The pace of the world is fast-moving and sweeps us up into its rhythm. We move in accordance, in an attempt to keep up with balancing the demands of learning, adapting to the pace of the world, and developing — on top of our everyday to-do lists. Collectively, we have come a long way from our roots, which has placed us in a space where it can be difficult to find stillness. How do we slow down? Find your pace: take a hike.
Research shows that hiking is one of the most beneficial activities for your overall health and wellness, as it exercises your heart, mind, and body. Listening to the melodies of nature’s instruments, feeling the raw ground beneath your feet, and submersing yourself into sublime landscapes and views restores our inner peace and reduces external stress. That’s just the power of nature.
You don’t need to go very far to experience this tranquility, there are plenty of trails all around you. Let me tell you about three of my favourite trails in and around Burlington.
Waterdown Trail to Smokey Hollow
This is my all-time favourite local location to lace up my boots for a hike. During this hike, you will find so many connector paths, running waterways, and vibrant views, it makes you feel invigorated and calm at the same time. It is about 10 km in total, and is considered moderately challenging. There are inclines and declines throughout the winding trails and you can get nice and close to the waterfalls. It is a popular location, so it can get quite busy: plan your visit accordingly.
Mount Nemo Conversation Loop
This is another beautiful forested hike with plenty of incline. You climb up a gradual slope to reach the edge of a plateau decorated by rocky terrain. The escarpment welcomes you at the top with a breathtaking view, especially when the sun is saying good morning or good night. It is 8.7 km in total and takes around two hours to complete. To paraphrase Miley Cyrus, it’s not about the view at the top, the joy is in the climb itself.
Photos: (left) detsang from Kingston and (right) Missi from Mississauga, both CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kerncliff Park: Ian Reid Side Trail and Bruce Trail Loop
This is a nice moderate hike full of variety. The thicket and the trees are dense, so it remains mostly shady while you’re under the forest’s canopies. There are parts of the hike that are open fields containing gravel paths and bridges built overtop of swampy areas, which are peppered with pampas grass and cattails. It is 3.5 km in total and takes only an hour for a fast and fun adventure.
Photo: Vlad Litvinov, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Get out there and explore the parts of town less familiar to you. It may even open up parts of yourself that have been overlooked or pushed aside. Getting closer to nature brings us closer to the roots of ourselves, in every degree. The innate and intricate fine details that can be so easily ignored in the default fast pace of every day life will revel in your adventures. Relax, energize, increase your bone density, increase your heart health, and nurture your mind.
To discover more, you can visit websites like:
www.ontarioparks.com
www.alltrails.com
These will guide you to what type of hikes you are looking for and provide reviews from other visitors as well so you can get a better idea of what to expect on your journey.
Happy trails!
Photo: detsang from Kingston CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sources:
Bratman, G.N., Hamilton, J.P., Hahn, K.S., Gross, J.J. 2015. Nature Experience Reduces Rumination and Subgenual Prefrontal Cortex Activation. Psychological and Cognitive Sciences: 112(28): 8567–8572. Url: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1510459112 (accessed April 27, 2022).
Carrell, S. 2018. Scottish GPs to Begin Prescribing Rambling and Birdwatching. The Guardian UK. Url: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/oct/05/scottish-gps-nhs-begin-prescribing-rambling-birdwatching (accessed April 27, 2022).
Mitten, D., Overholt, J.R., Haynes, F.I., D’Amore, C.C., Ady, J.C. 2018. Hiking: A Low-Cost, Accessible Intervention to Promote Health Benefits. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 12(4): 302–310. Url: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6993091/ (accessed April 27, 2022).
