For this year’s Summer School Brotherhood adventure, Rob, George, and I travelled to Manitoulin Island for four days of hiking. This island does not have any multi-day backpacking trails but does boast some pretty impressive day hikes.
We pitched our tents for two nights at the Meldrum Bay Marina and Campground, windy spit of land on the water. Bugs were never an issue.
From our new home base we explored Nimkee’s Hiking Trail on the Sheshegwaning 20 Reserve. This 10 km trail reminded me of the last 100 km of the Bruce Trail from Wiarton to Tobermory. It had Majestic cliffs, turquoise waters, limestone cobble beaches, and long forgotten pastures slowing filling in with poplar trees. We ate lunch at the Cape Robert Lighthouse, a great spot to hunt for fossils.
The next day we drove to Misery Bay Provincial Park to walk the 8 km Coastal Alvar trail. Misery Bay is the only provincial park on Manitoulin Island. It protects a dense forest and unique alvar landscape, full of birds. We passed only one weathered old fisherman’s cottage on the lonely shore.
Kathryn
Kathryn, a retiree to Manitoulin Island, is a volunteer at the Misery Bay Visitors Centre. She worked with troubled youth in Midland, ON, through Kinark. She moved to Holland for a time, then returned to Ontario and worked as an Educational Assistant and a bus driver. Her working career ended as a receptionist at an emergency veterinary clinic. Now she hikes and birds when not volunteering at Misery Bay.
George
George, Rob, and I hiked the Coastal Alvar Trail. Being early July, the mosquitos were noticeable in the damp dense forested sections. They didn’t stand a chance, however, on the wide open limestone shore. These trips have served over the years as a way to jump start summer. There’s nothing like some wilderness adventure to clear a teacher’s head after a long school year.