Dates: Sept. 10 – 11, 2025
Locations: Barrow Bay > McIver > Dodds Hill
Distance hiked: 86 km
The mornings are damp and the days are humid. Already after Day 3 I realized the theme that would continue throughout this entire hike would be the wet. My clothes would never dry and my skin would be constantly sticky with sweat and humidity. It was somewhat discouraging and slightly gross.
Beyond Barrow Bay is Rush Cove – a beautiful stretch of trail with smooth rocks, crystal clear waters and a mix of meadows. Parts of the trail also reminded me of the west coast with lush ferns and mosses and the abundance of stairs that take you up and down the cliff edge.
On the morning of Day 4, I almost got quilled by a porcupine. In the quiet hours of the morning I was speeding along when all of a sudden there was a porcupine at the base of a tree I was about to pass. We both surprised each other. I slowly backed away giving the porcupine enough space to scuttle down the trail and climb up a tree.
Later that day, I walked through Wiarton. Although I’d only been in the woods for 4 days, it felt weird coming into a town with people and cars. I already feel like an outlier with my dirty clothes and smelling like an old, used hockey bag.
Water has been very scarce on the trail. It’s grandly ironic because you can see the abundance of water in the Bay all around, but it’s untouchable for the most part with the trail being high up on the escarpment where it’s bone dry. Nature has a cruel sense of humor sometimes. In desperate need of water, I would pluck fresh apples from passing apple trees in attempt to stay somewhat hydrated. Some of those wild apples were delicious. I was thoroughly relieved when the trail came out onto a road where I had the chance encounter of meeting two lovely locals who took me back to their house and provided me with water and provisions. I was beyond grateful.
