Hiking with Anna

Whenever we can get our busy schedules aligned and both of us are feeling relatively fit – that is, once or twice a year – Anna and I go somewhere and hike a trail. We aim for something a bit more adventurous than the local dog walk and way less adventurous than anything needing a compass and flashlight. However, we have been known to take munchies and a water bottle.

This year, Anna researched the Mount Nemo Conservation area, which is about 30km from here. In late August, we worked out all the pandemic protocols and entrance fee pre-payments and found it without too much trouble. After a bit of a slow start, the trail gets interesting as it winds along the edge of an escarpment. Anna, of course, wanted to stand on the edge of every crumbling cliff, while I insisted on staying ten feet back, preferably tied to a strong tree. I had anticipated seeing soaring turkey vultures, but they weren’t in a soaring mood that day. But, even better, they were perched relatively close to the escarpment, which gave me the opportunity to get some nice shots. When we got back to the parking lot and packed the camera, then we saw them soaring above, but perched is better. The walk around the heights was certainly the highlight, with interesting cracks and crannies, trees growing in strange shapes, and enough variation in the terrain to keep us interested. I wasn’t so keen on the long approach (and return).

In early October, we explored a ravine quite close to home. This was not bad, scenically, but didn’t offer the tantalizing possibility of instant death or at least broken limbs. This was more like sprained ankle territory. However, it did show that other neighborhoods around here have some possibilities, and we saw some other Fall colours.

The last hike was relatively local, but possibly the best. It’s amazing how long one can pass by a location without exploring it. Sixteen Mile Creek is one such. The nearest I ever got was passing over on the road bridge. We went in late November, which is not the best time, but we had a nice day, and the trails were dry, so we could wander off the pathways and explore parts of Oakville which hadn’t felt the tread of a white man’s foot for at least a couple of days. Some of the places where I hesitated to set foot had clear bicycle tracks – whatever happened to my fearless youth, I ask. The only problem was not knowing which trails would lead back to civilization and which ones would just keep getting further away from where we wanted to be. It wasn’t a matter of being lost, we both had phones with GPS, but the maps didn’t necessarily show the 30 foot deep steep sided ravines between where we were and where we wanted to be! However, we did work it out and came out only a couple of blocks from the car. I’d say this one would be worth a return in different seasons (but not necessarily winter!)

We’ll have to keep this going next year; revisit some of the better ones and explore more new places. Get our collective behinds up from the computer chairs more.