There’s a point of view I suscribe to that posits that we should intermingle the ‘natural’ environment with the ‘built’. I certainly experienced that full range of that today as I hiked along the Escarpment through Hamilton.
looking over the city from the middle of one of Hamilton’s many staircases “up The Mountain”
hiking with family!
the more natural end lp of the spectrum
Everywhere, even in the gorgeous Dundas Valley Conservation Area that fills the western head of the valley, there were lots of rightfully occuring signs of human involvement. Many dog-walkers, remnants of large apple orchards that have graduated from feeding humans to fattening deer for wintertime, well-maintained gravel & dirt roads that made it a pleasure to hike on, and excellent trailwork — this was quite as rewarding as the full-blown natural beauty of the Trail through the near-pristine escarpment forests west of Grimsby.
and then there was this to warm my heart …
Tomorrow starts with hiking into Dundas with Grant, and then finding a spot to sleep up beyond Rock Chapel — a fine way to start a second week on the Trail!
Tracing My Natural World — Traillium 
Unbelievably proud of you! Incredible journeys seem to be a dad thing lately – one going back to university, the other going the length of the trail! See you up around Orangeville with another four-legged creature.
Thanks, my good man!
Code 2 Emergency this morning: 1 Fuljers; may call for rescue tmrw if repeated …
Congratulations. Keep going -one foot in front of the other! I love your photos. Thank you. Anne
Marvelous, eh?
I am amazed at all the logistics involved. What a great journey.
Great walk, indeed, Stephen. I/we are up near Mount Nemo already, which I’m sorry is past you. But if you’re up to a day or more as I progress northwards, let’s set something up.
I was so inspired by your walk, and photos, that I walked a few hours east on the trail. But I found no trilliums. What’s up mr. botantist? are they only in the Niagara region at the moment?