Monday, October 10, 2011

Come Hike with Me Again

Two weeks ago I hiked the Hockley Valley Nature Reserve and found peace among the trees. This weekend I explored the Nottawasaga Bluffs, part of the Bruce Trail near the Blue Mountains. Although I mainly enjoy posting my hiking photos on the blog because I endorse spending time in nature as a way to stay physically and mentally healthy, I also wanted to share these images to be able to highlight the value of keeping our natural wonders intact. See the third picture? It shows the entrance to crevices that were formed thousands of years ago when water would pool in cracks in the rock and then expand when freezing over the winter. The pressure that the ice exerted on the rock forced the cracks to widen into fissures, then crevices, as you can see in photos 4 and 5. One of the deepest caves goes down ten metres and has four levels, the lowest of which is cold enough that it is covered in ice throughout the year. Being able to explore geological history like this is priceless. I wish we could make a greater effort at protecting our conservation areas, and increasing their size and number!








4 comments:

  1. Those are some fantastic pictures. Great day for a hike! Not too hot, not too cold... and not too many bugs!

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  2. That's why fall is the best time to hike. Forests are great insulators - they block out wind and hold in warmer air. Hiking through a forest feels like a cozy hug to me. :)

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  3. Beautiful photos Andrea. Ontario is such a gorgeous province. I'm catching up on my blog reading and find reading through your posts so inspiring, as always. Thank you!

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  4. Hi Laura! So great to hear from you again. Glad to see you writing posts again, too! Hope you can get out and take your kids hiking this fall, too.

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