Townsman, 1991-09, Page 18he Maitland Trail is a
trail operated by the
Maitland Trail Associa-
tion and follows the meandering val-
ley of the Maitland River from
Godcrich to Auburn, dipping south
almost to Holmesville.
The Association was formed in
1975 to organize and layout the trail
and encourages hiking, cross-country
skiing and snowshoeing along the
trail. There are six sections to the trail:
the General, near Lake Huron; Col-
borne Riverside Park; River Bank
Rock Formations; Falls Conservation
Area; Little Lakes; Ball's Historic
Bridge and Robertson Tract at
Auburn.
Any of these sections provides an
opportunity for plenty of fall beauty
but for many people in the Godcrich-
Bcnmiller area, a favourite fall attrac-
tion is the Little Lakes district,
northeast of Bcnmillcr. This section of
the trail follows the concession road
so it's open to both hikers and drivers.
You can start at the east at historic
Ball's Bridge which now sees little
traffic since a modern bridge and new
road were built to the south. The
bridge has been saved for now
because the old iron structure is
becoming very rare and with its view
of the broad Maitland, has become a
favourite for sightseers, artists and
fishermen.
The road heads up a small hill and
through fields and hardwood bush
until it comes to a series of little lakes
that line both sides of the road, the
hardwoods on the hills reflected in
thcir still waters. This is the Little
Lakes.
This whole section of the trail is
accessible to either walkers or drivers.
For those who would like to stretch
their legs a little more, however, they
can follow the trail north through the
Robertson Tract to Auburn.The trail
follows the "Blind Line" from the
north edge of the Little Lakes, up the
hill to the east and then into the
Robertson Tract, a vast reforested
arca. There is a great mixture of hard-
wood and pine stands in this area. The
trail mostly follows the north river
bank and fire -lines which were cut
through the forest. The trail comes out
at the bridge at Auburn.
For more information on the Mait-
land Trail write to: The Maitland Trail
Association, P.O. Box 443, Goderich.
N7A 4C7.
aitland Valley Conserva-
tion Authority offers
several conservation
areas that can provide scenic splen-
dour in the Fall. Those near Listowel
may want to visit the maple bush at
Maple Keys Sugar Bush in Grey
township. This facility, off Huron Cty.
Rd. 19 between Molesworth and Ethel
(watch for the signs) is best known as
location of the Authority's maple
syrup making exhibitions and its
Maple Madness festival each spring
but it also offers quiet trails through
the sugar bush bright with colour this
time of the year.
Goderich and Bayfield residents
might want to visit Naftel's Creek
Conservation Area, seven km south of
Goderich on Highway 21 where hard-
wood forest and evergreen plantations
host wildlife like raccoons, squirrels,
rabbits and a variety of song birds.
But the site that the Authority
chose for several years to hold its
colour tour is the Wawanosh Valley
Conservation Area in East Wawanosh
on Nature Centre Road which leads
off Highway 4, just south of Belgrave.
This conservation area is home of the
Wawanosh Nature Centre where
school children can learn more about
their natural surroundings.
The park, about five miles west of
Hwy. 4, has a large parking lot by the
converted barn and portable class-
room that serve as home to the Nature
16 TOWNSMAN/SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1991
Centre. These buildings sit on a low
hill that looks down on the Belgrave
Creek just behind the barn.
There are a number of trails that
can take you through the property.
One leads down the lane, across the
stream and into an open field area that
the Authority has been planting with
various varieties of bushes to provide
feed and shelter for wildlife.
From this open area, trails lead off
to the left into the bush. The first of
these will take you up over a hill,
through a hardwood bush and down
into the heart of the forest. The trail
leads down to the edge of the Mait-
land River. Here, in both Fall and
Spring, you may be lucky enough to
witness the migration of salmon
upstream from Lake Huron. Some
branch off the main river into Bel -
grave Creek.
The trail leads along the side of the
Maitland through a lowland arca dark
with large cedar trees. The path even-
tually curves back away from the
riverside. The trail crosses a board-
walk and several small bridges to help
you keep your feet dry in the swampy
conditions. Ferns grow profusely. Fur-
ther along the path branches into dif-
ferent trails, each marked by coloured
symbols. One of these leads, off to the
left, through a mature pine plantation
and on up the hill into hardwood for-
est. The other path also leads through
hardwood forest and back out to the
main country lane through the old
pasture area. When you exit from
either trail onto the lane, you turn
right and head back toward the Nature
Centre and parking lot.
This conservation area is populated
by deer, grouse, squirrels, raccoons,
song birds and herons and is host to
many species during migration times.
For more information on any of the
conservation areas contact Maitland
Valley Conservation Authority, Box
127, Wroxeter, NOG 2X0 or call 335-
3557.
THE GARDEN STORE
For all your gardening needs.
• British Tools • Seeds
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Bayfleld 565-5494
located beside Sugar &
Spice