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Hikes and other outdoor activities listed below represent some of the activities published in our newsletter, Trail Markings. If you are interested in hiking, and/or other volunteer opportunities, you are encouraged to join GVTA. If you join, you receive the complete listing of hikes and other outdoor activities and more. A membership application form is available for download via the Membership web page. We welcome new members so please join us and help to maintain the Grand Valley Trail, a community resource. NOTE: 
This maple leaf symbol beside a person's name denotes a certified hike leader - see "Working Toward Hike Leader Certification". Any event listed below without the maple leaf symbol is considered an Independent Outing and
The Grand Valley Trails Association accepts no responsibility. Such notices appear for the convenience of the members.
Levels 1 to 3 and Speed (e.g. moderate) - explanation
NOTE: This is page 1 of 2 for May 2010 hike listings. To see the rest of the May 2010 hikes click here.
REMINDER - The deadline date for submissions for the Summer 2010 GVTA newsletter is 2010 MAY 10, MONDAY. It is best to have your submissions in earlier than May 10th. For submission protocol see page 9 in the spring 2010 GVTA newsletter. |
Saturday, May 01, 2010 – Short Hills Prov. Park & Merritt Trail Loop Hike.
Level 2/3: Moderate/Strenuous ~ 22 km
Leader: Charles .
Departing at 9.30 a.m. from the parking area at km 30.7, B.T. map 3 on Decew Road, just at the bridge.
From the QEW Niagara take exit 49 for Hwy 406 towards Thorold/Welland/Pt. Colborne. Merge onto Hwy 406. Take the Beaverdam Road exist. Travel west (right) for less than 400 meters. Turn left or south-west onto Merrittville Hwy for less than 1 km to Seburn Rd. Turn right travelling to Cataract Road. Turn right, going north to Decew Road. Turn right, going east, on Decew and travel to just before the bridge. There is a parking lot. This is a loop hike include the Bruce Trail and the Twelve Mile and Merritt Trails. This is reasonable flat terrain enabling us to keep a fast clip. There will a lunch stop at the waters of Twelve Mile Creek. Its water flow mesmerizes the hiker.
Sunday, May 02, 2010 – Short Hills Prov. Park to Balls Falls Loop Hike.
Level 2/3: Moderate/Strenuous ~ 22 km
Leader: Charles .
Depart at 9.30 a.m. Parking area is at 30.7 km map 3 on Decew Road, just at the bridge. From the QEW Niagara take exit 49 for Hwy 406 towards Thorold/Welland/Pt. Colborne. Merge onto Hwy 406. Take the Beaverdam Road exist. Travel west (right) for less than 400 meters. Turn left or south-west onto Merrittville Hwy for less than 1 km to Seburn Rd. Turn right travelling to Cataract Road. Turn right, going north to Decew Road. Turn right, going east, on Decew and travel to just before the bridge. There is a parking lot. We will be walking through Short Hills Provincial Park towards Louth Falls. Write –ups on Louth Falls say that it is ‘probably the Niagara Peninsula’s best kept secret”. So do join me in discovering one of the several waterfalls scattered along the Bruce.
Sunday, May 02, 2010 – Bruce Trail, Blue Mts. Level 2/3. 3 km/h. Variable terrain. 15.2 km
Leaders: Jamie , Greg & Jeanette . Map 22. Meet before 9:00 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. departure at km 31.6 where the trail crosses Regional Rd 124/24 (Map 22, ed. 25). Checking the map contours you will see that our walk northward through Nottawasaga Bluffs C. A. and through Devil's Glen will twist, turn, go up and go down - typical escarpment. Hiking boots are a must and trekking poles are recommended. No dogs and no dropouts. Directions from Shelburne – Just east of Shelburne take County Rd 124/24 north about 30.8 km to Singhampton and follow 124/24 east for about another 3 km. Meeting place location: approximate latitude/longitude = 44.359037 -80.216688
Sunday, May 02, 2010 – GVTA AGM >>>>> now over; see special announcement below
Saturday, May 08, 2010 – "rare" in Blair. Level 1: leisurely ~ 8 km
Leaders: Greg and Jeanette .
Meet at 9:30 a.m. rare administration building in Blair (1679 Blair Road), a two story yellow building. Hwy 401 exit 275 south on Fountain St. towards Blair. More information and directions on Greg's website. rare is Canada's largest urban wilderness and lies within Carolinian Canada. The plants, flowers and trees are unique to this zone. Our slow pace walk will be geared to
enjoy these plants and rare's geology. (Google Maps) > rare website.
Saturday, May 08, 2010 – "Lois' Breakfast Hike" St. Jacobs. Level 1: Leisurely ~ 5 km
Leader: Ruth .
Sunrise hike on the scenic Health Valley Trail for about an hour and a half, and then have a hearty breakfast at the Harvest Moon Restaurant in St. Jacobs. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the far back end of the municipal Parking Lot behind the Riverworks Mall in St. Jacobs, and close to the trailhead (look for the trail kiosk). Be prepared for mud and cows on the trail.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT |
Thursday, May 13, 2010 – Hilton Falls Conservation Area. Level 2: Moderate ~ 10 km
Leader: Pauline .
Meet for a car pool behind Tim Horton's in the Deer Ridge Business Centre (4285 King St E, Kitchener). We will leave at 9:15 a.m. OR call leader if you wish to meet at Hilton Falls. Admission to the park is $5.50 per adult (B.T. members, free parking). We will do a loop hike around this beautiful area, looking for signs of spring. There are some rugged spots - poles and boots recommended. Bring water, snacks and lunch, and money for park admission or B.T. membership card.
Saturday, May 15, 2010 – Elora to Fergus Loop Hike. Level 1: Moderate ~ 15 km
Leaders: Alicja .
Meet at 9:30 a.m.in the parking lot of the Elora and District Community Center Arena located at 60 David Street West, Elora (GVT Map 13, km 11). Take Wellington 7 to David Street. An alternative route is Middlebrook Road which becomes David Street at Wellington 7. The community center is located just off Wellington 7 and David Street. We hike through the historic and scenic towns of Elora and Fergus. Starting from Elora we hike through Victoria Park with lookouts over the gorge. We will stop by the mill in Elora for photo opportunities. We hike along the old rail trail across Aboyne with a view of the Wellington County Museum. We then cross the arboretum into Fergus. We will have lunch at the old Fergus market and allow time for hikers to visit the lookouts to the gorge before hiking back into Elora where we can stop for refreshments after the hike. There will be a drop out in Fergus for those who wish to do a shorter hike.
Saturday, May 15, 2010 – Oak Ridges Trail E2E Hike 1 of 10. Level 3: Moderate ~ 23.8 km
Leaders: Arthur and Georgia .
Meet at 8:30 a.m. on 11th Concession Rd and between 18th Sideroad and 19th Sideroad (not far from Hwy 9), just southwest of Lloydtown. The Oak Ridges Trail Association wesbite.
Saturday, May 15, 2010 – Guelph Trail E2E Hike 1 of 3 Blackbridge Road to Gordon Street, Guelph. Level 2: Moderate ~ 16 km
Leader: Jim .
Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the parking lot on the east side of Gordon Street, City of Guelph, immediately to the north of the Boathouse Café on the banks of the Speed River.
Today we will hike along the shores of the Speed River from the historic Blackbridge area in the former Town of Hespeler (now within the City of Cambridge) to the Boathouse Café at the confluence of the Eramosa and Speed Rivers at Gordon Street in the City of Guelph. In this walk we will follow the banks of the Speed River through cedar forests, along the riverside (it could be wet) and past abandoned bridge and farm structures. There will be time for refreshments at the Boathouse Café at the end of the hike. A number of drop outs will be provided along the way.
Sunday, May 16, 2010 Wildflower Hike. Level 1: Leisurely ~ 3.7 km
Leader: Alf. Meet at 2:00 p.m. on Hopewell Creek Road just east of Sawmill Road (at Rosedale Corners) GVT map 11, km 45.2. Enjoy the spring wildflowers on this section of the Grand Valley Trail in Woolwich Township. A car shuffle will be arranged.
Sunday, May 16, 2010 – Oak Ridges Trail E2E Hike 2 of 10. Level 3: Moderate ~ 18 km
Leaders: Arthur and Georgia . Meet at 8:30 a.m. at Weston Road and 16th Side road, east of New Scotland. The Oak Ridges Trail Association website.
Sunday, May 16, 2010 – Cambridge Walk. Level 1: Leisurely ~ 5-6 km
Leader: Ferne .
Meet at 2:00 p.m. in Arena parking lot at the corner of Bishop and Hamilton Street in Preston/Cambridge. We will carpool to Sheffield Street in Hespeler/Cambridge. Our walk will take us along the Speed River, through Riverside Park, on groomed trails, boardwalk and roads within the park. If you bring sunflower seeds, you may get chickadees to eat from your hand. There may be some wet areas on one section of the trail.
Thursday, May 20, 2010 – Starkey Hill Trail - Near Guelph. Level 1: Moderate ~ 8 km
Leader: Jane . Meeting at 10 am at Starkey Hill. From Hwy 401, take Hwy 6 north to Guelph. Turn right on Wellington City Road 34, then left on Wellington City road 46 and right on Wellington City Road 37 (marked as Arkell Road). From the crossroads in the village of Arkell drive 1.5 km farther on 37 and on your right there is a car park and sign for Starkey Hill trail. For carpooling from Kitchener/Waterloo, we will meet at 8.45 a.m. on the left side of the Best Buy parking lot, 215 Fairway Road South,
Kitchener (opposite Fairview mall, near Walmart). Starkey Hill is one of Guelph's best kept secrets. This is a 4 km loop that we will hike both ways. We will climb hills, walk a moraine, hike through old forest and reach the highest point in Puslinch Township and enjoy lunch after in Arkell. Also see Guelph Area Trails | Starkey Hill Wikipedia | Starkey Hill Interpretive Trail
Thursday, May 20, 2010 – Blair to Kitchener. Level 2: Moderate, 12 km
Leader: Jamie . Meet before 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot (nearest Balzer Road) at Country Boy Family Restaurant, 5 Manitou Drive, Kitchener & behind the Esso Service Station [approximate latitude / longitude = 43.418785 -80.453163 | Google Maps]. After a car shuttle this linear hike begins at the Walter Bean Trail kiosk at the Blair "roundabout", takes us along a route that may become part of the Walter Bean Trail, was part of the 1872 Grand Trunk Railway (Galt to Berlin Branch), then onto part of the GVT and along a Kitchener community trail before reaching "German Mills". No dogs or smoking. Optional breakfast at "Country Boy" at 8:00 a.m.
Friday-Monday, May 21-24, 2010 – Victoria Weekend in Lower Bruce Peninsula. Level 2: Moderate
Leaders: Greg and Jeanette .
For the Victoria Day weekend we will enjoy the trails of the lower Bruce Peninsula, whenever possible we will use side trails to form loop hikes. The views and spring flowers are as good as the Bruce Trail gets! Our hikes will be 15 km or less each day. A comfortable lodge at Red Bay provides our accommodation and meals. Group size is limited to 25, full the past few years. New to hiking? We will help you. For further details see Greg's website.
NOTE: This is page 1 of 2 for May 2010 hike listings. To see the rest of the May 2010 hikes click here.
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