Day Thirty-Three, August 6: "Tunnels and Hammocks." Caledon Mountain to Cheltenham, 20.7 km., 7.5 hours.

I started today's hike in the cool darkness of the tunnel that takes the Trail safely across Highway 10.  Upon emerging, I managed to startle about fifteen Angus cows in an adjacent field.  The huge black beasts fled en masse to the other side of their pasture: the movement reminded me of a stampede.

The first trailhead was outfitted with a stationary wooden gate, the narrowest I'd seen thus far.  Eyeing it, I anticipated problems, and I was right - there was no way I was going through it with the pack on.  Have I mentioned before that the Bruce Trail is not really through-hiker friendly? Off came the pack, and a few awkward moments later we were both on the other side.

After a short hike through woods I was back out on dirt road again.  A posted notice informed me that there were no white blazes from that point to the Forks of the Credit park boundary, due to circumstances beyond the Conservancy's control.   If I were coming from the opposite direction I wouldn't have had a problem finding my way, but travelling west along that road without blazes to follow proved to be a challenge.  It had forks, and I was always second-guessing myself, not wanting to make a mistake because of all the property-owners' forbidding 'No Trespassing' signs.  I felt extremely unwelcome and was very glad to finally reach the park gate and see the familiar friendly white blazes again.

The woods were dark and quiet and the birds seemed to have all disappeared, but I found them again when I reached open meadow. It was filled with sunshine and birdsong.  I stood there for awhile, taking in the sounds, the scent of the wildflowers, the warm feel of sun on my skin.

I reached a sign indicating that the viewing platform by the Falls was temporarily closed due to safety concerns, and that through-hikers should detour along the Quarrymen's Side Trail instead.  (The Bruce actually routes along the closed platform). Doing this would cut 2 km. off my day, and it didn't sit well with me because my goal is to hike the entire Bruce Trail.  So I walked to the closed platform and back, then took the detour across, then walked up the other side to the platform and back.  It actually added about 3 km. to the day but I did get to see the Falls.

Poison ivy was rampant along here, and seemed also more advanced in its growing cycle, showing plenty of yellows and reds.  I walked through the historic hamlet of Brimstone and watched many fly fishermen in the river, most wearing hipwaders though the water was only about a foot deep.

Then came a challenging climb up the escarpment, complete with ropes.  It took me a while to reach the top with the pack on my back.  The Trail levelled out and brought me past a remote lake, where frogs eyed me warily.

Out to another dirt road, where I came across a hiker carrying a full-sized pack. Bas is headed along the Trail to Tobermory from the Guelph area.  We had a good chat about our experiences to date, and the equipment we prefer.  He actually uses a hammock for stealth camping, his thinking being that it leaves less of an impact on the land than a tent does.  It has netting and a rain fly, and its weight is negligible.  I have a geocaching friend who swears by his, as well.

I stopped to look for a quick geocache, and then it was time to find my digs for the night.