MAMMA MIA !! our 10km hike from Fira to Oia, Santorini

 

Fira to Oia Hike

Before I start, let me clarify that I quote Mamma Mia as an expression of our experience, not because it was set in Santorini. The movie was set in another island, Skopelos.

Santorini was majestic and beautiful. We got to appreciate its beauty through our 10-km hike, a true challenge to this mamma.

By the time we got to Santorini and the start of our hike from Fira to Oia, we had already clocked in way over a hundred thousand steps over the previous days. We had hiked to the top of the Acropolis, Cynthos, got lost in the streets of Fira and even hiked to the beautiful Heart of Santorini. We were feeling tired. Ok, so now that I’ve got that disclaimer out…it took us 5 hours to complete the average 3 hour hike. Well, we were strolling and taking lots of photos—this was what we kept saying, every time another group of hikers overtook us on the trail.

Fira

Anyway, we were aiming to catch the sunset at Oia and I wanted some time to go around Oia so we started at about noon, at the height of the heat. But as it was so windy, we did not feel sticky nor did we overheat, even if we wore long-sleeved shirts to protect us from the sun. It was the best hike we had ever taken. It was not the most difficult, but it was definitely challenging, with the trail changing from cobbled path to paved roads and then gravel and stone. 

gravel path on Fira to Oia hike

we have to go through that?!

trails at Fira to Oia hike

There was hardly any shade, which was a challenge in the noon-day heat. It was also hard for me to keep my hat on because it was very windy. There was enough signage to make sure you were going in the right direction and the views were just amazing. Anywhere you point your camera, it was just beautiful. Walking through the hotels along the caldera and passing many, many churches on the trail was just something we would not normally have on any hike. We passed by the beautiful towns of Firostefani and Imerovigli.

boutique hotels @Imerogivli

 We skipped (and thankfully we did) the side hike to Skaros Rock which would take us an extra hour (so they say. This would probably take us two, with our pace).

Skaros Rock

We got to Oia at 5pm, tired and not finding any public washrooms. The one we did find was closed. So, we couldn’t drink so much as well. We had planned to have dinner back in Fira (taking the bus back) after watching the sunset. In hindsight, we should have just eaten in one of the pricey restaurants, used the WC and watched the sunset relaxingly. The most popular place to view the sunset was…well… popular. It was so crowded, we really didn’t want to squeeze in. There were a couple of cruise ships that I saw docked so that didn’t help with the crowds. If you had the time or inclination, you can also book a catamaran sunset cruise. And while it was a great experience, we wished we could have enjoyed the destination as much as the journey. Our feet were not happy (nor were our bladders) but all in all, it was an experience I would not trade off. The journey was very memorable and the sunset was gorgeous.

Oia

Sunset @Oia

Sunset @Oia

The Beautiful Montmorency Falls

 

Montmorency Falls

Parc de la Chute-Montmorency is about 12 km from the heart of old Quebec City. The falls are at the mouth of the Montmorency River where it drops and flows into the Saint Lawrence River, just opposite Île d'Orleans. As you cross Pont de l'Île from Île d'Orleans, you can see the majestic falls which are 83 m (272') tall--a full 30m (99') higher than Niagara Falls. It was such a beautiful view that we decided to visit the falls.

We paid for parking for about $21 by the bottom of the falls and that gave us access to the other parking area at the top. We walked along the boardwalk and did about a third of the 487 steps of the panoramic staircase.

Panoramic Staircase at Montmorency Falls

We then took the car to the other parking lot at the top of the falls. There you have the Manoir Montmorency which has a gift shop and a restaurant with amazing views of the falls and the river.

There are several attractions within the park which has its own fees. Folks can take the cable car to the top. The adventurous can do the Via Ferrata which has three routes of hiking/rock climbing that involves traversing the rock wall using metal holds and a steel cable. Or, you can also do the zipline across the falls. The less brave (and the tired ones) have several spots to have a nice picnic.

suspension bridge across the Grand Sault, Montmorency Falls

There are supposed to be three falls, the largest being the Grand Sault. We went across the suspension bridge to see the view of the falls from the top. The power of the falls was just spellbinding. As seen in some lovely paintings from the 1870s, the falls are even lovelier in winter. The refreshing mist from the falls (which was great on the hot summer day we went) freezes in winter, accumulating on the cliffs and at the foot of the falls, where it forms what is known as the “Le pain de sucre” (sugar loaf), a natural ice cone.

All in all, a nice place to spend a few hours.

Winter Hike by Webster Falls

 

Webster Falls in winter

Winter is not my favourite season. I know quite a few people who look forward to winter so they can do their winter sports like skiing and skating. But not me. However, since we are pretty much immersed in cold weather for about 6 months (notwithstanding Wiarton Willie’s spring forecast), the fam just tries to find something that we can do ONLY in winter. Being cooped up at home for months with cabin fever running high, snow has become a welcome sight so we can toboggan down the neighborhood hill.

But sometimes, we need just a little bit more fresh air, more sunshine and more ground to trek. Luckily, we got the chance to do a short winter hike by Webster Falls/Spencer Gorge Conservation.

at the Spencer Gorge conservation

There was a fair amount of paid parking slots in the park, which was great. As you know, ensuring there is sufficient parking has recently become more important to us! The accessible Dobson-McKee lookout, where you have fantastic vistas of the gorge and falls, is also not too far from the parking lot.

The view of the falls from the lookout was just stunning. The 22-metre classical curtain Webster Falls is one of Hamilton’s most iconic waterfalls for a reason. It is beautiful in any season. I saw some beautiful Autumn pics, but we were so glad we got to see its frozen state. It was majestic! Of course, not to the level of the American or Niagara Falls in the winter, but still very much awesome.

The nearby trails were clearly marked and as there was fresh snow, it was not too slippery. Of course, we didn’t stay as long as we would have during kinder weather. But we survived with layers of clothing and good winter boots. My cleats came in handy for some tricky trail spots!

winter hiking

There are also other waterfalls (Tews, Borers, among the 156 waterfalls) and many trails in the area, so it’s well worth the trip. Hamilton is known as the Waterfall capital of the world!

The Great Outdoors: Exploring Ontario parks and conservation areas

Going on a picnic and hiking trails have become weekly activities for our family with this pandemic. As we felt it was safer to be outdoors, this became our new outings. I always knew that there were a lot of Provincial Parks and Conservation Areas in Ontario. But we have never been to so many until this summer. Gone are the days of spontaneous excursions, though. Before each trip, I would go to the Ontario Parks website or any of the other Conservation websites to see what was open and what each location has to offer. The Ontario Parks and Conservation areas guaranteed a few things for us—parking, a picnic spot, activities (hiking, fishing or swimming) and washrooms.

A few blogs back, I have shared why parking has become a main consideration for us. It is not something to be assumed anymore even if you have parked in an actual parking area with signs not indicating what infraction you may be committing. Our trips since then would see us leaving our car parked with peace of mind as we set off to find a picnic spot. Another important thing, especially for Hubby, is access to washrooms. As not all public washrooms are open on the road, we pick destinations where these are available. Of course, the degree of cleanliness is weighed vis a vis the desperation level. The skill of holding one's breath and having masks handy can prove to be essential!

And while the list is extensive and there is so much more to discover, here are some of our favourite provincial parks:

Pinery PP—we love Lake Huron so Pinery PP is the preferred swimming spot for the family. It has separate beach areas for our Traveling Yorkie!

Ferris PP—highlight is the Ranney Gorge and the Suspension Bridge (closed during this pandemic) but can still be seen from the trails

Balsam Lake PP—nice trails with diversity in topography and interesting facts posted along the way; they also have fishing!

Great thing about this is that the trails only get nicer in the fall. So, here’s to more treks in the upcoming season!