- HikeType Car Hike
- HikeIcon https://hikes.brucetrail.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/7/marker_car-hikes.png
- PaceTypes Moderate (3-4 km/hr)
- TerrainTypes ,Flat,Level 1 (Easy - mostly on flat, well maintained trails with hard-packed surface),Level 2 (Intermediate - some hills and uneven surfaces, rocks and roots underfoot)
- PaidOuting No
Registration Required:
Click here to register for this hike (10 spots remaining)
Hosting Club: Toronto
Category: Car Hike
Location (Google Maps): Coordinates: 42.829197, -80.298343
Parking and departure: Meet for a 9:30 am departure from Simcoe Memorial Park parking lot, 273 Owen St. Simcoe, ON, N3Y 2V3 Norfolk County. (Simcoe ON Hwy 24 south)
If you want the shorter hike of 15 km arrive at 8:50 am to do a car shuttle to drop off your car and return to the start.
Hike Leader(s): Jeanette Vincent Click here to contact Hike Leader(s)
Pace: Moderate (3-4 km/hr)
Terrain: Flat, Level 1 (Easy - mostly on flat, well maintained trails with hard-packed surface), Level 2 (Intermediate - some hills and uneven surfaces, rocks and roots underfoot)
Distance (km): 15km or 24km
Description
🇨🇦 HISTORIC HIKE - LYNN VALLEY TRAIL - SIMCOE TO PORT DOVER - 15 KM OR 24 KM
About the historic hike: The rail trail in Carolinian Canada is one of Canada's best, following the Lynn River to Lake Erie, We will hike the trail to Dover approximately 3 1/2 - 4 km per hour, flat easy terrain. The Historic talk by Bob Rennie will begin at noon once we are at the parking lot on Prospect St. in Dover and we will hike for an hour throughout the town approximately 3 km hearing Dover's history. Lunch stop will be approximately at 1pm, you can purchase your "fish" lunch at a local restaurant or bring your lunch and sit on benches at the lighthouse pier and enjoy the view. After lunch those of us hiking back to Simcoe will continue on with the hike and those with their cars on Prospect St. can enjoy the ambience of Dover a little longer.
Originally part of the Grand Trunk Railway line, the rail line was still very much operational when Bob lived there (until his 20s). It became the former CNR rail line which was established along the pioneer river trail in 1873 as the Lake Huron and Port Dover Railway. The rail line was abandoned in 1988.
Bob, guest of this hike, will share Dover's early "discovery" by French priests in 1669 previously inhabited by Algonquins and Neutrals. - Dover's founding by his ancestor and early development of Dover Mills. - War of 1812 Brock's attack on Detroit out of Dover, and the burning/redevelopment as Port Dover. - Rum running days in the prohibition era. - The importance of the largest fresh water fishing fleet in the world.