Lights, Camera, Action!!

What is it about the combination of coloured lights and waterfalls that is so appealing? People flock from around the world to be awed by the sight of Niagara Falls lit up in colour each night, while here in the Hamilton area a similar phenomenon periodically takes place.

The City of Waterfalls initiative under the leadership of Chris Ecklund does an amazing job of promoting the many waterfalls of the area and the night time illuminations of these various falls is always worthwhile.

Perhaps more of an adventure than Niagara Falls in that getting there involves navigating the trails in the semi-darkness while hearing the sounds of rushing water increasing in intensity, a worthwhile experience in itself. When you eventually reach the falls the view is amazing as the light typically picks up nuances in the stone and water that may have gone unnoticed under regular daylight conditions.

I have had the opportunity to join Chris at many of these illuminations and last nights lighting up of Sherman Falls was like all those before it, a fantastic experience.

A good sized group of photographers, families and nature enthusiasts made it out and by all accounts, enjoyed every minute of it.

Keep an eye on the City of Waterfalls Facebook page to find out when the next illuminations are taking place. A worthwhile evening out, I promise you won't be disappointed. 

Winter Hike to Tiffany Falls – Ancaster

When considering a destination for a short winter hike in the area, it’s tough to beat Tiffany Falls. The trail is short and the reward at the end is a view of a waterfall that is amazing to see in any season.


Tiffany Falls is a 21 metre high (70 foot) cascade waterfall and has water flow all year, although at this time of year you only see it in spots. You can still hear it though as it falls behind massive sheets of thick ice.

 

Tiffany Falls Conservation Area is an amazing gem in the area and is considered to be a site of importance from a geographical perspective.  Its bedrock exposures are considered an Earth Science Area of Regional Significance.  The central feature of the conservation area is the two waterfalls within it, Tiffany Falls and Washboard Falls, formed by Tiffany Creek.

 

 

 

Last Saturday, I headed in for a visit accompanied by my daughter Julia and our dog, Stella. Although the trails were icy, we were able to navigate them with reasonable ease and soon were standing at the base of this beautiful waterfall. On this day we were also treated to the site of ice climbers as they bravely scaled the thick ice. 

 

Tiffany Falls is located at the Tiffany Falls Conservation Area in Ancaster.  To get there from Hwy 403 take the Lincoln Alexander Parkway exit and keep to the right to merge onto Rousseau St. At the ‘T’ intersection turn right onto Wilson St. E. Park at Tiffany Falls Conservation Area and follow the trail to the waterfall.

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Sulphur Springs

For my recent birthday, my parents presented me with the book, Touring the Giants Rib, A Guide to the Niagara Escarpment by Lorina and Gary Stephens. Fully aware of my love of hiking in this area, they always know how to find me gifts that help to feed my passion for the outdoors.

Flipping through it, I stopped on a description of Sulphur Springs and realized that although I frequently drive by and hike through this area, I know very little of the history of this unique spot.

During the late 1800s, the Sulphur Springs Hotel with its mineral spa was a popular summertime destination. The sulphur waters were believed to have wondrous curative powers and as a result they attracted visitors from far and wide. The hotel closed in 1910 after two severe fires. Although the hotel is gone, the fountain that supplied the sulphur water remains.

Stopping the car along the side of the Sulphur Springs Road, the first thing you notice is the distinctive sulphur smell. Plaques on the fountain provide some information on its heritage as well as some detail into what makes this water so distinct.

This site is easy to find while driving on Sulphur Springs Road between Ancaster and Dundas and can also be accessed from the Main Loop Trail while hiking in the Dundas Valley. You will find it while hiking the area between the Trail Centre and the Hermitage site.

This is just another unique feature that makes the Dundas Valley such a rich and interesting place to explore.

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Thanks for visiting!!

Fall Hike to the Hermitage

One of my favorite areas of the valley to visit in the fall is The Hermitage. This ruin that dates back to before 1855 has a very interesting history and is particularly picturesque when surrounded by the vibrant colours of autumn.

The Hermitage can be found while hiking from the Dundas Valley Trail Centre and is located on the Main loop. This trail is a favourite of mine, filled with rolling hills, streams and moss covered rocks. There is also a small parking area at the Gatehouse Museum that provides for a shorter trail.

If in this area, step behind the Gatehouse Museum to see the Hermitage Cascade. This beautiful cascade waterfall is 13 feet (4 metres) in height and is very pretty.

On a recent visit, we started at the Hermitage Cascade, than followed the trail as it meanders towards the ruins of what was at one time an elegant estate.

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.

With the surrounding tree’s rich in red and yellows, the front facade of the home provides some indication of how majestic it once was. This is an interesting area to visit as you wonder around the remaining walls of the house and its outbuildings.

With its rich history and beautiful surroundings, a hike into this area is always worthwhile.

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Spring Creek – Sawmill Trail Loop

Last Saturday morning I was looking to hit a trail both as a cardio workout as well as to test out a new pedometer app that I had added to my phone. Staying close to home, I decided that I would hike the Spring Creek Trail to the Trail Centre and then return a different way, creating sort of a loop. This turned out to be a good idea both from a workout standpoint as well as an opportunity to enjoy some beautiful parts of the Dundas Valley.

You can start this hike at the end of Bridlewood Drive in Dundas, entering the valley on the well marked trail and heading west. The Spring Creek trail like the name insinuates, follows the meandering Spring Creek and runs roughly parallel to the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail. You pass a pond that I often stop at to watch frogs and birds and pass through hilly Carolinian forest.

This is a great spot to observe deer particularly if you hike in the early morning or late afternoon. On this day I was able to get within about 15 feet of a pair of them as they grazed and even with Rosie at my side they did not seem particularly concerned with my presence.

Stopping at the Trail Centre for some water we started heading back in the direction we came, but veering left when we got to the marker for the Sawmill Trail. This trail takes you through milkweed filled meadows interspersed with black walnut trees and then directs you deeper into the valley.

The key is to stay to your right as side trails branch off at various points. It was noticeably cooler as we walked along the creek edge and I enjoyed how complete the silence was; only broken by the song of the various finches and chickadees that flitted in and out of the sumac trees.

This trail ends at the John White Trail. Turning right and crossing a wooden foot bridge, you soon arrive back on the Spring Creek Trail. Head east and you will arrive back at the starting point in about 15 minutes. Other than my pedometer app stopping at some point likely due to being in a low area with no cell service, this was a very enjoyable walk. At about 3 miles, it took me just over an hour but that included stopping to take photos and letting Rosie play in the water.

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Sherman Falls – Illuminated!!!

With its short trail and ease of access, Sherman Falls is one of my favorite “go to” destinations when I am looking to sneak in a quick hike. Waterfalls have been drier than normal this summer but with the rain we had last weekend I felt that it be worthwhile to check it out and I’m glad I did.

Parking at the corner of Old Ancaster Road and Lions Club Road in Ancaster, I headed up the trail and within minutes was enjoying the beauty of Sherman Falls, which I had all to myself.
Sherman Falls is a 17 metre (56 foot) multi tier waterfall surrounded by rugged limestone, mossy rock and natural forest. It has two cascading drops with a wide flat ledge that divide the upper and lower falls.  The double tier makes this waterfall particularly interesting.

Later that day I posted a photo of Sherman Falls on my Facebook page and was contacted by Chris Ecklund, the man behind the City of Waterfalls http://www.cityofwaterfalls.ca with the suggestion that we return an illuminate the falls that night. It sounded like a great idea to me so later that evening we returned and along with a group of volunteers placed around 30 battery powered spotlights in the rocks facing the falls.

These spotlights, each providing 25 million candlepower of light were fitted with a purplish red lenses and when activated bathed the waterfall in a soft purple light. A number of people came by to take photos and enjoy the view.
Hiking and exploring these trails is always a great experience, but for me they take on a special feel at night. I think that the dark makes your sense of hearing more acute and sitting on a rock near the base of the waterfall enjoying the sound of the water and the cool sweet smells of the forest always brings me a powerful sense of peace.

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The Griffin House – History in the Valley

Often, when thinking about historical significance in the Dundas Valley our thoughts turn to the interesting history of the Hermitage. Although this is probably the most well known, there is another important site just a short walk away.

Parking by the Hermitage Gatehouse on Sulpher Springs Road in Ancaster last Saturday morning, I stopped to check out the Hermitage Cascade, a beautiful 13 foot high waterfall located directly behind the gatehouse. I had not visited this waterfall since the winter and so enjoyed how it looked surrounded by summer vegetation.

I then headed west on Sulpher Springs, continuing on Mineral Springs Road for the short walk to The Griffin House, a site that I had seen photos of but never visited before.

The Griffin House, built circa 1828, sits atop a hill on Mineral Springs Road overlooking the Valley. Originally, the farm was part of a 200 acre lot granted to David Cummings in 1798. In 1834 it was purchased, along with the surrounding 50 acres in by Enerals Griffin who purchased it from George Hogeboom, a local contractor.

Enerals Griffin along with his wife, Priscilla had crossed the border probably in the Port Stanley area in 1829, to escape slavery in the United States, possibly making use of the Underground Railroad. For the next 150 years, their descendents lived and farmed here.

In 1988, the property was sold to the Hamilton Region Conservation Authority by the estate of the last owner, a descendant of Griffin.

The small one and a half storey house is significant both from an architectural and historical point of view. One of the few remaining clapboard homes from the first half of the 19th century in the Ancaster area, it represents a modest working man's farmhouse. Its intact condition with few alterations makes it a significant architectural structure. In addition, the house and site are one of the earliest surviving homesteads in the province.

Archaeologists have unearthed over 3,000 artifacts on this small site including stoneware, porcelain, clay pipes, and masonry. Between 1992 and 1994 the house was restored to its early 19 century time period and in 1995 it was officially opened to the public.

This site now managed as a joint project between the Hamilton Conservation Authority and Fieldcote Memorial Park and Museum, was designated a National Historical Site by the Minister of the Environment, the Honourable John Baird, in 2008.

Standing alone in the shade of this humble yet important structure I tried to imagine what life might have looked like back then. A beautiful piece of history, The Griffin House is certainly worth a visit.

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Spring Hike on the Bruce Trail – Sherman Falls to Canterbury Falls

With the mild winter we had, there were very few weekends when getting out and exploring was impossible. It was fun exploring new trails and on quite a few of them I made a mental note that I had to return in the spring or summer.

Starting on that theme this past Monday, the last day of April brought with it an opportunity to get out for an hour or so in the late afternoon. So with an overcast sky and the chance of rain looming, I headed out for a short hike.

I figured that Sherman Falls would be a good place to start so I drove down Old Dundas Road and parked where the road meets Lions Club Road. From here you can already see the beautiful 17 metre high Sherman Falls through the trees and within a couple of minutes I was there and able to take a few photos. Due to the rain that had been happening on and off all day, the water flow was strong and made for some good pictures.

After a few minutes I continued on, following the trail that continues back downstream, 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.  My previous hike here had been in the winter on a day after a light snow so on this day the area looked much different with everything turning green and spring flowers in bloom.

Hearing a noise to my left I stopped and stood motionless as a group of about 14 deer entered a clearing beside me. They stopped to graze, looking up anytime I made even the slightest movement or sound but continued to move closer to where I stood.

 Eventually when they were about 20 feet away and I am sure hearing the sound of the shutter on my camera, they ventured off; looking behind periodically to be sure I wasn’t following. It is scenes like that that keep me coming back and exploring these trails at every opportunity.

Within a few minutes I came upon this young raccoon climbing a tree. Although he was about 25 feet off the ground, the raised trail that I was on put us directly in front of each other. We stared at each other for a few minutes and as I didn’t want to add any stress to him, I continued walking after taking a few photos of course.

Rounding a bend I approached Canterbury Falls.  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. On this day, Little Canterbury Falls which is a 5 metre (16 feet) tall ribbon cascade was almost dry with just a trickle of water flowing.

The second and larger of the two 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). It features a wooden footbridge across the creek right at the crest of this waterfall and on this day the water was flowing nicely.

All things considered, this is a good trail to try when a short hike is on the agenda. Pretty, with lots of wildlife and water, it is definitely worth a visit.

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Winter Walk on the Bruce Trail – Sherman Falls to Canterbury Falls

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.

Tiffany Falls – Ancaster, Ontario

For an easy hike to an amazing destination, consider Tiffany Falls. This hidden gem is easy to get to and is easily one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the area.
According to the City of Waterfalls website, http://www.cityofwaterfalls.ca/ this waterfall used to be fairly difficult to access during inclement weather conditions, but a new pathway was jointly completed in 2007 by the Hamilton Conservation Authority, the Bruce Trail Iroquoia section, the Rotary Club of Ancaster, and the Trillium Foundation. This new pathway includes two new bridges to cross the creek and a viewing platform.
For me, the cascades in the creek and the high rock that frame the valley make the walk in to the falls very enjoyable as the view continually changes with the seasons. Tiffany Falls is a 21 metre high (70 foot) cascade waterfall and has water flow all year, increasing in the spring or after a rain. Tiffany Falls Conservation Area is considered a significant natural area. Its bedrock exposures are considered an Earth Science Area of Regional Significance. The central feature of the conservation area is the two waterfalls within it, Tiffany Falls and Washboard Falls, formed by Tiffany Creek. The area provides a link between the greenspace corridor along the Niagara Escarpment through the Hamilton urban area, and the extensive natural areas of the Dundas Valley.
The forest area is made up of Eastern Hemlock, Sugar Maple, Red Oak, American Beech, White Ash, Basswood, Black Walnut, Hawthorn, Butternut and White Elm.
The highly significant animal, insect, reptile and plant species found within the conservation area include the Purple Clematis, the Hickory Hairstreak butterfly, the Northern Ringneck Snake and the Louisiana Waterthrush. On December 7, 2011, I had the privilege of joining Chris Ecklund, the man behind the City of Waterfalls and a group of volunteers as we hiked into the falls with high powered spotlights and temporarily illuminated the falls in blue light. The following pictures were taken that night.
A special thank you to Jeanne Pickles for graciously sharing the following 2 shots.
Tiffany Falls is located at the Tiffany Falls Conservation Area in Ancaster. To get there from Hwy 403 take the Lincoln Alexander Parkway exit and keep to the right to merge onto Rousseaux St. At the ‘T’ intersection turn right onto Wilson St. E. Park at Tiffany Falls Conservation Area and follow the trail to the waterfall.