Ball's Falls/Niagara Glen and Lunch at 13th Street Winery

 

Twelve hikers from the early group of Pathfinders started out for a hike in Niagara Glen Nature Reserve.   

Getting the perfect picture

We started on the Whirlpool Trail which follows the river.  This area in the Niagara Peninsula is considered the Carolinian Life Zone.  In Canada this zone is a narrow band across Southern Ontario which supports the most productive and endangered assortment of plant and animal species.

Once we caught the trail, we followed the river on a technical and rocky trail which led us to the Flat Rock where we took a minute to take in the beauty of the river and take a few pictures.

One of the many tricky bits

Table Rock

On the Whirlpool Trail

 From there we continued until it was time to take a break and have elevensies. 

After elevensies we continued our hike up on the Main Loop and Cliffside Trails and into the forest on the Terrace Trail. There are tens of thousands of years of geological history in this area.   The boulders in the Niagara Glen were formed as the Niagara River and Falls eroded the ancient limestone bedrock, leaving behind these massive rocks over the millennia.  The area’s geological history dates back over 400 million years.

The leaning rock

Our trail led us along the rock face where we climbed the stairs to the top and headed back to our cars. 

A little rest before the final climb 

Then on to 13^th Street Winery to meet up with our friends from the later group that hiked Ball’s Falls Conservation Area in Lincoln.

Sixteen hikers from the later group set out for their hike in Ball’s Falls Conservation Area in the Twenty Valley area.

Ball’s Falls occupies around 200 acres with two waterfalls on Twenty Mile Creek.  The Twenty Mile Creek is rain fed so the character of the falls can change dramatically within the seasons, from a raging torrent in the spring to a thin veil in late summer and fall.

The Conservation area still has the original Ball family home which dates back to the early 19^th century, an operating gristmill, lime kiln, a restored church, blacksmith shop and a carriage shed. 

Niagara Glen group – Ann, Brian, Richard, Carolyn, Liz, Lesley & Stephen, Marleen, Christine, Andrea, Michael, and Peter

Ball’s Falls group – Jim & Carol, Tom & Sue, Hubert, Sue, Hattie, Cathy, Colin, Ann, Ross & Kathryn, Sorrel, Dianne, David,  and David’s brother-in-law, Andy

Many thanks to Andrea for coordinating the two groups and booking lunch!!!!