11th Jan 2019

Short, easy hike: 7.2 KM

This section of our Bruce Trail hike went from the west end of Woodend Conservation Area at Taylor Rd to the Mall where the Keg Restaurant is on Glendale Ave near Highway 406.  

I was a little cooler, not too cold, but enough so that the path was more frozen than muddy. As you walk along the first part, you go through a golf course.  Weren’t any golfers out in the snow. At the end of that part of the path, you come to water so you have to turn left or right. The Bruce Trail proper turns right but through the trees to the left I saw a bridge for the train that I thought may be somewhat photogenic with the sun shining and all.  So we headed up that way.  Glad we did, as this made for some nice photos.  

You have three options here: 1. Go back and do the trail along the east side the water way.  2. Cross the bridge and do the path on the west side of the waterway or 3. continue a little further and walk the road.  It is a side/service road - kind of boring.  If I was going to do this again, I would take door #1 or door #2.

From there you get to Glendale Ave. Walk that across the Welland Canal where you follow the white marks to the left (south).  The trail works along the Welland Canal Parkway and goes under the same railway as you encountered earlier.  A little past there you will start to uphill and there is a path on your right that kind of doubles back.  Take that - going back toward the railway.  Follow it up and to the left as you get to the railway again.  

As long as you keep following the trail markers - the white painted slashes, you should be good.  This wasn’t the most exciting hike I’d ever been on as I do like walking in the woods and there was quite a bit of roadway to walk on, but the parts that were woodsy were wonderful.  And winter is our favourite time to hike.  

We parked our second car at the mall of the Keg and as usual, because we tend to start our hikes somewhat late, we arrived there a little before dark.