Wed April 23 - Ganaraska Trail Hike

Pete MacLoghlin, Blake Frazer, Peter Hamley, Arndt Kruger, Dale Standen & Rod MacIsaac met Bill Hardwick who led us on a 5.27 km hike on another area of the Pine Ridge section of the Ganaraska Trail, starting at the southern end of Glamorgan Rd off Cty Rd 21 west of Millbrook. We had another ideal day for a walk on a hard-packed dirt trail that winds it's way up & down thru a 2nd growth forest where there were numerous fallen trees & branches from the recent ice-storm that we had to navigate around. The Ganaraska Trail is a 500 km walking trail from Port Hope to the Bruce Trail in Collingwood with side trails to Wasaga Beach & Midland that is managed by The Ganaraska Trail Association. After the walk we met for lunch at Moody's in Millbrook 

                                             Blake beside a drywall barn foundation 

Thursday April 17 - Hogsback Road hike

 On a gorgeous spring day Peter Hamley, Bill Hardwick & I walked 7 km on the Pine Ridge section of The Ganaraska Trail between Omemee & Bethany, an esker ridge overlooking the City of Kawartha Lakes countryside. We started from the south end of the trail on Ski Hill Rd (Cty Rd 38) across from the Buddhist Garden complex. This is a challenging hike with many "hills & valleys" including a long steep rocky slope near the start. However there are lovely vistas of the surrounding countryside as we made our way to the Pigeon R where we stopped for a break before turning back. There are 2 other access points, one at the end of Hayes Line & the other  at the north end off Mt Horeb Rd. 

Pigeon River - the trail is heading towards Mt Horeb Rd 

                                         Hogsback trail with a hill climb in the background 

countryside view from the trail

Dec 19 - John Earle Chase Memorial Park hike

Pete Gardner, his brother Tim, George Post & Pete MacLoghlin met Thursday morning for a hike on the Red Trail in J E Chase Memorial Park a magnificent 400 acre KLT property at Gannon's Narrows. The trail was safe for walking with firm footing & the weather was ideal, -4 C, sunshine under clear blue skies.   

                                                   Pete Mac on the Red trail

                        view of Gannon's Narrows bridge between Buckhorn & Pigeon Lakes

Tim, George, & Pete facing Gannon Narrows

 

Thursday Dec 5 2024 - Warsaw Caves Hike

 After a 15 cm snowfall 5 intrepid hikers met at Warsaw caves for a 6 km slog in powder snow on  the Caves & Scenic Lookout trail to the Lookout over the Indian R gorge that we reach from Rock Rd on our Warsaw bike ride. From the entrance take the road on your left past the flagpole to the big parking lot, not the road to the boat launch & campsites. The trail starts in the SE corner of the parking lot & was a bit challenging with deep snow covering the uneven terrain, 1st photo, takes you down to the bridge where the river goes underground, 4th photo. From there we had difficulty finding the unmarked trail, head a bit right & follow a narrow path that widens as you approach Cooper Rd. After a 1 km walk you reach a side-trail, K, that takes you to a lower lookout. From there marked L it is another 2 km walk up to the Lookout where we took a break before retracing our steps.  

                                      Caves & Scenic Lookout trail - a winter wonderland!

                                                      Indian R gorge view from the Lookout

  Blake Frazer, Bill Ingram, Dave Messervey, Barry Diceman at the Lookout

Indian R from the bridge

Wed Nov 27 - Harold Town Trails hike

 On cold but sunny day we met at Harold Town Park for a 3 km hike up the Meade Creek drumlin. From the parking lot we walked east on a level path where we had to walk around a  muddy stretch before starting the climb where there was a difficult detour over wet rocks. From there the trails were dry as we walked up to the "summit" then taking a trail down the east side of the drumlin to the cars after an hours hike. We decided to do a 2nd hike of 4 km in the Robert Johnston Eco Forest Trails on the Douro 5th Line, off County Rd 8 between Hwy 28 & Douro, for an hours walk starting on the Lowland  Trail over a large wetland on a boardwalk to the Birdwatching Trail which takes you to the Wildlife Trail & a hike up to a lookout. This is a "hidden gem" that is well worth the effort to explore

Harold Town hike - from the left, Gordon Powell, Alan Ingram, Bill Robertson, Dave Meservey George Post, Garry Koteles, Frank Marret

                                                   Harold Town - view to the east

                                                     Robert Johnston lookout

                                                 Robert Johnston Wildlife Trail at the lookout

Wednesday Nov 6 - Jeffrey-Cowan hike

On another gorgeous fall day we met in the KLT parking lot on Fire Rd 10 off Northey's Bay Rd. During the walk Bill Hardwick noticed a bracket fungus which Garry Kotelse said was a Turkey Tail mushroom & as we continued Garry was able to identify several other types of mushrooms, plants & trees. This is a rolling walk thru the woods to a hilltop overlooking Stony Lake & the surrounding area including KNSC followed by a long walk down to the Stony Lk shoreline. After a break beside the lake we hiked on a bush road on the recently acquired Jeffrey-Cowan extension property which includes 300 feet of shoreline on Northey's Bay. After the hike we had lunch at Honey's 

                                                 Garry identifying a mushroom

                                         hilltop water pump used in the past for irrigation

                                               Garry & Dave - KLT shoreline

Bill & Gordon Boschink Narrows 

Jeffrey-Cowan dock with the KLT owned island behind

 

October 9 2024 - Beavermeade to Stewart Hall

 On a cold dreary fall day with rain in the forecast we did a 20 km ride from Beavermeade cycling south on Ashburnham Dr over Hgw 7 past Neal Dr where it becomes Crowley Line continuing to cycle south across Assumption Rd to Base Line for a rolling ride west across Bensfort Rd to Stewart Hall & a return ride north on Wallace Pt Rd where it started to rain as we approached Bensfort Rd on which we cycled north to Otonabee Dr for a ride to Ashburnham Dr & a return to Beavermeade. After the ride Pete, Barry, Blake & Dan had lunch at the Porch & Pint . Dale Standen joined us for his 1st ride with the Dudes & Blake got lost ending up cycling on Bensfort Rd but fortunately did meet us on Baseline Rd.  

                                    Crowley Line across from The 100 Acre Brewery

                                      Crowley Line looking back towards the city

                                            Burton & Bill facing Base Line