When we reached the 12 Sideroad, we turned right and followed the road for 700 metres before turning left to enter pasture land. We then hiked through a deciduous woodlot and soon arrived at a small piece of history. It started sleeting as we entered the woodlot, but soon stopped. The floor of the forest was covered with new growth.
I think I saw a bobcat.
The Old Mail Road was a pioneer route into this area and was in use from the 1830s until the 1850s. It preceded the grid plan system of roads which was developed after the survey and as the townships were settled. Small parts of it still exist, including a small section of this woodlot - the landowner found 1851 and 1871 census maps which show the Old Mail Road meandering through this property.
We crossed Grey 2 road and hiked westward through a field along a cedar-covered ridge. We then made an abrupt left turn to Metcalfe Rock. At the summit of Metcalfe Rock there was a splendid view across the Mill Creek Valley.
When we got to the Metcalfe Crevice Side Trail, which we decided we would hike it. We descended the escarpment through a rocky gorge 30 m high, where huge slabs of dolostone have broken away to form crevices containing several caves. This side trail is very challenging under normal conditions and it was made even more challenging by the ice and snow still in the crevice.
While in the crevice we got a call from the B&B asking where we were because Mel (our driver) had been waiting for a while. We told them that we were about 10 minutes away from completing the hike.
Mel drove us to the start of the hike where we had parked our car. We then followed him to the Rocklyn Inn, our B&B. After cleaning up we drove into Meaford for dinner at the Leaky Canoe.
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