The Bruce Trail is Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath running along the Niagara Escarpment in the province of Ontario from Niagara to Tobermory.  It is 894km long. I thought it would be a good idea to share its geological history with you but found the layers of eras and rocks too complex for my more biological brain. Suffice it to say the Niagara Escarpment is what remains of an ancient sea shoreline, millions of years old.  The soft rocks eroded leaving a hard rock cliff that extends (much to this Canadian’s surprise) from New York through Ontario and on into Michigan and Wisconsin!  This cliff, the escarpment, creates amazing scenery consisting of cliffs, rocks and waterfalls in the middle of a somewhat flat “old seabed” province. And somehow because of that has unique flora and fauna which I hope to understand further as we hike on…

Busy lives make scheduling difficult.  It was over one year after we first hatched this plan that we finally departed on our first hike.  The southern terminus of the Bruce Trail is in Niagara-on-the-Lake, not too far from Niagara Falls whose waters cascade over the edge of the escarpment.  Niagara-on-the-Lake has a rich military history in the war of 1812, but today is best known for its theatre, restaurants and shopping.  In fact we did attempt to start this adventure last year but found ourselves shopping and dining instead….

This day, April 27, 2018 we finally got going! The Niagara region is about 45 minutes from where both Kim and I live.  We took two vehicles, and two dogs – Jack and Stella!  We dropped off one vehicle at km 7, Fireman’s Park and then piled into the other vehicle to Queenston Heights Park, home of the stone cairn marking the southern terminus of the trail.  We thought it would take us two hours.  After traversing the 500m or so of manicured land in Queenston Heights park, dotted with historical monuments and plaques, we immediately found ourselves on the raw edge of the rocky escarpment.  I thought of the rocky escarpment trails that I have hiked much further north and I was truly surprised by the similar rugged landscape that we found in the  Niagara portion of the trail – an area that I had always assumed was flat and bursting with vineyards and theatre goers.   Up and down the rocky formations we went, still finding pockets of mud in this spring season.  Our dogs enjoyed themselves, finding refreshment in the many small creeks that flowed this time of year.   There were small glimpses of beauty that day.

Pockets of trout lilies.

Bloodroot flowers stood out against the soft spring palate

A wild turkey flushed out of a bush beside us, sending us all into a dramatic flight response for a brief moment.  Further along we spotted a coyote ahead of us.  It was so beautiful and healthy looking, staring intently.  So stealthy, it moved silently to our right and then disappeared behind us as if it had never been there.  I think we will see lots of wildlife on this journey – however these creatures won’t pause for the photo-op like the flowers do!

Jack enjoying the view with a coveted stick!

So 7km took us 4 hours that day, up and down, stopping, looking.  Conversations flowed as they do from here to there.  We didn’t spend too much time on grief.  I had recently married a life long love and we spoke of how marriage does add a different feel to something that you think you have known forever.  We spoke of our respective careers and how professional goals change once you are over 50.  We did discuss the self induced isolation that come with serious grief.  I had done it for a few years and Kim was in its midst.   Life as you knew it seems so frivolous, meaningless and discompassionate (is that a word?) in the throes of grief.  How can something so large be understood? Loss is all you know, grief fills your every thought, even if it appears that you are functioning on the outside.  It becomes so much easier to pull away, to not participate, to not engage.  We talked about this, and it helped.

Paula.Kim and Stella.

My understanding is that only 63% of the Bruce Trail land is permanently preserved.  As such, there are times that you leave the rocky outcroppings to walk along railway tracks and urban roads.  Along main streets it is tricky to spot the white hashmarks that mark the trail when they are painted on hydro poles or signposts.  Dogs leashed, we walked under the 405 Highway and along St. Paul Avenue, relieved when the trail left the thoroughfare to wind along a wooded, rocky trail once more.   Then not too long after that, we arrived back at our first vehicle, 7 km behind us and only 887 km to go!   Four hours later it was a grand first hike.   Our day was completed with a late lunch at The Good Earth Food and Wine Co before heading back to our busy lives.