Well – its official. It has been one year since we packed up our place in T.O. and drove down the 403 to settle in Hamilton.
Does this mean we’re no longer newbies here?
I don’t think so. Sure – I know a lot more about the ins and outs of Hamilton than I did 12 months ago, but there is still a lot to learn…
I started this blog with the goal of documenting our travels as we explored our new home – everything from restaurants to tourist attractions and day-to-day Hamilton experiences.
Ultimately, we didn’t want to be hermits in our new town. So we made a point of seeing and experiencing everything we could.
In the last year, this has included, but is not limited to: skating, Dundurn Castle, the farmer’s market, trails, art crawls, the art gallery, Dundas, Ancaster, Ottawa Street, Locke Street, the waterfront, Supercrawls, festivals galore, Legions, Tweet ups and parties, rock climbing (and of course, the dog parks.)
We also found great Ethiopian food, BBQ restaurants, Japanese restaurants, coffee pubs, regular pubs and more. We’ve met loads of awesome people – some that grew up in Hamilton, others that are newbies like us – all intent on enjoying this city and making it the best it can be.
And to top it all off, we literally became invested in Hamilton.
We haven’t seen it all. Not by a long shot. Hamilton is a smaller city, sure. And after a year of serious exploring, we’ve scratched the surface. We’re comfortable – we know where to go for groceries, a beer, a fun Friday night, or to get out into nature for an afternoon.
But there’s more. For instance, I learned the first week we were here that Hamilton is a city of waterfalls. I will sheepishly admit that I haven’t yet gone to see one of these. Definitely on the list for 2012.
There are loads of great restaurants that we’ve yet to try out – in all corners of the city. There are more trails to discover, some festivals to attend that we didn’t make it to in 2011.
In short, it has been an eventful and busy first year for us in Hamilton. Much like the city itself, we’ve had good times and bad. But our quest to find the best that Hamilton has to offer is far from over. It seems we’re here for the long haul.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Skating, mild winter-style
Given the kind of winter we’ve been having here in Hamilton, it’s a wonder our trip to the outdoor skating rink at Pier 8 happened at all.
So far, the winter has gone something like this: thaw, thaw, thaw, FREEZE, quickly thaw….with a little bit of snow and rain mixed in for good measure. No complaints here re: the mild January, with the exception of our dog tracking mud all through the house every time that ‘freeze’ turns to ‘thaw’.
But this post isn’t really about how refreshing it is not to have -30 temperatures every day for a month, but rather celebrating one of the activities that comes along with winter, and getting to know Hamilton a bit better at the same time.
One evening in early January, we were invited to join a couple of friends for a fun-filled evening of skating down at the waterfront, followed by Williams Fresh Café for coffee, beer, whatever.
With not even a grain of hesitancy from the non-skater in our family (my husband), we decided with enthusiasm that we would give it a go! That’s not to say that I’m very good – I stopped taking skating lessons when I was eight and have been probably twice in the last ten years. Saying that, it’s a skill that quickly comes back after a few spins round the rink.
We were looking forward to this for many reasons. 1) while we’ve been to the waterfront area many times, we’d never tried out the ice rink, 2) if there was any time to try it out, a January night where the temperature was above freezing was probably it, and 3) skating is an awesome workout.
Another plus – you don’t need your own skates to be able to enjoy the waterfront rink. Rentals are available for $4.00 a pair – and of course, its free to skate.
We weren’t really sure what kind of crowd to expect at the skating rink at Pier 8 (ie: whether they are all superstar skaters or all under 20). Sure, there were a good number of skaters that might fall under either of those categories, but there were also families teaching their little kids to skate, and tons of people our age, either out skating with friends or with their significant other. All abilities were there as well – definitely not an intimidating rink for those who are a bit rusty, or are learning for the first time.
Time flies at the rink…before you know it, you’ve been ‘working out’ (technically) for hours, while laughing, having fun and listening to music.
We were also surprised that, while there was a decent crowd there, it wasn’t Nathan Phillips Square-crowded…those who have skated in Toronto know what I mean. (This is an ongoing theme I have noticed in Hamilton – everything that you normally have to battle crowds or wait in line for in the Big Smoke, you can do in Hamilton without having to experience any of that.)
Ironically, perhaps the only downside to our skating excursion was the temperature itself. While spending time outside is undoubtedly easier when the temperatures are hovering around zero, or a couple of degrees below, on this night, the mild air was clearly not good for the skating rink.
There were quite a few slushy, wet patches developing on the ice that night – good, perhaps, if you need to slow down. But for those that took a tumble (not any of us, fortunately!), yuck.
So far, the winter has gone something like this: thaw, thaw, thaw, FREEZE, quickly thaw….with a little bit of snow and rain mixed in for good measure. No complaints here re: the mild January, with the exception of our dog tracking mud all through the house every time that ‘freeze’ turns to ‘thaw’.
But this post isn’t really about how refreshing it is not to have -30 temperatures every day for a month, but rather celebrating one of the activities that comes along with winter, and getting to know Hamilton a bit better at the same time.
One evening in early January, we were invited to join a couple of friends for a fun-filled evening of skating down at the waterfront, followed by Williams Fresh Café for coffee, beer, whatever.
With not even a grain of hesitancy from the non-skater in our family (my husband), we decided with enthusiasm that we would give it a go! That’s not to say that I’m very good – I stopped taking skating lessons when I was eight and have been probably twice in the last ten years. Saying that, it’s a skill that quickly comes back after a few spins round the rink.
We were looking forward to this for many reasons. 1) while we’ve been to the waterfront area many times, we’d never tried out the ice rink, 2) if there was any time to try it out, a January night where the temperature was above freezing was probably it, and 3) skating is an awesome workout.
Another plus – you don’t need your own skates to be able to enjoy the waterfront rink. Rentals are available for $4.00 a pair – and of course, its free to skate.
We weren’t really sure what kind of crowd to expect at the skating rink at Pier 8 (ie: whether they are all superstar skaters or all under 20). Sure, there were a good number of skaters that might fall under either of those categories, but there were also families teaching their little kids to skate, and tons of people our age, either out skating with friends or with their significant other. All abilities were there as well – definitely not an intimidating rink for those who are a bit rusty, or are learning for the first time.
Time flies at the rink…before you know it, you’ve been ‘working out’ (technically) for hours, while laughing, having fun and listening to music.
We were also surprised that, while there was a decent crowd there, it wasn’t Nathan Phillips Square-crowded…those who have skated in Toronto know what I mean. (This is an ongoing theme I have noticed in Hamilton – everything that you normally have to battle crowds or wait in line for in the Big Smoke, you can do in Hamilton without having to experience any of that.)
Ironically, perhaps the only downside to our skating excursion was the temperature itself. While spending time outside is undoubtedly easier when the temperatures are hovering around zero, or a couple of degrees below, on this night, the mild air was clearly not good for the skating rink.
There were quite a few slushy, wet patches developing on the ice that night – good, perhaps, if you need to slow down. But for those that took a tumble (not any of us, fortunately!), yuck.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Hamilton on the cheap (aka: the post-xmas credit card bills are in!)
So, the holiday season has come and gone, bills are begging to be paid off and any budget for doing ‘fun’ things in January was spent before the New Year was even rung in.
But the post-December credit card blues are no excuse for sitting around the house, right?
We still want to get out and see more of Hamilton!
Given 1) the post-Christmas come-down and 2) the frigid temperatures, I’ve found myself contemplating our options for having fun on the cheap in Hamilton, while staying inside (if possible).
Here is a little list of potential/cheap activities I’ve compiled (skewed to my interests, I'll admit, but cheap nonetheless):
Art Gallery of Hamilton: Granted, the AGH isn’t always free. Thankfully, we became members last spring, so for the time being, it is for us. If you’re not an AGH member, there are tons of events at the gallery this winter, some free and some with a minimal cost, such as film nights (including a few flicks that screened at TIFF last fall). Here's their 'calendar of events'.
For example, Friday, February 3 from 4-8pm, the AGH has its “First Fridays”, allowing the public the chance to enjoy its Gallery Level One exhibitions at no charge.
Art Crawl: Continuing on the art theme for a second, and deviating a bit from my ‘staying inside’ idea (you DO have to get from one gallery to the other by going outside!) the James Street North Art Crawl is an enjoyable and low-cost way to spend a Friday night in Hamilton, and a chance to get out and see some of the wonderful artistic talent this city has to offer (and maybe have a glass of wine). Check it out on the second Friday of every month – for your winter schedule planning purposes, that would be January 13 and February 10.
Rec centres: I’ll admit, I sometimes forget about the benefits/value of the rec centre, as I’m WELL past the age of taking swimming lessons, etc… True, it’s a great place to take a family for a day of cheap swimming or skating, but its not just for the kids – lane swim, for example, is just a few dollars per visit.
I also see that on Family Day (Feb. 20 this year), there are a number of free activities at many rec centres across the city.
Skating: Okay, so this one isn’t inside. But this is Canada, so we might as well get out and enjoy some of what winter has to offer, right? Lucky for us, Hamilton has a great little outdoor skating rink at Pier 8, which is free of charge if you have your own skates. If not, there’s a nominal fee to rent a pair ($4). Afterwards, Williams Fresh Café is RIGHT THERE – so having a little hot chocolate afterwards is probably in the cards (ie: necessary). We took advantage of a mild evening recently to try the rink out, and it was tons of fun (dedicated skating blog post coming soon!)
Other possible options for cheap Hamilton activities (some of which involve being out in the cold) include: walking one of the MANY trails in the Hamilton area (especially great if the weather isn’t -30), visiting the Farmer’s Market or Dundurn Castle ($11 per person admission, including the Hamilton Military Museum),
I’m sure there are loads more cheap and cheerful activities afoot in Hamilton this winter. As a relative newbie, I know there are inevitably a ton of fun pastimes that have slipped under my radar. Please feel free to add your suggestions in the comments below!
Cheers to January :)
But the post-December credit card blues are no excuse for sitting around the house, right?
We still want to get out and see more of Hamilton!
Given 1) the post-Christmas come-down and 2) the frigid temperatures, I’ve found myself contemplating our options for having fun on the cheap in Hamilton, while staying inside (if possible).
Here is a little list of potential/cheap activities I’ve compiled (skewed to my interests, I'll admit, but cheap nonetheless):
Art Gallery of Hamilton: Granted, the AGH isn’t always free. Thankfully, we became members last spring, so for the time being, it is for us. If you’re not an AGH member, there are tons of events at the gallery this winter, some free and some with a minimal cost, such as film nights (including a few flicks that screened at TIFF last fall). Here's their 'calendar of events'.
For example, Friday, February 3 from 4-8pm, the AGH has its “First Fridays”, allowing the public the chance to enjoy its Gallery Level One exhibitions at no charge.
Art Crawl: Continuing on the art theme for a second, and deviating a bit from my ‘staying inside’ idea (you DO have to get from one gallery to the other by going outside!) the James Street North Art Crawl is an enjoyable and low-cost way to spend a Friday night in Hamilton, and a chance to get out and see some of the wonderful artistic talent this city has to offer (and maybe have a glass of wine). Check it out on the second Friday of every month – for your winter schedule planning purposes, that would be January 13 and February 10.
Rec centres: I’ll admit, I sometimes forget about the benefits/value of the rec centre, as I’m WELL past the age of taking swimming lessons, etc… True, it’s a great place to take a family for a day of cheap swimming or skating, but its not just for the kids – lane swim, for example, is just a few dollars per visit.
I also see that on Family Day (Feb. 20 this year), there are a number of free activities at many rec centres across the city.
Skating: Okay, so this one isn’t inside. But this is Canada, so we might as well get out and enjoy some of what winter has to offer, right? Lucky for us, Hamilton has a great little outdoor skating rink at Pier 8, which is free of charge if you have your own skates. If not, there’s a nominal fee to rent a pair ($4). Afterwards, Williams Fresh Café is RIGHT THERE – so having a little hot chocolate afterwards is probably in the cards (ie: necessary). We took advantage of a mild evening recently to try the rink out, and it was tons of fun (dedicated skating blog post coming soon!)
Other possible options for cheap Hamilton activities (some of which involve being out in the cold) include: walking one of the MANY trails in the Hamilton area (especially great if the weather isn’t -30), visiting the Farmer’s Market or Dundurn Castle ($11 per person admission, including the Hamilton Military Museum),
I’m sure there are loads more cheap and cheerful activities afoot in Hamilton this winter. As a relative newbie, I know there are inevitably a ton of fun pastimes that have slipped under my radar. Please feel free to add your suggestions in the comments below!
Cheers to January :)
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Spectacular, Christmas Spectacular
UPDATE: So, remember how I was looking for the perfect holiday event to get in the Christmas mood? Last week, I found it.
After hearing all of the hype about this event on social media, hubby and I decided to buy tickets to Kitestring creative branding studio Christmas Spectacular event.
Now, we’ve been to a couple of events run by the Kitestring crew before, and they are a fun, ebullient bunch. We always have a good time and needless to say, we had high hopes for this event.
It didn’t disappoint.
So what made it so great?
In my post-party analysis, I came to the conclusion that this particular event ended up being the perfect blend of what many people are looking for this time of year, namely: 1) fun (including good food and drink) 2) giving back and 3) supporting local business.
First of all, it was held at the beautiful, grand old Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts building on James Street South. I had never been inside this building before (truth be told, I didn’t even know it was there until I spied it while walking to the GO station one day earlier this month).
Once inside, we were greeted with comfort food a-go-go – I’m talking Red Hill coffee bar, candy bar and Cake & Loaf COOKIES AND MILK bar (hubby’s fave). All hopped up on sugar and caffeine, we headed to the Christmas Pageant part of the evening’s event.
Yes, this was not a typical mix and mingle/drinks and hors d’oeuvres holiday party – the centrepiece of the event was a Christmas Pageant in the Conservatory’s theatre.
As the show went on, I mentioned to hubby that it felt like we were at a school Christmas play (in a good way) – we were entertained by local professional performers, young and old, with fabulous voices, dancing skills or musical talents (with one of our faves being blues guitarist Rita Chiarelli).
While we thoroughly enjoyed the pageantry part of the evening, the after party was where the event seemed to truly shine.
The Conservatory houses a fantastic loft space, complete with outdoor, rooftop patio (a little chilly at this time of year, but I got the picture.) A live rockabilly band was playing, party-goers were lined up to taste the alcoholic snowcones and a snack table that took me back to birthday party days (think chips, cupcakes & little sandwiches). Essentially, we were surrounded by food, drink, music and new friends. What more could you ask for from a Christmas party?
To top it all off, the event was for the greater good – each ticket paid for one month of after school arts programming with Culture for Kids in the Arts.
I could go on and on about this event, but you get the jist. If you get the chance next year, make sure you go!
After hearing all of the hype about this event on social media, hubby and I decided to buy tickets to Kitestring creative branding studio Christmas Spectacular event.
Now, we’ve been to a couple of events run by the Kitestring crew before, and they are a fun, ebullient bunch. We always have a good time and needless to say, we had high hopes for this event.
It didn’t disappoint.
So what made it so great?
In my post-party analysis, I came to the conclusion that this particular event ended up being the perfect blend of what many people are looking for this time of year, namely: 1) fun (including good food and drink) 2) giving back and 3) supporting local business.
First of all, it was held at the beautiful, grand old Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts building on James Street South. I had never been inside this building before (truth be told, I didn’t even know it was there until I spied it while walking to the GO station one day earlier this month).
Once inside, we were greeted with comfort food a-go-go – I’m talking Red Hill coffee bar, candy bar and Cake & Loaf COOKIES AND MILK bar (hubby’s fave). All hopped up on sugar and caffeine, we headed to the Christmas Pageant part of the evening’s event.
Yes, this was not a typical mix and mingle/drinks and hors d’oeuvres holiday party – the centrepiece of the event was a Christmas Pageant in the Conservatory’s theatre.
As the show went on, I mentioned to hubby that it felt like we were at a school Christmas play (in a good way) – we were entertained by local professional performers, young and old, with fabulous voices, dancing skills or musical talents (with one of our faves being blues guitarist Rita Chiarelli).
While we thoroughly enjoyed the pageantry part of the evening, the after party was where the event seemed to truly shine.
The Conservatory houses a fantastic loft space, complete with outdoor, rooftop patio (a little chilly at this time of year, but I got the picture.) A live rockabilly band was playing, party-goers were lined up to taste the alcoholic snowcones and a snack table that took me back to birthday party days (think chips, cupcakes & little sandwiches). Essentially, we were surrounded by food, drink, music and new friends. What more could you ask for from a Christmas party?
To top it all off, the event was for the greater good – each ticket paid for one month of after school arts programming with Culture for Kids in the Arts.
I could go on and on about this event, but you get the jist. If you get the chance next year, make sure you go!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Holidays in the Hammer
“Silver Bells, Silver Bells, its Christmastime in the city”
Holidays in the city: for me, this evokes thoughts of lights, shopping, trees and general merriment.
Well, normally, yes. But here we are – it’s our first holiday season in Hamilton, and I need to know what’s going on! I’m floundering a bit with respect to finding all of my usual holiday comforts (and its not just because there’s no snow!)
I’ll chalk it up to being one of the hazards of moving to a new city. Where we used to live, I knew all about 1) the Christmas parade 2) where the best lights were 3) best/most festive/most convenient shopping destinations.
Being a big fan of all the things that come along with this time of year, I’ve been pretty eager to discover what sorts of festive things are on offer in this new city of ours.
So, obviously, I took to the internet.
A quick Google search yielded these suggestions from Tourism Hamilton.
Oops, it appears we missed the tree lighting! But, I did pass by Gore Park the other day, and in addition to the monster Christmas Tree, they’ve got a great little nativity scene set up.
We also checked out one of the lower city's beautiful 100+ year-old churches the other night for a carol service, which did the job of getting us in the Christmas spirit.
More holiday events are listed here.
Part of me realizes it will take a few years to get up to par on all of the seasonal goings-on here in Hamilton. In the days leading up to Dec.25, I’ll be doing my best to find more festive activities. In the meantime, I’d love to hear some of your fave holiday traditions in The Hammer!
Holidays in the city: for me, this evokes thoughts of lights, shopping, trees and general merriment.
Well, normally, yes. But here we are – it’s our first holiday season in Hamilton, and I need to know what’s going on! I’m floundering a bit with respect to finding all of my usual holiday comforts (and its not just because there’s no snow!)
I’ll chalk it up to being one of the hazards of moving to a new city. Where we used to live, I knew all about 1) the Christmas parade 2) where the best lights were 3) best/most festive/most convenient shopping destinations.
Being a big fan of all the things that come along with this time of year, I’ve been pretty eager to discover what sorts of festive things are on offer in this new city of ours.
So, obviously, I took to the internet.
A quick Google search yielded these suggestions from Tourism Hamilton.
Oops, it appears we missed the tree lighting! But, I did pass by Gore Park the other day, and in addition to the monster Christmas Tree, they’ve got a great little nativity scene set up.
We also checked out one of the lower city's beautiful 100+ year-old churches the other night for a carol service, which did the job of getting us in the Christmas spirit.
More holiday events are listed here.
Part of me realizes it will take a few years to get up to par on all of the seasonal goings-on here in Hamilton. In the days leading up to Dec.25, I’ll be doing my best to find more festive activities. In the meantime, I’d love to hear some of your fave holiday traditions in The Hammer!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Hanging out with the Veterans
I have to admit, I didn’t know much about the Legion before we visited our local branch in Toronto a couple of years back.
But when my hubby (who served in the military in his late teens and early 20s) decided that it was something he’d like to join, I was on board. I was curious to find out what this Legion thing was all about.
With initial expectations of it being a social club for older Veterans (which is still partly true, but that’s a whole other issue), and the home of cheap beer (also still pretty true), I was surprised with how our Legion experience turned out.
Sure, initially (before they gave it a facelift last year) it reminded me a lot of my parents’ basement, circa 1985 (aka: a lot of wood panelling), but there was a warm, homey feel - the people at the Legion embraced us right from the get-go, encouraged us to get involved and visit often. That particular Legion branch ended up being a go-to place for socializing on random weekday nights and a must-visit on more ceremonial special occasions (like Remembrance Day or Canada Day). It was a laid-back place for my hubby to chat about military service with older Veterans, play pool or watch sports.
It’s a membership he decided to continue in Hamilton, even though we had been particularly fond of the branch and members in Toronto. This past Remembrance Day, hubby and I headed over to our local Legion branch to commemorate with other Veterans. We’d been there once before when we first moved to Hamilton and were pleasantly surprised by how active this particular branch is.
On Remembrance Day, the Legion was hopping, as we expected it would be. Veterans and other supporters were busy chatting and sharing memories (and yes, there was also Karaoke!). It was wonderful to see the older Veterans with their medals on full display, wearing their finest. Hubby decided that night that this was to be his new Legion branch.
While we are definitely still at the low end of the age range when we visit the Legion, here’s hoping we can start a new trend, with more Vets of my hubby’s era, their families and supporters getting involved as time goes on.
But when my hubby (who served in the military in his late teens and early 20s) decided that it was something he’d like to join, I was on board. I was curious to find out what this Legion thing was all about.
With initial expectations of it being a social club for older Veterans (which is still partly true, but that’s a whole other issue), and the home of cheap beer (also still pretty true), I was surprised with how our Legion experience turned out.
Sure, initially (before they gave it a facelift last year) it reminded me a lot of my parents’ basement, circa 1985 (aka: a lot of wood panelling), but there was a warm, homey feel - the people at the Legion embraced us right from the get-go, encouraged us to get involved and visit often. That particular Legion branch ended up being a go-to place for socializing on random weekday nights and a must-visit on more ceremonial special occasions (like Remembrance Day or Canada Day). It was a laid-back place for my hubby to chat about military service with older Veterans, play pool or watch sports.
It’s a membership he decided to continue in Hamilton, even though we had been particularly fond of the branch and members in Toronto. This past Remembrance Day, hubby and I headed over to our local Legion branch to commemorate with other Veterans. We’d been there once before when we first moved to Hamilton and were pleasantly surprised by how active this particular branch is.
On Remembrance Day, the Legion was hopping, as we expected it would be. Veterans and other supporters were busy chatting and sharing memories (and yes, there was also Karaoke!). It was wonderful to see the older Veterans with their medals on full display, wearing their finest. Hubby decided that night that this was to be his new Legion branch.
While we are definitely still at the low end of the age range when we visit the Legion, here’s hoping we can start a new trend, with more Vets of my hubby’s era, their families and supporters getting involved as time goes on.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Happy trails to us
On a recent weekend, we found ourselves in the midst of a rare warm and sunny day (for this fall anyway!) and decided to head into Westdale to grab a coffee and take the dog for a spin around the neighbourhood.
We, admittedly, aren’t too familiar with the ins and outs of Westdale, apart from King Street West, and vaguely remembered there being some parkland in behind the houses, so we headed due north with our coffees in hand and the puppy in tow.
A block or two up from the coffee shop, we came upon a large field to the right, and a park straight ahead. Then a trail marker caught our eyes.
It was the Royal Botanical Gardens’ “Ravine Road Trail”.
In spite of all of my Hamilton travels, explorations and research, I have to admit I didn’t really know the extent of the RBG's series of trails.
Of course, we had to check it out. So, in we went.
All of a sudden, we were out of Hamilton, and in the middle of a beautiful, forested trail. The leaves were changing colour, people were walking dogs, it was quiet and peaceful and it smelled like fall. It was perfect.
As previously mentioned, we checked out the Rail Trail over the summer, and while we enjoyed it, the RBG trails were beyond our expectations. Where the Rail Trail (at least the part we were in) was largely open to the elements (on that particular day, the sun beating down on us), the trail behind Westdale is shaded, leafy, and in some parts, it seems you can walk for miles without running into a single soul.
The best part is, this trail network is huge – so huge, in fact, that we didn’t know how long it would take us to get back to our starting point if we continued on the trail. (With a young dog, this is a serious consideration. We didn’t want to have to carry her back!) It’s a real pity we didn’t have a map with us, because we ended up turning around just to be safe. Who knows what we missed out on further down the trail!
Needless to say, there is a lot more exploring for us to do here in future.
I love when you’re expecting a certain thing and what you end up getting exceeds all expectations. That was this trail for us. It was so far beyond what we were hoping to find that afternoon, and the dog adored it. It made our Saturday.
We, admittedly, aren’t too familiar with the ins and outs of Westdale, apart from King Street West, and vaguely remembered there being some parkland in behind the houses, so we headed due north with our coffees in hand and the puppy in tow.
A block or two up from the coffee shop, we came upon a large field to the right, and a park straight ahead. Then a trail marker caught our eyes.
It was the Royal Botanical Gardens’ “Ravine Road Trail”.
In spite of all of my Hamilton travels, explorations and research, I have to admit I didn’t really know the extent of the RBG's series of trails.
Of course, we had to check it out. So, in we went.
All of a sudden, we were out of Hamilton, and in the middle of a beautiful, forested trail. The leaves were changing colour, people were walking dogs, it was quiet and peaceful and it smelled like fall. It was perfect.
As previously mentioned, we checked out the Rail Trail over the summer, and while we enjoyed it, the RBG trails were beyond our expectations. Where the Rail Trail (at least the part we were in) was largely open to the elements (on that particular day, the sun beating down on us), the trail behind Westdale is shaded, leafy, and in some parts, it seems you can walk for miles without running into a single soul.
The best part is, this trail network is huge – so huge, in fact, that we didn’t know how long it would take us to get back to our starting point if we continued on the trail. (With a young dog, this is a serious consideration. We didn’t want to have to carry her back!) It’s a real pity we didn’t have a map with us, because we ended up turning around just to be safe. Who knows what we missed out on further down the trail!
Needless to say, there is a lot more exploring for us to do here in future.
I love when you’re expecting a certain thing and what you end up getting exceeds all expectations. That was this trail for us. It was so far beyond what we were hoping to find that afternoon, and the dog adored it. It made our Saturday.
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