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We finally had a chance to get back to the Avon Trail and hike another short section today.  We wanted to pick up where we left off from the first time and continue on.  It was pretty hot today (25 – 28C) and we didn’t have an early start so we decided to do just this 3.5 km section. We walked 8.91 km by the time we took a couple detours and made our way back to the car.  The other reason for choosing this shorter walk was that the next section is in a conservation area and we will need to pay to enter.  We’d like to do that in a single visit if we can so this just made it easier to set that up.

We parked on 13th line as recommended in the secret map.  They provide a good list of parking options as well as noting some places where you can’t park which is also helpful. This spot was in the middle of the section we wanted to hike so we were never too far away from the car.

We had a little trouble picking up the trail where it leaves 9th line – the blaze is fairly well hidden by a tree so we did a little extra walk down the road until we found it.  This part of the trail follows the edge of the fields and cuts through a small bush to connect back to the place we had finished last time.  It isn’t very well maintained and didn’t look to be well used but we were able to follow the blazes and make our way along the corn fields until we reached the next concession.  We stopped under a tree to eat a little lunch and re-hydrate before heading back to 9th line.

After a quick pit stop at McCully’s Hill Farm Market we left 9th line and started on the Lake Trail.  This part of the trail is maintained by the Wildwood Conservation area and is very well cared for.  The trail passes through grassy meadows and some managed pine forests.  The pine forests were especially nice, very cool and quiet.  This section of the trail is part of a larger 24km bicycle loop through the conservation area so it’s wise to keep an eye out for cyclists.  We only met two on our walk and they were very courteous.  The trail is wider making it easy to walk two abreast in this section.

We followed the trail up to the dam and then on to the gate to the conservation area.   We had a very nice stop on a rock in the woods between the dam and entrance to the conservation area where we finished our lunch and enjoyed the shade for a few minutes. There is a handy tunnel under highway 7 so you never need to cross over that road during the hike.   After a quick discussion we decided that the extra distance it would take to walk back along the trail instead of taking the shorter route along the road was more than made up for by the shade and the scenery.  We retraced our steps back through the trail to 9th line and then across the bridge and back to our car.

The hike took 2 hours and 41 minutes including our rest stops and made for an excellent afternoon hike.  If you aren’t trying to complete the trail end to end I’d consider skipping over the section between km 7 and 8 just because it is mostly following a row of corn along the edge of the field and it’s very bushy.  But it’s certainly doable and we did find some nice wild raspberries in that section.

All in all a good day out on the trail.

We discovered a new trail last week and spent a little time on Monday afternoon hiking the first 7 km. Plus 6km to loop back to the start.

The Avon Trail runs from St. Marys to Conestogo.  Follow the link to the club website.  I found the site to be a little bit lacking in details – possibly because they want you to purchase the map set that is the trail guide.   I didn’t find anywhere on the site that would tell me where to find the trail head.

We also discovered that the address for St. Marys Tourism is 175 Queen St. E which is just a little different from what the site lists as a location to purchase the trail guide.   But we persevered and found the office and handed over $15 cash ( no debit) to get the guide.

That said, the guide was a very nice set of 6 detailed maps and an overview map that explained the trail in good detail.

We headed back to the trail head by the tennis courts on Water St.   There is ample parking and the large rock marking the point where the Thames Valley trail and the Avon Trail meet is clearly labeled with a nice plaque.

The first 2 kilometers of the trail are along the river in St. Marys.  It’s a very pleasant walk and easily accessible for all levels.

At about the 2 km mark the trail climbs up to a section of rail trail near the north edge of town.

If you are just looking for a short but pleasant walk then this is a great place to turn back.

From here you work your way out of town.  First on the rail trail and then on relatively quiet country roads.   We continued on to the corner of Glass St. and 14th line which is 4.9 km. 

Since there is no parking available at that location and we wanted to be able to come back and continue again another day we pushed on to the corner of 14th line and road 122 which is 7 km along the trail.  That section of 14th is a very quiet gravel road that leads through a valley and crosses over Trout Creek.

From there we left the trail and went down road 122 to line 9 which turns into Queen St. as you enter St. Marys from the east.  Exiting the trail here left us with 6 km to get back to car.  Line 9 is a bit busier but the shoulders are wide so it isn’t to bad for walking along.

As you come back into St. Marys you will see the old water tower on the left at the corner of Queen and James St.   We continued down Queen St. until we reached the river and then followed the walkway back to the trail head.

Including a couple of breaks for lunch and water it took 3 hours 25 minutes to walk the 13 km.  If you are seeking rugged wilderness this isn’t the trail for you but if you are looking for a very nice walk in the southern Ontario countryside then check out the Avon Trail.