Clifftop view of West Duffins Creek
I found a new hiking trail in Pickering
Well, not exactly a new trail. There’s an old wooden sign, barely readable, that says the Seaton Hiking Trail was build in the ’75 and ’76. But it’s new to me. I had to exercise the dog, had to get out for a run, and had to go buy a baby car seat at Sears. Driving to Sears entails a long drive one way or another, so I combined my missions, went to the Sears in Pickering, and checked out the Seaton Hiking Trail.
This trail follows closely along the floodplain of West Duffins Creek, climbing in places to overlook the valley from steep bluffs (and one quite dangerous cliff). There are decent maps of it available here, though I found out about it from reading about the 78 km Seaton Trail Race that’s held here every April. The race website describes it as “a 13 km out and back along Duffins Creek featuring single track trail, water crossings, tuff [sic] long hills, lots of ups and downs, twists and turns and roots and rocks.”
Yes, the hills are tough. And they are sick. Running was rough with much of the forest still frozen over. The ground was a mixture of ankle-deep mud and slick ice, and I wish I’d brought my La Sportivas with the hobnail studs so I could have a proper run instead of slipping and sliding over the ice and muck. Ranger and I got good and yucky and we didn’t even have to pay to enter a race.
From the race description I judge that the route is 13 km one way, 26 km if you do the whole thing out and back. In an hour and a half I made it less than halfway out and back, so there’s lots more to explore when the ground is dryer.
I took some photos from my new Canon PowerShot A590 that I bought for $120 US to replace the considerably more expensive S50 that I dropped on the stone floor at the cottage. So far I think it takes worse pictures than the S50, but at least it’s lighter and easier to carry. It’s nice to have a running camera again (known as “baby camera” by some).
There's a cool train bridge over the creek. Rumble rumble.
Here's the token Ranger shot.
Sundown.
Hi Tim,
Sounds like a trail ready to be explored further once the warm weather finds us this weekend…
I’ve gone out a couple of times on the BT here in Orangeville area -and there are still some icy spots but its almost clear.
Best of luck with completing your adventure – do you have a schedule or timeframe?
Then what?
Happy Trails,
Donald
Thanks Donald. Our baby daughter was born three weeks ago so the time frame has become, shall we say, “open ended.” People have kindly reminded me that the Bruce Trail is not going anywhere.
I have my eye on that other long green line on the map, the Oak Ridges Trail, which is a little closer to home. But one thing at a time.