Haffy to Hockley - Hike 24

Hike 24 on the Caledon section of the trail was planned as a multi day hike. My younger son joined me for the hike.

The plan was to camp in Glen Haffy Conservation Area the first night and stay at a local B&B on the second night and in the end get in 3 days of hiking.

We started our hike at the corner of Airport Road and Escarpment Road. Our B&B host dropped us off at the location - me with my day pack and my son with the larger pack. This first day of hiking was not planned as a long day - approximately 10km.

The trail started following Airport Road north and then turning northeast onto Finnerty Sideroad until the 33.8km mark where we turned north and headed into the woods.

When we had dropped our car at the B&B earlier that morning the B&B host mentioned that she had another Bruce Trail guest staying that night who was also hiking the Bruce Trail northward and suggested we might meet up with him. Sure enough after a few kilometers on the trail we had a guy catch up with us and we asked his name. He said it was Glen and confirmed that he was staying at the B&B, was hiking northward but unlike us, had been through-hiking the trail northward. He had started about a week or so earlier in Queenston and was hiking 40-50km per day and hoped to keep hiking through all the way to Tobermory. WOW, was all my son and I could say! Hat's off and good luck to Glen on the rest of his hike.

The trail wound through the woods northward towards Glen Haffy CA.

At the 37.4km mark we crossed Coolihans Road and into the CA. I had called the CA earlier and confirmed that we could camp in the furthest Group Picnic area in the park. We found a good spot and set up camp.

Glen Haffy is a day use facility but is best known for the fish hatchery and stocked ponds for fishing. Each year 1000's of trout are raised and released into the local ponds and Heart Lake in Brampton. My son and I brought our fishing poles so, after setting up camp, we headed there for some fishing. The ponds are somewhat small and there were quite a few fisher-people there - no bites for us and from what we could see no bites for anyone.

We headed back and relaxed in camp reading and then having dinner and later a campfire by full moon!

The next morning we rose and tore down the camp and packed and then headed back to the ponds for a bit more fishing - still no bites!

The trail headed north out of Glen Haffy and at one point we came across a sign along the trail that said the following:

I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter nights, the friendly shade screening you from the summer sun, and my fruits are refreshing draughts quenching your thirst as you journey on.
I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table, the bed on which you lie, and the timber that builds your boat.
I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your homestead, the wood of your cradle, and the shell of your coffin.
I am the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty. ‘Ye who pass by, listen to my prayer: Harm me not.

Back home after some research, the legend has it that it is a very old Portuguese saying that crops up on trails all around the world - bottom line a very powerful and meaningful prayer.

The trail came out on Highway 9 at the 40.7km mark and my son and I were hungry and I knew there was a Tim Horton's at the corner of Highway 9 and Airport Road, so we headed there for lunch and a break. The food and drinks hit the spot!

We then headed back along Highway 9 and entered the trail again heading north. The trail immediately descends into a deep valley and crosses the head waters of the Humber River and past some reservoirs and then climbed steeply up the other side of the valley.

The trail continued north through woods and meadows to 7th Line and then on again until it came out at the 5 Sideroad. The following pictures are from this section of the trail.

Just before the 5 Sideroad the trail goes through a wooded and meadow area dedicated in 2009 to Philip Gosling who was the 1st president of the Caledon BT Club.

We crossed 5 Sideroad and waited for our B&B host to pick us up. Of interest, it is at this spot that the Oakridges Trail starts it's eastward trek for 300km. The Oakridges Moraine supports the headwaters of over 30 rivers that either head south to Lake Ontario or north to Lake Simcoe.

On the way back to the B&B, our host dropped us into the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism, a Taoist retreat and camp on 5 Sideroad. Here are some pictures from the retreat - the temple was spectacular!

Our B&B was the "Farmer's Walk B&B" and our hosts were Sandy and Jock. They have a beautiful house and property perched up on the south side of the Hockley Valley. It was a wonderful place to stay - highly recommended for anyone hiking or in the area. You can visit their website at www.farmerswalkbb.com Here are a couple of pictures looking north on 4th Line near the B&B.

That evening my son and I went north to Mono Center and had dinner at the Mono Cliffs Inn. The Inn is in Mono Center and was originally a family farm and then a general store for 124 years closing in 1974. The Hall family purchased the property and in 1987 started the restaurant and pub. The restaurant is award winning and we had a wonderful meal there!

Next morning our B&B host helped us drop our car at the end of the hike and dropped us at the start. The tail headed into the woods north of 5 Sideroad. At the 48km mark it was mentioned that we would see many smaller, younger trees in the area which back in 1985 was hit with a powerful Tornado.

The trails comes out onto Airport Road at the 50.0km mark.

The trail then continues on the west side on through woods and fields, up and down along the south side of the Hockley Valley. We passed a number of spots where there were old ski runs that had long been abandoned. Here are some pictures from this section of the trail.

It was a hot day and there were lots of mosquitoes so in the end we finished this 3 day hike at the 56.9km mark where the trail crossed 3rd Line.

All and all a wonderful 3 day hike, especially with the company of my son.

Completed: 308.1km