One thing we can say about this year is that the mild temperatures and low volumes of snow in this area have made this season very favourable for winter hiking. Early morning on Saturday, January 14 I headed out to explore the trails. Parking at the corner of Lions Club Road where it meets Old Dundas Road, I headed into the woods in the direction of Sherman Falls. This is a short walk and the fresh snow from the prior day gave the whole area a clean and bright look. Admiring the icicles forming on the rocks, this was the ideal spot for my morning coffee.
Sherman Falls is impressive at any time of year, and at 17 metres high provides plenty of perspectives for photo taking.
On this day I had decided to continue on the Bruce Trail with the goal of reaching Canterbury Falls which is a waterfall I had never visited before. To get there, I returned back in the direction I had come but now on the other side of the stream. Following the trail up the steep rock, I was soon at the top and walking through the woods deeper into the Canterbury Hills area.
One of the great things about hiking in the winter is the quiet and solitude. With the exception of the sound of my boots crunching through the snow and the jingle of Rosie’s dog tags, the silence was perfect.The air was crisp and the light snow cover made the green colour of the moss covered rocks really stand out.
The Canterbury Falls area really has two waterfalls, both of them being fed by a tributary of Sulphur Creek, which is also sometimes referred to as Canterbury Creek.The first one you get to is called Little Canterbury Falls. This is a 5 metre (16 feet) tall ribbon cascade with a crest width of 1 metre (3 feet). It experiences its strongest flow during seasonal storms and after the winter snow melt.
The second and larger of the 2 is Canterbury Falls which is a 9.5 metre (31 feet) high terraced ribbon cascade with a crest width of 3.3 metres (11 feet). A wooden footbridge crosses the creek right at the crest of this waterfall providing an interesting vantage point for viewing.
We spent some time here, enjoying the fact that we had the whole area to ourselves. After quietly watching a group of deer working their way through the valley, we headed back, making a mental note to definitely visit this area again soon.
Leaving the site of the mill and walking along the edge of the creek, you quickly arrive at the Darnley Cascade. This 4 Metre high waterfall is formed as Spencer Creek drains from Christie Lake and heads towards the Valley. An interesting fact is that the Darnley Cascade, at 225 metres above sea level is the highest elevation waterfall in the Hamilton area.
Continuing along the trail, the large and impressive Christie Dam Looms. This imposing structure which was constructed beginning in 1970 features a continuous walkway across the top providing an excellent view of Christie Lake. 
The Crook’s Hollow Historical Trail is certainly not as well known as other parts of the Dundas Valley area but it is well worth a visit and is rich in natural beauty as well as history.
According to the historical plaque at the ruins, stones used in construction were quarried from local sites, the red bricks from the Dundas Valley and the limestone sills from the Credit River Valley. The Hermitage had several owners before it was acquired by George Gordon Leith in 1855. After George’s death in 1901, his daughter Alma Dick-Lauder bought the estate from the rest of the family and lived there until 1934, when a fire broke out during a party and burned the house down. Even after this fire, Alma continued to live on the site, building a modest home within the ruins where she lived until her death in 1942.
There are many good reasons to check out this trail in the Dundas Valley and both the Hermitage and the Hermitage Cascade are well worth the visit.
As you continue up the trail about 100 metres, heading steadily uphill into the escarpment, you will find a side trail on your right with a very steep downhill grade. This somewhat treacherous descent will take you to the bottom of Middle Sydenham Falls. The climb is worth it as this 20 feet high washboard curtain falls is spectacular! 
Heading back up the main trail, you arrive at Upper Sydenham Falls, which at approximately 45 feet tall is the largest of the three. It is a beautiful ribbon type falls and is a great spot to take photos. 
In between Middle and Upper Sydenham Falls, you will see the fourth waterfall which is also beautiful but tends to dry up in the summer. This waterfall is called Lafarge Falls. This tall ribbon falls has water cascading down a rock face full of colour. On this day, December 31, 2011, we had just experienced a day of light rain which ensured that the falls was flowing well. 
The easiest way to access this trail is through Cascades Park which is on Livingstone Drive in Dundas. I highly recommend this trail if you are looking to see a lot of waterfalls in a short span of time. Also, this trail features a lot of uphill walking as you make your way up the escarpment so you get an additional cardio workout as a bonus!
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