Bruce Trail - Map 3, Merritville Hwy to Wiley Rd

 With (relatively) cool weather and no humidity, Nicola and I thought we had better hike while the weather was this favourable. After some texting discussion we decided on a section in Niagara that we had been unable to do due to closures during Covid.

As soon as we entered the trail, near Brock University, we were greeted by this beauty. May be a Red Tailed Hawk, not sure.

What exactly is "passive use". As Nic said, only a University would erect a sign with this lack of clarity.

Lots of different terrain on this hike; meadows, woods

murky waterways,

and clear lakes.

We had our first snack break near this Peace Monument

with its memorial offerings for the residential schools children and

the flags at half mast.

Nic's surprise for this hike; a fungus identification app.

She's going to try another one as this asked too many questions, rather than taking a picture like the wildflower app does.

There was a group of swans on the far side of the lake but that was it for bird life, except for this odd couple; a female Mallard and a Caspian Tern.

Barn Swallow

A clear enough day for a long view. We thought we could see right across to the escarpment on the other side of the Dundas Valley.

Munching happily at the side of the trail.

 

"Why does the first 5k feel so good and the last 5 take forever". We were really dragging but finally came out to where I had left my car. We found out why that last 5k took for ever......

 

This is the map we have for this section from our guide book, Edition 29, published in 2017. We thought we were walking from km 25.3 to km 35.2 (approx 10km). But we never saw the Morningstar Mill and never walked on Decew Rd. Somewhere in that area I have circled in pencil, we got screwed up. But we were on the Bruce Trail, we saw the signs and followed the white flashes?????

We keep forgetting to check for trail changes before we hike. This is from that section of the website. The trail was changed in 2018.

They decommissioned 1.2km and added 3.5km. No wonder we were so bushed. We did over 12km rather than 10! Took 4 hours.

Advantage to hiking in the Niagara Peninsular and taking back roads home :- fresh, local peaches.