We Colour it Our Way Along the Bruce Trail

When I think of Grey County there is one dominating feature which inevitably comes to mind: the Niagara Escarpment.

The escarpment has always been with me. East of Wiarton, the first home I ever knew was dwarfed by it. I scraped my knees on it, clambered up it, walked along it. Once, I watched our family dog gently harnessed and hoisted up its face. A line of cedars below the escarpment became Sherwood Forest to my Robin Hood and my brother’s Sherriff of Nottingham.

The escarpment has always been with me, and where goes the escarpment so too goes the Bruce Trail.

I learned to love and respect the natural world on family hikes along the Bruce Trail. Now, firmly established in Grey County, my wife and I raise our children in a home some 300 metres from the trail, and the family hikes continue. On our backs, and more recently on their own feet, our kids have traversed long sections of the trail. They’ve seen much of this gorgeous county, and we’re just getting started…

Escarpment above Owen Sound

One of my favourite lookouts atop the escarpment near Owen Sound. A phenomenal section of the Trail winds through the trees below, the sunsets above are pretty decent too.

Boyds Crevices, Owen Sound

Kudos to the Bruce Trail volunteers for installing and maintaining all sorts of helpful fixtures like this. Kudos to Isaac for fearlessly climbing into the great unknown.

Inglis Fun, Owen Sound

Freya has seen a lot from that backpack. She’s seen mommy’s back at Inglis Falls, mommy’s back on Skinner’s Bluff, even mommy’s back in Iceland. One day she will walk ahead of mommy, but until then she enjoys the ride.

On the Bruce Trail

Striding through long grass as an adult hiker hardly merits comment. However, pushing your way through wild Amazonian overgrowth as a child hiker is a serious feat.

What’s That, Owen Sound

The Bruce Trail cuts a nice path around Inglis Falls. Approach from the west and listen to its faint rumble turn to a constant roar. Take a moment at each of the many vantage points to appreciate this stunning feature. Tarry long enough and you may see a plaid-clad dad and his matching son wander by.

Skinner's Bluff, Wiarton 

Skinner’s Bluff offers unparalleled views best taken in at sunrise. Lucky for us it’s also beautiful later in the day as we tend to snore through sunrise.

The Gate

The Bruce Trail highlights many of Grey County’s best features. Natural splendour of every sort awaits you. Get out and hit the trail!

Zak Erb

Zak is a silly man who enjoys playing in the dirt. He takes his kids outside to play in the dirt often, hoping they will develop the same enjoyment. He takes photos of his family playing in the dirt to encourage other families to follow suit. By this he hopes to foster environmental awareness and combat the anthropogenic degradation of our beautiful planet. I told you he was silly.