Bob and I took Jack back to Grimsby today to walk a bit of the Bruce Trail there that is accessed on a path that runs along a home at the end of a street. We parked in Coronation Park, the same park we had visited on our first trip to Grimsby, a week or so ago.
A historical home at the corner of the street leading to the trail. Helpful signage along the street (as well as the standard warning)The black and white Bruce Trail marking on a No Parking sign. We accessed the trail just to the right of the White House.Looking down into 40 Mile Creek from the trailThe creek and the trail are fairly rockyThe boys. I usually walk ahead to scout for other dogs.More of the rocky pathMoss covered rocksSome trees hanging onto their coatsThe rocky cliff beside usSteps up and a numbering system. Bob and Jack stayed at the bottom of this set of stairs, as it was fairly narrow.A bench to rest on at the top of the stairsAnd a sign for a side trail
After we came back off our short hike on the Bruce Trail, we continued on the street to the Gibson Street Bridge shown below. The sign beside the bridge provides a great history of the overall area as well as the bridge. This site was the location for the original upper bridge (built in the late 1800s), which served as a link between the base of the escarpment over 40 Mile Creek and the mills that once were established along the creek. The latest version of the bridge was built in 2022.
Since Bob and I were wanting to visit a local market, Bob found us a couple of parks/trails to explore with Jack that were in the same direction. We started at Millennium Forest Park in the nearby community of Lincoln, which has a loop walking path through the park as well as 135 different commemorative trees that were planted as part of a Millennium celebration project. The park also had some winged visitors that were pointed out to us by a couple of other walkers when we first arrived.
A granite marker at the park entrance The loop trail through the treesLooking across the small parkJack checking out a fringe tree that was donated by the Southward familyA Japanese Cryptomeria given in memory of Ian CravenA marker for a time capsule to be opened in 2051. Maybe by robots at that point?A couple of Bald Eagles!This one seemed to be looking right at usA map of the 135 different types of trees
We stayed parked at the park and just walked up the street to head to a section of the Waterfront Trail that goes through the neighborhood to (wait for it) the waterfront of Lake Ontario.
Heading through the nice neighborhood to the trailThe trail markerLake Ontario, just a short walk from the trailhead
Finally, we visited the Grand Oak Market. It’s a cute market that sells local goods, gifts, as well as their owned baked goods, and you can eat lunch there as well.
The Grand Oak MarketOne of the seating areas and their tearoom in the back. I liked the note about the table.They even have an event room
We didn’t shop today but may head back for lunch sometime.
Bob and I took Jack to a new (to us) park for another local walk about in St Catharines. It was a 10 minute drive to what is now Richard Pierpoint Park. It was originally called Centennial Gardens and was unveiled in 1976 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Canada.
In 2021, the park was renamed after Richard Pierpoint, one of Canada’s most famous Black loyalists, and who lived on land that is now part of the park. The park contains a lovely trail (apparently a portion of the Merritt Trail (though we can’t make it link up with the other sections we’ve been on) and a disc golf course. There was supposedly a totem pole given for the Centennial celebration, but is not currently there or is very short, as we didn’t see it.
A good history of Richard, Captain Dick, Pierpoint, originally from Senegal, who was shipped to America and became a slave to a British officer. He gained his freedom through military service.Park MapOne of the markers for the disc golf courseHeading offAwesome trailA building near the park and one of many benches along the trailFirst view of the first dam or water intake structure that we crossed at one end of the trail, where the creek that runs along the trail ends.Looking up the creek from the far endOne of the disc golf “holes“Plenty of scentsA pretty picnic area on a hill along the trailThe bridge crossing at the other end of the loop portion on the trailWater running over a dam in the creekA community garden
Happy belated Veterans Day or Remembrance Day. Yesterday, Bob and I took Jack for a short neighborhood walk on the Terry Fox Trail. Terry Fox, as I imagine all Canadians and many runners everywhere know, was a young Canadian stricken with cancer who raised funds for cancer through his attempt (after having one leg amputated) to run across Canada.
This trail wasn’t nearly so ambitious, but it made for a nice outing in a new area of St Catharines before we headed over to a local mall to buy some new running shoes for Beth and check out a new (to us) grocery store, Zehrs, to pick up some provisions for dinner.
And we’re offOne end of the park. The trail goes out of the park into a neighborhood as well.A pollinator garden in the park along the trail.One of the pretty new trees in the park with a neighbor’s Lest We Forget flag in the background Some of the path away from the park
Today, we tried a trail that we had noticed the last time we were here but didn’t try. It’s the 12 Mile Creek Trail, which is also part of the Merritt Trail, which in parts runs concurrently with the Bruce Trail. It’s all very confusing, but the takeaway for us is that this area is crazy with trails, which is okay with us.
Cooler day today but good walking weather The trail was great — a good width and nice and even.One of the nice houses along and/or above the trailLooking across 12 Mile Creek, which the trail runs alongsideAnother pic of the creek and the trailAfter awhile the land on the other side of the trail from the creek became marshy.Signage about the Merritt TrailFall in a snapshot
On Friday, we returned to the Merritt Trail to walk the other direction from Glendale Avenue. We passed some historical markers, walked through a pretty park along the old locks, and along a road near a nice neighborhood.
A Johansson’s bar, apparently used before power equipment for stone masons to lever into pieces of cut limestone.Signage for the trail, as we entered Mountain Locks ParkLooking across the park towards the neighborhood As the trail curves closer to the street. Signage on post to indicate both the Merritt Trail and Bruce Trail, which run together here.Some large fungusLooking up the bank at the homesA small bridge across the canal to another trailWater coming through the old canalA marker in the park indicating that Mountain Locks Park is the site of locks 16-21 of the second Welland Canal (currently on the fourth).Trees planted to honor Len Leo by his friends and neighbors
Yesterday, we got out for a second walk with Jack in the late morning ahead of the predicted rain. We just took him to a trail around a school and into a neighborhood fairly close to the house. I didn’t bring my camera, as I didn’t think it would be much, and the trail was fine but not special. But on the way to the start, we saw a young couple pushing a stroller and walking their cat on a leash. Missed pic opportunity.
Yesterday afternoon we decided to get out to visit one of the wineries we had visited last time, Megalomaniac. We were planning to go anyway, but Bob saw on their website that during November, you could get a free tasting at the bar if you said you were a Megalomaniac fan. Not to be cheap (well why not?), but that sounded good to us. We each got supposedly 2oz (but think it was more) of 3 of their wines. We each tried different ones, so we could try more of them. We had a chat with the nice pourer, enjoyed the wines, and perused the fun wine-themed merchandise. My favorites were a magnet that said, “What wine goes with laundry?” And a tote bag that read, “Corks are for quitters.” It was a (they have great names for their wines) lovely outing, all for the cost of a lovely bottle of Pompous red wine.
Driving up to the winery. It’s on the highest point of the escarpment.The lovely shopping areaBob at the bar. Like the black and white decor.The labels and decor also focus on a man that reminds me of the painting in the “Thomas Crown Affair.” It’s Magritte’s “Son of Man.”One view from their patio Another view from the patio
A quick note for history, there was an election in the US Tuesday, November 5th. I fear the results will make it one of the few dates that Bob and I will always remember exactly where we were at and what we were doing when they (the results) were announced. We did little yesterday except try to process.
Today, we needed to get out for a walk to try to regain a sense of normalcy. We walked a short portion of the Merritt Trail with Jack. The full trail is 10.1k and is a combination of paved and off-road trails, with some connector portions on neighborhood sidewalks. It runs partly along an older version of the current Welland Canal system.
C’mon, people, I’m ready!Heading out on the trail off of Glendale Avenue in Merritton, about a 12 minute drive from the house.Another section of the trailThe scent hunterA community park just off the trailThe trail crosses a railroad tracks just past the parkLooking down on the old canal from a bridgeLooking through the see-through-bridge. Jack and Bob stayed on solid ground.Looking back upstreamAn unpaved section of the trailA calm autumn water view
Well, we actually absentee voted for real US candidates running in local, state, and national elections, but we (or at least me) are trying very hard not to think of that hot mess right now, so on with today’s events.
Grimsby, Ontario, is a town of about 29,000 on Lake Ontario at the eastern end of the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. It is named after a fishing town in England, or so says Wikipedia. We went to check out a couple of parks as well as their downtown area.
It was a beautiful day, warm and windy. High of 70+ F, although not quite that warm while we were out. Jack scored a dog biscuit from a female store owner in Grimsby. He has a way about him. Bob and I were left treatless.
We began our walkabout in Covenant Park, just off of Main Street. It has a great play area, pool, gazebo, and colorful picnic tables. To continue the local creek numbering system, the park lies along Forty Mile Creek. A helpful sign discussed the park’s history and that it is currently used for local festivals.
Looking towards the play area and pool. Not sure why I cute Jack off. He is definitely at the end of the leash Bob is holding.Good advice from one of the painted picnic tables Chairs along the creekA gazeboNice signage on each end of the three block main downtown area. While small, there were a few cute retail shops, restaurants, and barbers.Some cute floral decorations outside of the shopsA community courtyardThe Bottega shop was a small but impressive Italian food specialty store.An old fire hall with apartments on top and what appears to be like a Lego store on the bottom.The Dutch Shop, which is aptly named, as it is a store full of Dutch treats — Stroopwaffles and Speculos anyone?A mural on the side of The Dutch Shop
After visiting the downtown, we drove to Murray Street Park along Lake Ontario. It was small but stunning.
Bob, Jack, and I found a new trail to walk today. It’s in the Rockway Nature Conservation Area, less than three miles from the house and across the road from the Rockway Golf Course and Rockway Vineyards. It was a cloudy but relatively warm walk (in the 50s) with a few sprinkles of rain during our outing.
While the trail was well marked, there was no map of the trail at the trailhead we started from, so we didn’t know how long it was our where it might go. However, having had a quiet day yesterday, we were all ready for a walk, we had the trail to ourselves, and we got a fun surprise at the end.
And we’re offThe trail was grass, a bit of mud, stairs, and rock.The tree color has mostly moved to be ground cover.Fifteen Mile Creek, which also runs behind the house we’re currently at.A tree archA warning and stairs up the hill. The handrails were only sometimes useful, but we were warned.A lovely small waterfall that had a pretty good flow to it, although likely more to see in the spring.A quick pic of the Rockway Golf Course across from where we parked
Yesterday, Bob and I revisited a lovely park near Brock University for a walk with Jack. We returned to the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site, a former limestone quarry and then municipal landfill, which has been transformed into a naturalization site with a trail system as well as a children’s play/education area and memorial garden.
Park mapHeading off A pretty bush with an “ornament” of some kind. Didn’t see anything flying in or out of it.Part of the memorial gardenAnother view, benches, birdhouses, rocks, and some trees given in memory of loved onesCloser view of rock gardenAnother pic of trail and natural surroundings The pondThe boardwalk out into the pondThe hill in the center of the parkClose up shots of some of the grassesLooking across the park towards university housing
Happy November! It has turned much cooler here. As I write this, the temperature is 51 F, but the feel-like temp is 38 due to the wind. However, the upcoming forecasts seems to indicate that we may not be completely done with the warm weather. We’ll see. We’ve had nothing to complain about so far.
We did another short walk on the Bruce Trail with Jack yesterday. Today, we drove to the nearby community of Jordan for our first walkabout there for this sit. When we were here two years ago, there was some street closures due to road refurbishments, so it was nice to see the results. It’s got a very cute few block shopping, dining, hotel area.
Some of the nice new sidewalk, bike lane, etc on the road that parallels the main shopping streetThe attractive seasonal entrance to the main shopping areaMore seasonal decorA studioThe Inn on the TwentyThe side patio of the innThe Inn on the Twenty Restaurant Without even going in, this was our favorite store, great name!The very attractive Lincoln Museum and Cultural CenterMore shops and smells!The Jordan House, tavern and lodgingA very cute, very small bakery
After our short tour in town, we drove out of town just a bit to a small green space, that the community seems to have big plans for.
Here is the current green space. It lies on the curve of a main road across from a bar and flea market.Here’s a close up of some of their plansIt overlooks 20 Mile Creek. Fun fact, the house we are caring for overlooks 15 mile pond.
We then drove back towards St Catharines but stopped in Jordan Station, a smaller community, to reacquaint ourselves with the Upper Canada Cheese Company. A cute store that sells their cheeses along with a number of locally made and other specialty products.
Peckish Travels 