Forks of The Credit Hike -- Oct. 22, 2007

One of the benefits of being retired is that, for the most part, you can decide want you want to do and when you want to do it. During the evening weather forecast on October 21st, we learned that the following day was going to be sunny and 25 degrees (about 10 degrees higher than normal for late October). It didn't take us long to decide that October 22nd was a grand day for a hike. Margaret-Ann quickly booked herself off from supply teaching duties for the next day and we went to bed that night looking forward to our hike. When we woke the next morning it was indeed sunny but a cool 10 degrees. By the time we left the house it was 10:00 a.m., still sunny and about 18 degrees. We drove northwest from Brampton about 45 minutes into the Caledon Hills to the small hamlet of the Forks of The Credit. We parked the car on the side of the road and started walking north on Dominion Street which leads to a southern entrance to the Forks of The Credit Provincial Park.

The view from the bridge carrying Dominion Street over the Credit River in the hamlet of the Forks of The Credit.

After walking 15 minutes on Dominion Street, we arrive at Brimstone and enter the Forks of The Credit Provincial Park. Here we pick up the old Dominion Trail and head north to Cataract.

The fall colours were spectacular.

At the north end of the Dominion Trail we arrive at the remains of the old mill at Cataract. In the mid 1800's is operated as a saw mill, then was converted to a grist mill, and finally changed to a hydro electric generating station that operated until the 1940's.

At Cataract we pick up part of the Trans Canada Trail and start hiking east.

Near the main entrance to the Park, just south of Highway 24, we pass one of several kettle lakes formed by glaciers during the last ice age.

In the meadows, milkweed pods by the thousands were opening to disperse their seeds. In some areas the seeds were so thick it looked like a light dusting of snow.

After circling the kettle lake, we head south on the Trans Canada Trail.

To circle back to Brimstone we actually have to leave the Provincial park for a short trek along part of the Bruce Trail.

Every corner you turn, there's another wonderful view.

Two and half hours after we started, we re-trace our steps over the Dominion Street bridge and see the Credit River glistening in the mid afternoon sunshine.

Driving back to Brampton, we both agree -- retirement is a good thing!

Crredit Valley Explorer -- October 10, 2007

Hoping to see the peak of the fall colors in mid October we boarded the Credit Valley Explorer, a short track rail line operated by the Organeville Brampton Railway, for a three hour tour through rural farmlands and the rolling hills of Caledon, to the Forks of the Credit and Cataract Gorge. The main business of the Railway is hauling freight, with weekday trips servicing local industries between Streetsville and Organeville. Twice a week, all year long, they offer passenger tours. The scenery was very nice throughout the trip, although we were quite surprised at the lack of fall colours in the foliage. We had a pleasant hot turkey lunch and drinks served to us and had two musicians, a guitarist and a clarinetist, serenade us throughout the trip. All in all a very nice day, but the weather could have been a bit better... it was overcast all day and rained for part of the drive back to Brampton after the train trip.

We deboard for a short stop to explore the little hamlet of Cheltenham.

Margaret-Ann gets set to yell "All Aboard."

Heading back to Orangeville at the end of the trip.