By Martha Aitkin, Bruce Peninsula Press
On a delightfully warm and sunny late September day the Peninsula Bruce Trail Club (PBTC) celebrated the opening of a new Friendship Trail. Similar to the concept of “twin towns”, International Trail organizations create friendship trails in partnerships to raise awareness of footpaths all over the globe.
This particular Friendship trail is a loop of approximately 10 kilometers that features some stunning cliff edge views of Georgian Bay with the usual rocky ascents and descents well known to Peninsula Bruce Trail hikers, combined with the Cape Chin Meadows Side Trail that winds through old farm fields, bush lots and back roads.
The hikers, led by PBTC president Tamara Wilson, with World Trails Chair Jackie Randle serving as the “Sweep”, were treated to plenty of evidence of our Black Bear relations on the peninsula and how much they love apples! Watch your step in the meadow! You don’t want to step in that! And watch for evidence of how the bears have unearthed some protein snacks by flipping over large rocks and dining on the bugs and slugs below.
The Friendship Trail linked with the Cape Chin loop is a section of the South West Coast Path (SWCP) that runs from the old fishing village of Cawsand in Cornwall, along the Plymouth city waterfront and the Devon coast to Wembury. The SWCP is the longest established National Trail in the UK. Over 1,000 kilometers of trails traverse the southern coastline of the UK from Somerset through Cornwall into Devon and Dorset, ending at Pool Harbour. This trail is famous for spectacular coastal views and rocky cliffs making it a perfect choice for Friendship with the Cape Chin Loop trail portion of the Bruce Trail.
Julian Gray (South West Coast Path Association Director), and Lorna Sherriff (National Trail Director), both of the UK, were on hand to celebrate the opening of the Friendship Trail and to enjoy the beautiful day and the three hour hike. Also in attendance were four visitors from Taiwan who were in Canada to participate in the opening of a Friendship trail between Mountains to Sea Greenway Trail in Taiwan with a section of the Bruce Trail tended by the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club near Waterdown. The International visitors on this hike were also in Canada to attend the World Trails Conference held in Ottawa this year. World Trails Conferences, like Friendship Trails, provide an opportunity for trail experts, trail builders, trail managers and hiking enthusiasts to come together in the exploration of the profound bonds connecting us to each other and to the natural world in which we live.
