apps, but we are definitely in the wrong place.

Later, we learn that a re-route, mentioned on the Bruce Trail website as a sidetrail reroute (not a main trail reroute), explains why we have missed our turn.

We want to get to Harrison Park where our vehicles are parked, but we are forced to go past the park and we are finally able to cross the Sydenham in the Inglis Falls Conservation Area, ending up at the Headquarters of the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority.

Ben, Simon and Jacob, who are young and strong and not nearly as tired and cranky as we are, take the vehicle keys and hike an extra kilometre to pick up the van.

While we are waiting for them to come get us, Harold and Janette do some face-time with Jen, who is visiting with Whitney and Erik. We are very happy to see the van when it appears.

We are staying in hotels in Owen Sound – some at the Inn on the Bay and some at the Travelodge. Steve had plugged in a crockpot in the morning and we are given permission to eat our celebratory meal in the motel’s breakfast area. We have a lovely dinner together.

Here are a few more pictures from the hike.