A Day at Awenda

My good friend Sean and I decided we needed a day off in late November, and headed off to Awenda Provincial Park to take the Bluff Trail, which was recently listed by Explore magazine as one of the top 10 hikes in Ontario.

Not 5 minutes after we started, we encountered a good-sized doe standing transfixed in the middle of the trail about 30 m away from us. Sean tried to get his camera out, but she bounded off into the woods before he could snap off a shot.

The trail wandered through a mature hardwood forest before following along the Nippissing Ridge, an ancient Georgian Bay shoreline. We took a side trail down to the Beach, which was covered in white frost. We hoped for a glimpse of Giant's Tomb Island, but it was shrouded in mist. After exploring for a few moments, we were about to head back, when the mist suddenly lifted, and the island revealed itself, almost gleaming in the late-morning sun.

After a good climb back up to the ridge, we stopped in a campground for lunch. The trail continued from there through a pine and hemlock forest, before looping back to the parking lot.

We covered aboout 15km for the day. The weather was crisp, but sunny. The two cans of Tuborg in my pack were nice and frosty by lunch time. The climb added a bit of cardio to the day. Tired but refreshed, I took Sean on a brief tour of nearby Penetanguishene before heading home. Sean had to check in at work, then go to his wife's staff Christmas party. I got to go home to the hot tub, and enjoy a nice relaxing evening.

I think I got the better deal - Sean had to work the next day (Saturday), too.