Waterfalls, the escarpment and parks.

Conscious that our time is limited we set out to do some more waterfalls and parks in the Hamilton region. We set off early knowing that the weather forecast was for temperatures around 34C in the afternoon with the humidity making it feel like 38C. Those who know me well know what I am like when it's too hot. Suffice to say, it doesn't make for a pretty picture!

We limited ourselves to two waterfalls. Felker's Falls was relatively easy to find as we just had to journey a bit farther on than the Devil's Punchbowl where we had started the first day we went falls hunting. Having checked out the map in Felker's Falls Conservation Area (obviously not carefully enough) we proceeded down a paved pathway on which people were getting their morning walk starting off in a nice wooded area that offered welcome shade from the very hot sun.

 We continued walking for a half hour and there was no sound of a waterfall. Finally we met a nice man who pointed us in the right direction - right back to where we had started! Not to worry, we got our hour's walk and got to hear and see the Felker's Falls albeit through the lush leaves!

Felker's Falls is classified as a ribbon waterfall, falling 72 feet and 20 feet in breadth. There is a year round flow of water. The area in which it falls is similar to the Devil's Punchbowl and the roadway is just above it. It wouldn't do if you crashed into the barrier because you would have some (final) fall!

We walked along at the edge of the escarpment and noted how easily you could fall to a painful death, particularly as there seems to be quite a bit of vandalism with barriers having been pulled out and thrown down.

As we rounded the corner to here, it could easily have been Fionnuala Falls as I made my way short-sightedly to lean on the upper barrier to get the view. At the last minute, fortunately enough, I noticed that there the barrier was - gone!

After our final view of Felker's Falls we headed for Albion Falls which is not far from where we were. However, coffee called and we decided to do some quality control at the Devil's Punchbowl Country Market which we had discovered the last day. The baked delights passed and so did the coffee so we were on our way again. But  the waterfalls are not very well signposted, nor are the conservation areas - I think this is something Hamilton could improve as we are not all locals and tourists often want to explore widely and see more than Niagara Falls. So, it took us quite a while to find our way there. There was much searching of maps, reading of directions in the literature, inputting of addresses and streets and conservation areas and waterfalls in Nuvi (GPS) with Nuvi being unable to find said streets,then making do with streets near our destination. At the same time dehydration had to be avoided so much opening of water bottle for Jim and for me, meanwhile balancing maps, books and Nuvi. Then there were more complications as Jim would argue with Nuvi saying he knew better and so turning left or going straight ahead when Nuvi said right. This led to much chanting of "recalculating" by Nuvi resulting in Fionnuala striking her dumb (in order not to strike Jim who was really the cause of this!). Finally Nuvi discovered that she knew the way to Mountain Brow Boulevard and was allowed to speak again. Jim continued to do a little arguing with her but the number of octupus-like tasks I had to perform decreased and I told Jim that I would put my faith in Nuvi and that he should too! He did with a bit of bad grace and - we found Mountain Brow Boulevard and what a find it is! From there there is the most fantastic view of the lower city right out to Lake Ontario. It feels like being on top of the world!

View from near Armes Viewpoint but the photo does not do it justice. From here we also saw one of the sets of steps that connect the city of Hamilton with the escarpment. This one (forgot to take a photo as I only descended a few and then felt dizzy!), I think, are called Uli's steps, built by a man named Uli who was 72 in 2005. He built his steps over a 2 year period for free. There are 305 steps!

And then we found Albion Falls and I was really glad we did!

Can you imagine what this would be like in autumn!

It's possible to get down to the bottom of the falls - as you can see there were people already there - but the trail there is said to be quite difficult so we didn't risk it. Again, we were disappointed by the amount of litter in the area. There were even 2 bottles that had been thrown down and were on the ledge of the Falls

Albion Falls is classified as cascade or classical waterfall. It is 62 feet in height and 59 feet in breadth so it is as broad as it is long - a bit like me and it is possible to call me a cascade too! Rocks from here were used in The Royal Botanical Gardens' Rock Garden. The ravine into which the falls fall has a sad legend. In the early 19th century, young Jane Reilly, disappointed in love with Joseph Rousseau jumped from a cliff not far from the falls. The drop has since been dubbed "Lovers' Leap".

Our information about Hamilton said that there was a great view of the city from Sam Lawrence Park so we headed off there. Sam Lawrence Park is situated on the Mountain Brow (locals call the escarpment the Mountain) and has a panoramic view of Hamilton, the harbour and beyond. It is a terraced park with a rock garden. nice flower beds and nice shaded walkways which we appreciated given the heat.

4 views over the city and out to Lake Ontario.

We could have read about the rock that forms the escarpment but the sign had been removed.

These look a bit like redcurrants but they seemed to grow on a tree. We also have come across what looked like blackberries also growing on trees. We were afraid to taste in case!

One of the flower beds.

It's a nice park!

Last stop was Fifty Point Conservation Area which, according to the literature, has one of the warmest and cleanest beaches on the lake (even the coldest would have been warm today!) and provides fabulous lakefront scenes from a promenade that is nicely shaded.

In Canada Goose formation!

It also has a marina and a restaurant called "The Landing" where we had a rather late lunch.

While we waited for our food we were entertained by several families of swallows that had nested in the covered outdoor area of the restaurant.

One swallow doesn't make a summer! It must have been the fact that there were so many that we had such a hot summer's day! In fact the swallows got 'a little hot under the collar' when Jim started to take the photos and it looked like they were about to attack him as they flew furiously around him! (The English teacher in me is having difficulty with the 3 exclamations in a row so I won't put another one after this - but it is tempting - there I go again.)

Hungry scaldies!

Keeping the eggs warm - how warm do they need to be?

Food at last - a bit like we felt when we arrived!

Only one more day to go and I realise that I have grown, from not knowing or understanding what the escarpment was, to loving it and seeing it as somehow protective.

A view of the escarpment as we drive along Christie St. It must look fantastic in Autumn!

The escarpment from the front of 32 Pleasant Grove Terrace, our base for this wonderful holiday in the Niagara Region. Thank you Rick and Eva!