Our Adventure at Limehouse Conservation Area
This week we opted for a late-afternoon forest walk at Limehouse Conservation Area. We packed a picnic dinner and timed it so that we could finish our hike right around supper time, eat dinner and then pack into the car and head straight home to bed (for the littles, at least).
This was a really fun afternoon hike. Limehouse is honestly one of the coolest trail destinations we’ve been to so-far. It doesn’t have the views and vistas that some of the other destinations we’ve been to on the Niagara Escarpment but it had plenty of other fun things in store.
I gotta say the Bruce Trail never disappoints and for this hike we followed a particularly fun section of the Bruce for one half of our loop. At one point we even had to climb down a ladder and scramble through a fissure in the escarpment to continue on the trail (called the “hole in the wall”). And there were plenty of nooks and crannies to explore along the way, so it felt just a little more adventurous and the boys got a real kick out of feeling like little explorers going off the beaten path. If you go to Limehouse and you have it in you to climb and scramble over some rocky bits, I highly recommend taking the Bruce Trail. But there are other trails that require a little less acrobatics if that isn’t your jam.
For the second half of our loop we followed the Black Creek side loop trail, which runs along the beautiful bubbling Black Creek and was actually a really peaceful way to complete our hike, with the soothing sound of the water running alongside us. The kids were also able to run wild a little more on this portion because we didn’t have to worry about cliffs, fissures, or sudden drops, which are common on the Bruce Trail portion.
One of the coolest parts of Limehouse is that while it’s a great nature escape, there are also a few remnants of an old quarry and limeworks hidden at the end of the trails (used to produce/process Lime from the Limestone that makes up the escarpment), so you get a little 19th century heritage fix in the mix too. The kids thought it was pretty cool that they got to “discover” these “really old” structures. Once we reached the end of the trail, we stepped out onto the street just on the other side of the trailhead to check out the Limehouse Memorial Hall, an old Methodist church constructed of Limestone from the region.
There is definitely lots to explore and discover at Limehouse and it makes for a really fun and unique nature experience. A great choice for getting both a little dose of nature and a little dose of local post-settler history.
If you want to follow in our footsteps, check out the marked trail map here.
Stay tuned for our next adventure!
What you need to know to plan you visit!
Trail Destination: Limehouse Conservation Area | Managed by: Credit Valley Conservation Authority
Trail Network Connections: Bruce Trail | Hike Length : 5.5 km - Here is a map of the loop we took
Sun Exposure: You’re covered – these trails are all fully shaded under the tree canopy
Bug-o-meter: Bug free! – There were virtually no mosquitoes on the trails. (We visited in the late afternoon in early September)
Trail Style: Mixed bag – The Bruce Trail is definitely what I’d classify as “Cliffside” where the trail runs alongside steep cliffs or deep fissures in the rock. But the Black Creek Trail was more of a typical “Forest footpath”, a fairly wide trail of packed earth with some spots where you have to watch for rocks or roots.
Wayfinding: Wayfinding at Limehouse is fairly good. The Bruce Trail is always well-marked with the trademark blue blazes. And while the other trails aren’t necessarily marked, it’s fairly easy to find your way if you have a trail map handy since there aren’t too many different trails running through the area or many intersections. That said, it would be nice if the intersections were at least marked to make it easier to find the trail sections you are looking for.
Key Features & Little Surprises: Take the Bruce Trail to scramble through “the Hole in the Wall” and make sure not to miss the old Lime Kiln, ruins from an old stone bridge and/or mill, and an old powder magazine all dating back to the late 19th century.
Parking & Logistics: Access and parking are both free and there are no reservation requirements. So if you visit this spot consider making a donation to the Credit Valley Conservation Foundation to help support their ongoing conservation and heritage preservation efforts.
Driving Time: ~1h
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