The waterfalls of Dundas

Who does not love the hypnotic flow of a small waterfall, its graceful curves, its calming sound? I was reminded of that peaceful feeling on a sunny Sunday afternoon in February, walking on a section of the Bruce Trail near Smokey Hollow Fall in the town of Waterdown less than an hour East of Toronto. It is particularly impressive in winter, the only movement in the otherwise dormant nature.

From the Queen Elizabeth Way going East, take the exit at Waterdown Road and turn right; a few kilometers uphill on the winding road, there is a parking lot on the left, just before the tracks. The waterfall can be observed from a platform above it. A short trail leads to Grindstone Creek and to the bottom of the fall. Wear appropriate boots if you’re going in winter; you’ll be walking in narrow trail along the rocky walls of the escarpment.

There are several falls along the Niagara escarpment

In this part of the Greater Hamilton area, the Niagara escarpment dominates the landscape and several more falls and trails are easily accessible. From Smokey Hollow, drive north towards Waterdown and turn left on Highway 5. Drive several kilometers to Brock Road, turn left and drive to Harvest Road and turn left again. You will easily find Webster Falls, one of the most stunning waterfalls of the Escarpment. Webster Falls  can be admired from a park above it or by standing directly next to it. From the park, there is a also spectacular view of the cliff with Lake Ontario in the distance. It is a perfect setting for a picnic.

Within a short 2 minute drive from Webster Falls, Tew’s Falls is as impressive because of its dramatic 41 meter drop. From the observation deck, it is well worth going for a trek along the edge of the escarpement until you reach Dundas Peak, a scenic overlook of the town and the entire area.

Be aware that those falls are very popular in the summer so I highly recommend visiting them during the week or in the fall, winter or spring as the parking lots fill up pretty quickly. If you can walk to Tew’s Falls, it might be a good idea to leave your car at Webster’s Falls; the parking lot at Tew’s Falls is very small and often full.

The beautiful town of Dundas is a great place to visit

The beautiful downtown of Dundas is at the bottom of the escarpment, only a few minutes drive downhill on Brock. It is itself a very pretty town with stunningly well preserved 19th Century architecture, both commercial and residential. Several historic buildings are the home of interesting restaurants and shops. Accessible from Cross Street, Dundas Driving Park offers a nice view of the escarpment from below.

From downtown Dundas, discover one of the most picturesque road in this part of Ontario. From King Street downtown, take Ogilvie Street; it turns into Old Ancaster Road. Follow this beautiful winding road that travels through a valley all the way to the historic town of Ancaster. On your left, notice the beautiful Ancaster Mill and the waterfall next to it, artificially created by its dam as you drive towards Wilson street. Unfortunately, it is a private property, only accessible if you plan to eat at the restaurant or go to a wedding at the church behind it.

Turn left on Wilson and drive a few hundred meters to Tiffany Falls, accessible from the parking lot on your right. Within a few hundred meters, you’ll be at the bottom of yet another beautiful waterfall. In the winter, this waterfall is used by ice climbers, quite a challenge considering it is 21 meter high.

I would like to point out that the Dundas Valley Conservation Area, accessible from Governors Road and Sulphur Springs Road in Dundas, offers beautiful trails for walking and biking. I visited the Dundas Main Loop trail in the middle of May where I admired carpets of forget-me-nots and an abundance of trilliums along the trail. For the gardener in me, this was quite a treat.

The best selection of restaurants is in downtown Hamilton

Whenever you want to take a break for lunch during your visit to any of the falls, you are never far away from downtown Hamilton. Locke Street South is the trendy area and offers an interesting selection of restaurants, from soup and sandwich places to more complete meals. It is well worth the detour.

Locke Street South is easily accessible from Tiffany Falls in Ancaster. Go West on Wilson Street East, turn left on Mohawk Road and drive to highway 403, then towards downtown Hamilton all the way to Locke Street South. The turn right and you’ll probably find a parking spot on the adjacent streets.

Enjoy your trip.

Postcards Ontario