Kemble Mountain - Hike 41

Back out onto the Bruce Trail for my first hike of 2016!

My younger son and I travelled north west of Owen Sound for a day hike, picking up at the finish point from our early December 2015 hike. My older brother, who lives in the area, met us and followed us to our end point for the day and then gave us a lift back to the start point around the 131km mark of the Sydenham section.

The trail headed north along Lundy Lane and then east along Concession 20 for 1km.

Here are some photos around the hike start.

The trail turned north and followed Cole's Sideroad for another kilometer where it continued as an old logging road that headed north up the escarpment. The old road was in rough shape - deeply rutted and lots of standing water and was fairly steep at the top of the escarpment. Here are some photos from this section.

The trail continued north along the old logging road through the woods for another 2km and then turned east off the road at the 136.3km mark. For another 2km the trail headed east and south through beautiful hardwood forests.

Here is a photo of a rotting log covered in a fungus of some type - interesting though it was the only log in the area with the fungus?

At the 138.3km mark there was a cairn paying tribute to CC Middlebro and John Stuart who were two early pioneers of the Bruce Trail, helping to build the trails in this section in the 1960's. Here is a photo of the cairn.

The trail entered the Kemble Mountain Management Area. Kemble Mountain is a large headland of escarpment that rises several hundred feet above the surrounding countryside. It is a leftover from the glacial age and was shaped by Georgian Bay when it's level was much higher. The area is considered an ANSI (Area of Natural and Scientific Interest) as it is home to 2 provincially rare and 8 locally rare plant species.

Additionally, the Nils Maher Sidetrail headed east off the main trail at this point. Nils was a local naturalist and Bruce Trail supporter. He was an authority on ferns and helped to educate the public on the 20 odd types of ferns in this area.

The trail turned to the east and met and crossed Kemble Rock Road at the 139.7km mark. Very scenic views at this point looking south off the mountain towards the village of Kemble. Here is a photo of this area.

The trail continued east passing another plaque in honour of Robert Samuel Edmonstone who made this land available to the local Conservation Authority for preservation of both the area and the trail.

The trail followed the upper edge of the escarpment turning and heading north - again beautiful views out over the escarpment towards Owen Sound and Georgian Bay.

The trail descended the escarpment around the 141km mark. The trail became a bit more challenging as it climbed over and around the talus rocks and through some nice crevice areas.

At the 142km mark the trail climbed back up to the top of the escarpment through a break in the rock and then continued north along the top of the escarpment.

At about the 143km mark the trail turned west along the edge of the escarpment and at times climbed down and followed along through crevices in the rock formations, many of which still had a good amount of snow in them!

The trail finally came out on Kemble Rock Road at the 144.1km mark where we had parked the car.

The first hike of 2016 was great - first of many this season, hopefully culminating with touching the northern BT cairn in Tobermory late summer or fall this year!


Completed: 703.1km

Northward to Lundy Lane - Hike 40

I am late again logging this post for my Hike 40 on the Bruce Trail.

My wife and son and his girlfriend travelled with me north in early December to hike this next section of the trail.

That day was supposed to have been a high of 10 degrees and sunny but we woke early and travelled through wet, foggy and cool conditions. As we drove north towards the Owen Sound area we went through nicer, sunny weather and then back into foggy and cool weather.

We met my brother at our end point near the corner village of Wolseley, parked our car and then had him drive us down to our starting point, The Gap Sidetrail, at the 121.6km mark of the Sydenham section.

As we started our hike in the cool and very damp weather, I realized, for the first time over the few years doing this end to end hike, that I had forgotten my trusty Olympus Weatherproof camera in my car at the end point. I used my mobile phone camera but it just doesn't take the greatest pictures. So, I didn't end up taking too many pictures from this hike, although with the dreary and foggy weather there weren't too many good opportunities for photos anyways!

We climbed the escarpment via The Gap Sidetrail - a steep climb through a crevice in the escarpment edge!

Once on top of the escarpment, the trail headed north and then west and descended to a valley and stream around the 123km mark. The trail continued west through BT owned property, following a fence line for a kilometer or so.

The trail then turned north along another fence line through a nice hardwood forest. The escarpment emerged again and we climbed back along the top, coming out on Lindenwood Road at the 125.4km mark. Here photos along this section.

The trail continued north along the top of the escarpment with many crevices and what would have been wonderful views to the east off the escarpment (if it hadn't been so foggy!).

At about the 129km mark the trail turned and headed west through a nice wooded area following an old logging road. We came across this little "work of art" that someone had built along the trail! Not sure if it's acceptable for a "family rated" post given the strategically placed hatchet marks - but I'll post it anyways!

At the 130.2km mark the trail turned north east again along the escarpment, looking down on the low lying marsh on the eastern end of Bass Lake. We didn't see Bass Lake itself but from what I see from an on line search, it's a beautiful small, spring fed lake with nice fishing and a family campground.

The trail dropped down off the escarpment around the 131km mark, through some fields and then east along a path to the farm house and shed where we parked at about the 132km mark.

Everyone was fairly muddy and cold at this point but happy to have hiked this section.

As I write this post in late December, the weather continues to be fairly mild with no snow but things may now change going into January. Definitely my last hike for 2015 but maybe not my last hike before spring 2016 - we will see!


Completed: 690.4km

Around The Glen to The Gap - Hike 39

Finally, after being a bit lazy, I am posting about my Hike 39 which I did back in early November.

The weather again was very nice for November - sunny and fairly warm.

I met my brother at my end point and parked my car. He drove me back down to my start point at the 107.5km mark of the Sydenham section of the trail.

The trail followed the Georgian Bluff Rail Trail west and north through farm fields for about 2.5km to the tiny village of Benallen. Here are some photos from this section.

At the 110.2km mark the trail headed north along a gravel road for about 1.5km before heading east into the woods and back north along the escarpment. The trail traversed a BT property below the escarpment.

At the 112.5km mark the trail crossed Indian Acres Road and the continued north along the escarpment meeting Gordon Sutherland Parkway at the 113.3km mark. Just before the Parkway, in the woods, was an old car that had clearly been here for awhile!

The trail turned north and followed the parkway for almost 3km.

The trail heading into the field after a style crossing a fence line.

The trail headed back into the woods and along the escarpment after the 115km mark. This section of the trail was very spectacular as it wound below the escarpment through crevices and around large blocks of escarpment long separated from the main escarpment. Here are some photos from this section.

The trail continued west and southwest along the escarpment rounding a large low, forested but marshy area known as The Glen. Looking across The Glen, you can see the escarpment on the west side where the trail headed north again. Here are some photos of this area.

Around the 118km mark of the trail, at the southwest end of The Glen, there was a clearing for a primitive camp site. It would be a nice spot to camp - maybe on a future BT hike.

The trail continued up the west side of The Glen following along the top of the escarpment.

At the 121.6km mark The Gap Sidetrail exited to the right down through a narrow gap in the escarpment to a pond and marshy area crossed with a wooden bridge. The Sidetrail came out on Concession 14 where I had parked my car. Here are some photos from this area.

Another wonderful day of hiking!

Completed: 680.5km