Trail Blazers of the Bruce By: Bob Crossan In April 1962, I participated in an exploratory Niagara Escarpment hike that would etch itself into my memory forever and was instrumental in the creation of the Bruce Trail, which is now Canada’s longest marked footpath. The Toronto Telegram newspaper played a crucial role in sponsoring the hike. … Read more
Discovering the Keyhole By: Richard Edwards Recently, I took some out-of-town family members on a hike through my favourite Side Trail, “The Keyhole.” It got me thinking about the origin of that unique “hole in the wall” and who discovered it: the late Glen Best. Glen was born, raised, and made a living on the … Read more
A Little Blue Mountains Bruce Trail Club History By Richard Edwards Recently, someone in our hiking group wondered, “When did our local Blue Mountains Club start?” Someone else suggested that I may know the answer. Having been involved with the Club since the 90s, I know bits of history but not the whole picture. The … Read more
Secrets of the Trail By: Kate Jaczko In some ways, I’ve been a birder all my life. My mother and grandmother both are avid birders and always had a dog-eared copy of Peterson’s Guide to Eastern North American Birds available (there was always one copy in the car and another in the house because “you … Read more
Mud, Mosquitoes and Memories By Sylvie Potje The first time my parents took me camping, I slept in a baby cradle. Actually, I’m not sure any of us got much sleep that warm July night at Earl Rowe Provincial Park. I cried so much that my mom eventually moved me into the backseat of the … Read more
A Fungal Autumn Hike Challenge By David J. Hawke The thing about an autumn hike is… everything’s awesome! No squadrons of biting insects, reasonable heat and humidity, and oh so much to look at! Every species of tree has its own palette to show off, from the burgundy of ash to the crimson hues of maple … Read more
By Laurie Sarkadi “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” A friend has this aphorism on a plaque with a drawing of a hiker in a forest, and metaphors aside, I hate it. Where I live, in an off-grid house perched on a slab of … Read more
From Blue Mountains to Hadrian’s Wall – By Dick Edwards Each June for five years between 2005 and 2010, I had the good fortune to lead an end-to-end hike on the Hadrian’s Wall National Trail in England. The trip was operated by Natural Outings, a Canadian Company, which was run by Bob and Gail Douglas … Read more
The Joyful Lessons of Hiking in Nature: A Reflection on Indigenous Teachings By Jillian Morris Shé:kon sewakwé:kon, greetings to all. Fairweather hiking season is on its way. I love my winter hikes but must admit I’m looking forward to not having to bundle up. A long walk in the wilderness, woods, or countryside – the … Read more