Dundas, ON
Making use of my Hamilton Conservation Area (HCA) pass, Goutam, Rita and I paid a visit to Spencer Gorge Conservation Area, home to two waterfalls and the viewpoint that is Dundas Peak. The guidance is to visit the smaller, and perhaps less impressive, Tews Falls first. However, this waterfall is not to be overlooked (metaphorically only). Just 10m less than the famous Horseshoe Falls, it is the second tallest waterfall in the Niagara Escarpment.
We parked at the Tews Falls car park, off Harvest Road. The Falls are not too far from the car park, so we were rewarded with the views pretty instantly. Then we took the snowy path up towards Dundas Peak. Due to Covid there is currently a one-way system in place along the looped trail; it wasn’t too busy when we went anyway. HCA have recently installed black railings at the viewpoints for safety so you may not be able to recreate some of the photos you see on the gram. They did not disrupt the views across Hamilton towards Lake Ontario so it was worth the climb. The hike was 3.5km in total.
To get to the Webster Falls hike, you need to drive 5 minutes down the road. There used to be a connecting trail but it passed through private property and access was revoked by the landowners due to inconsiderate users. We tried to park at Greenville Optimist Park as indicated online, but perhaps the gates only open for glass-half-full visitors as they were locked with a sign saying “closed for the season” on them. Fortunately, Bullocks Corners Park was nearby with free parking. We later discovered from the trail that there is another official car park off Fallsview Road. I’m not sure why it isn’t publicised on the HCA website.
The hike itself is pretty short (2.5km) but definitely worth the journey. I particularly loved the cobblestone bridge which made for some lovely photos. The water flow was noticeably greater than Tews and we stood for a while taking in the view.
Checking out Webster Falls
To finish up the day, we hit up Shawn & Ed Brewing Co. Although they advertised as dog-friendly and had plenty of pup pics on their social media, Rita wasn’t allowed in! From what I understand, dogs are only allowed inside when the kitchen is closed. They are also welcome on the patio, but this is not open in the winter. I suggest you ring before visiting! Nevertheless, Rita was content to sleep in the car while we tried it out.
The brewery’s flagship food offering is “beer pies”, akin to pizza but with their brew LagerSHED as one of the ingredients. Goutam went for the Original, and I went for one of the vegetarian options, the Light. I was pleasantly surprised! The experience was made all the more enjoyable by the cool surroundings – the restaurant was a spacious shed (the building previously housed an ice rink) and we were sitting right next to a vintage pickup truck decorated with fairy lights. There was also a stage for live music which would really have completed the mellow atmosphere.
