Submitted by Leslie McBeth, PBTC Communications Director
On October 2 and 3, more than 150 participants and volunteers gathered at Camp Celtic in Stokes Bay for the 2026 Peninsula Hiking Festival, hosted by the Peninsula Bruce Trail Club (PBTC). This year’s theme was Common Ground: A Celebration of Trail, Place, and Belonging, and judging by who showed up, it couldn’t have been a better fit.
Coming from near and far
Back in June, as the festival committee worked through registrations, a few hometowns stood out. Kingsbridge, Devon, Poole, Penzance, Bristol. Word of our festival on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula had travelled all the way to England, and people were bringing friends.
By the time October rolled around, six hikers had crossed the Atlantic to join us, walkers connected to England’s South West Coast Path. Five more came from Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan. Hikers came from 47 different communities, with about three out of every four travelling from outside Grey and Bruce counties.
Festival passes sold out well ahead of the weekend, and we released extra keynote dinner tickets due to popular demand.
For many hikers, it was their first time visiting the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula, and many stayed on for Bruce Trail Day at the Ferndale Visitor Centre on Sunday. A big thank you to the accommodation partners who offered festival discounts: Berford Hill Estate Guest House, Grotto Getaway, Tobermory Princess Hotel, Grey Bruce Cottages, Cee Cee North On The Bay and Evergreen Resort.
Twenty-three ways to explore
Over two days, participants chose from 23 guided hikes and programs, each one a different window into this place.
Some went deep in time. Beth Gilhespy led hikers to Cape Dundas to search the shoreline for fossils from the ancient tropical sea that once covered the region, and Jeannine Kralt explored the red cliffs and glacial boulders of Gravelly Point.
Others went deep into relationship with the land. Caley Doran walked Ginebek Miikaans, the Snake Trail Boardwalk at Cape Croker Park, sharing Anishinaabe history and storytelling, while Tainin Hopkinson led a reflective hike along the bluffs and boundaries of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.
The creative programs were a real highlight. Margarethe Vanderpas welcomed hikers into her Lion’s Head studio, Graham and Tina Thomas shared the stories behind RavenStar Sculpture Garden, Liz Stanton taught composition along Sunrise Shores, and Esme Batten took a group out after dark at Black Creek to photograph the night sky. Jenna McGuire led both a nature journaling hike at Hope Bay and an afternoon of botany skills focused on orchids and ferns.
For the naturalists, Rhiannon Carruthers introduced the ferns of Hope Bay, Brian Popelier explored the Otter Lake wetland, Anna Fletcher traced changing ecosystems along the Fairway Meadows Trail, Jeannine Kralt led a tree walk at Cameron Lake and Barbara Rabicki paired a session on tree canopy with a gentle introduction to forest bathing. Bob Knapp guided hikers from Jones Bluff to McIver Pond, with a tea stop at the family cabin he’s shared with his wife for over four decades. Christian von der Heide hosted Beer and Bees at Tagwerk Farm, connecting pollinators, wild hops and good food.
Hikers looking for a challenge had lots to choose from. Ruth Moffatt led a 20 km day to Cabot Head and Wingfield Basin, Charles Whitlock tackled 17 km on the new Cape Chin property, Saabir Sohrab took on the rugged Halfway Log Dump to High Dump route and Julie Bennett led the Smokey Head loop. Kathleen Stahlbaum’s group met at 5:45 am for a sunrise hike at Halfway Log Dump (coffee was definitely earned). And for newer hikers, Ruth Moffatt ran Trail Ready, a hands-on session on gear, boots, ticks and trail etiquette.
Evenings at Camp Celtic
Friday night kicked off with pizza, Tagwerk craft beer and live music from Dan Corcoran and Dominik Franken, followed by a lively campfire with the Camp Celtic Singers. All weekend, the dining hall hosted an art exhibit celebrating the Peninsula, with work from Margarethe Vanderpas, Donna C. Stewart, Brenda Stewart, Robin Kingsburgh, Doris A. Eggers, Sarah McComb Turbitt, Leslie Hodgins and Helen Sluis.
Saturday’s keynote dinner, catered by the Peninsula SWANS, brought everyone together for roast beef, lasagna and stories. Kevin Callan, Canada’s own “Happy Camper,” had the room laughing and reminded us why we keep heading back outside. The silent auction raised several thousand dollars to support PBTC hiking programs and next year’s festival. A big thank you goes out to all the silent auction donors.
The Peninsula Hiking Festival is an entirely volunteer-run event that relies on the generosity of people giving their time and energy. Our hike leaders, our subject experts and the many, many volunteers who give their time make this festival possible. Months of planning, bus schedules, procuring donations, late nights and early mornings went into making the weekend look easy.
Thank you to our supporters and partners: Hutten Land and Shore, Grey Bruce Cottages, Summer House Park, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Blue Heron Cruises, Suntrail Source for Adventure, Thorncrest Outfitters, Evergreen Resort, Tobermory Princess Hotel, Believer Coffee, Tagwerk Brewing, Destination Ontario, and Bruce Grey Simcoe. Funding for this project was provided by Community Foundation Grey Bruce. Special thank you to Scott Matheson and the incredible team at Camp Celtic, Peninsula SWANS and Tagwerk Brewing.
The Peninsula Bruce Trail Club is one of nine volunteer run Bruce Trail Conservancy clubs, maintaining over 260 km of the Bruce Trail from Wiarton to Tobermory and stewarding more than 50 nature reserves, all run by volunteers.
Where will the trail take you next fall? We’re already dreaming about 2027. If you’d like to help shape it, contact Marg at pbtcoutreach@gmail.com. See you on the trail.
