The Grey Bruce Escape

The Bruce Trail enters Grey County south of Collingwood. Over 250 kms follow the Niagara Escarpment across the county, more than one third of the trails entire length. The Blue Mountains club maintains the trail from Lavender to Craigleith, including the highest elevation of 540 M at the Osler Bluff lookout. The Beaver Valley club maintains the trail from Craigleith to Blantyre. Be sure to see the favourite lookout at Old Baldy. From Blantyre the trail is maintained by the Sydenham Club. This section of the Bruce Trail contains several waterfalls, Inglis Falls, Jones Falls and Indian Falls. The trail continues north along the escarpment to Skinners Bluff, the Slough of Despond and Bruces Cave's.

Just above Wiarton you will come to the ruins of the Corran. Here there is a iron stair case which takes you down to the water, as it did a hundred years ago. The Bruce County portion of the trail is spectacular every step of the way, but can be tough going at times, so make sure you take extra care and ideally always hike with a companion. The trail basically hugs the escarpment as it follows the shoreline north

Just South of Lions Head, at Gun Point you will find a Nature Reserve which has the largest number of "pot holes" in Ontario. At Cape Chin take the side trail marked with blue blazes and visit the Devils Monument.....a 14 meter high sea-stack created 5500 hundred years ago. Below is a picture of the cairn which sits harbourside in Tobermory marking the end of the 780 km. trail.

Great Autumn Escapes !

Autumn is a great time to take to the road and explore the countryside and the fall foliage throughout all of Grey Bruce. Hop in the car, bring your camera and take off for a few hours or a few days and explore the back roads. Every back road adventure will take your breath away. Follow the Niagara Escarpment north to Georgian Bay for spectacular fall colours and visit an orchard to watch the annual fall harvest and stock up on apples for winter.

Meaford is home to Grandma Lambes orchard and market store. Their butter tarts are so........good. All kinds of fruit pies are available, as well as fresh produce. Count the scarecrows in downtown Meaford as they adorn the storefronts and homes.

Follow Grey County Rd. #1 from Owen Sound to Wiarton and view the changing foliage of the escarpment as it winds itself north, as it hugs the shoreline of Colpoys Bay.

Take a hike to the Devils Monument located on Georgian Bay just north of Cape Chin. The monument is best photographed during fall when the leaves do not obscure the amazing "flowerpot" or sea stack. There is a side trail off of the Bruce Trail which will take you to the look out.

Further up the Bruce visit the new National Park Visitor Centre. This long awaited Visitor Centre for Bruce Peninsula National Park and Fathom Five National Marine Park opened this summer. The building contains exhibits and a theatre. There is also a viewing tower high above the treetops that gives an eagle's view of the strait joining Georgian Bay with the greater body of Lake Huron. Below the tower is the beginning of a new 5 km park trail to Georgian Bay.