8
Escarpment Magaz ine
fal l
2011
Tramping
through woods and trails that criss-cross the Escarpment is one of my
favourite outings at any time of year—but in the Fall the pleasure is heightened. There
are of course the obvious rewards of increasing my fitness, clearing my head and turn-
ing my back on email but it’s the season itself that truly impacts and delivers the rewards.
Fall is a mixer of music — sticks and twigs crack and crunch underfoot, thermal breezes
whistle through newly naked boughs, squirrels chatter and leaves whisper as they bob
and weave their way to the forest floor. Leaves — they take on new hues between morn-
ing and night and if they haven’t let go of their branch by sun up, their colours will have
been altered again — quietly, by an unseen brush. This beauty, on loan to us by nature,
can only be preserved if we exercise care when we're passing through it. 'Pack it in,
pack it out' is a long-standing rule among fair-minded hikers. In order to leave the area
much as we found it, we must not leave behind anything we’ve brought with us while
exploring this UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, one of only fifteen such reserves
in all of Canada.
Most of the hiking I do is on the Bruce Trail, Canada's oldest and longest footpath. The
Bruce Trail Conservancy is “a charitable organization committed to establishing a con-
servation corridor containing a public footpath along the Niagara Escarpment” and
is comprised of a devoted group of volunteers, who help secure the trail system. There
are well over a thousand volunteers but they are always looking for more and it’s a
terrific way to meet like-minded people who enjoy the challenge of going and doing,
of being part of a team and learning new skills. The website is the best place to get
started: brucetrail.org. We’ve featured an invigorating excursion in this issue, with
views that will leave you breathless - Standing Rock - read about it on pgs. 82 thru 88.
Our first feature story, ‘Out of the Blue’ by Tom Hakala is another adventure-based
piece and uplifting (pun intended) in more ways than the obvious. You’ll be introduced
to Steve Esplen and his pals at Billy Bishop Airport near Owen Sound—another exam-
ple of people helping people, making things happen and keeping our community vi-
brant. Steve even helped us out with our Fashion pages! You’re going to be impressed.
We believe this issue will capture your senses. It’s packed with compelling stories,
vibrant photos and fun. Whether you’re reading us on a screen or
holding us in your hands, we urge you to sit back and enjoy our
presentation of autumn’s splendour along the Escarpment.
VIEW
of the bay
DEENA DOLAN FINDLAY
EDITOR
/
PUBLISHER
/
DESIGNER
escarpment
editor’s note