Imagine you had planned a vacation. As soon as the weather is nice in spring, you’re going to go and hike the Appalachian Trail. All winter, you’re looking forward to it. Then, for one reason and another, traveling to the USA suddenly doesn’t seem like a great idea. What do you do? This sort of dilemma has confronted many Canadians (and people from elsewhere in the world!) in the last several months.
Fortunately, Hamilton has you covered.
Hike the Bruce Trail
The Bruce Trail is over 900km of main trail and over 450km of side trails, along the beautiful Niagara Escarpment, which is a UNESCO protected biosphere. Hikers can do the whole thing – from the southern end on the Niagara River near Queenston, to the northern end near Tobermory. Alternatively, short hike sections might be a better option.
There are several great hikes around Hamilton which are side-trails of the Bruce. They are of variable difficulty, and of course the weather can make all the difference. Majestic waterfalls and delicate wildflowers are perhaps best seen in spring. The majesty of the forest canopy and native fauna are a treat in summer. In autumn, the changing colours of the leaves are magnificent, as is the final flush of flowers.
We cannot recommend highly enough that you check out the website of the Bruce Trail Conservancy, even if you are an experienced hiker!
Did You Say Waterfalls?
The Bruce Trail generally follows the Niagara Escarpment. That’s the huge rocky outcrop that is most famous for having Niagara Falls flowing over it. But, while Niagara Falls might be the biggest waterfall on the escarpment, it is by no means the only one.
In Hamilton, we call the escarpment “the Mountain.” This can sometimes be confusing to visitors, as a mountain is really a very different type of geography. Whatever we call it, the number and variety of waterfalls that flow over it is truly impressive. There are more than 100 named waterfalls in the Hamilton area. Prioritizing which to visit will take a bit of research, but you can always come back and visit them again.
We Love Hikers
Truth be told, we are not, ourselves, the most outdoorsy people. Besides a bit of gardening, your Pring hosts are mostly indoor animals. Hiking is not part of our usual leisure activities. However, ever since we first opened our doors and started welcoming in the world, we have had guests from all over the world with serious backpacks and very serious boots.
One of the first of these was a young man from Germany, who had just arrived in Canada. He had previously hiked the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain and was looking for another life-changing adventure. However, he had been misinformed and arrived in Hamilton looking to hike the Queen Elizabeth Way – which, of course, is a freeway! We were able to direct him to the Bruce instead.
Every year, we have many guests who stay with us while they are hiking all or part of the trail. We’re happy to welcome them and they’re happy to have a comfortable bed and a warm shower when they’re done!
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