Since we loved it there last year, we decided to head up to Happy Valley again for a hiking and walking day. It's nice to go to a bit father nature area than the usual ones near our place in Scarborough/Toronto. Happy Valley is in the Township of King which is a bit north west of Wonderland, up the 400 and then west.
This is a hot summer, so far, but the temps were fine for hiking, especially since about 3/4 of it is in forested paths. The one really nice thing about the Happy Valley trails, with are part of the Oak Ridges Moraine area as well as the Grey Bruce trail system, is that there is a nice variety of forest and open meadow like areas as well as a bit of wet areas. The means that you have a variety of terrain, plants, birds, and creatures that you may see.
There were not many deer flies or mosquitoes, as there have been in the past at certain times of the year (like last year). However, as I soon discovered by walking face first into one, there were quite a few little orb weaver spiders suspended just at or above head level throughout the trails lol! I should have realized as early on, I spotted on really cool one that looked like a living CD, highlighted by the sunlight, suspended between trees.
Lots of mushrooms too! We don't tend to see as many of those in the forested areas near us in the GTA, not that many.
One other creature we don't see often here is toads, nor frogs, and there are quite a few different types of butterflies we only tend to see if we go a bit further north, or into different types of terrain and forested areas than in the GTA. There are quite a few fritillary butterflies and northern pearly eye butterflies up there too that we rarely see down here in our parks.
We did see quite a few yellow finches and a few different warblers. Wrens were everywhere to be heard, but we did not get lucky enough to see one. We also got to see a Mom and baby Wood Ducks in the marsh, as we headed back along the roadway at one point. Too bad they were so far away, but it was still such a cute sight to see! Lots of dragonflies were around too, mainly orange and green ones, but a few red ones, and those black and white winged kind.
Not sure if we ended up in an area that was private property, as there were tons of signs saying so but on every side, on swallow houses, along the path, very hard to figure out if we were or weren't and if we Were then how the hell did we end up in one lol! In any event, we ran across a little bee farm area. I've never seen one before and it was quite fascinating! A bit creepy too though.
This is an area that is really worth checking out. It is a lovely and unique area, part of it was bequeathed to the township by a couple, who wanted the area to be preserved and enjoyed for generations to come. So, treat the land, as all land, with respect, pick up after yourself and leave no sign that you were there :-)
This is a hot summer, so far, but the temps were fine for hiking, especially since about 3/4 of it is in forested paths. The one really nice thing about the Happy Valley trails, with are part of the Oak Ridges Moraine area as well as the Grey Bruce trail system, is that there is a nice variety of forest and open meadow like areas as well as a bit of wet areas. The means that you have a variety of terrain, plants, birds, and creatures that you may see.
There were not many deer flies or mosquitoes, as there have been in the past at certain times of the year (like last year). However, as I soon discovered by walking face first into one, there were quite a few little orb weaver spiders suspended just at or above head level throughout the trails lol! I should have realized as early on, I spotted on really cool one that looked like a living CD, highlighted by the sunlight, suspended between trees.Lots of mushrooms too! We don't tend to see as many of those in the forested areas near us in the GTA, not that many.
One other creature we don't see often here is toads, nor frogs, and there are quite a few different types of butterflies we only tend to see if we go a bit further north, or into different types of terrain and forested areas than in the GTA. There are quite a few fritillary butterflies and northern pearly eye butterflies up there too that we rarely see down here in our parks.
We did see quite a few yellow finches and a few different warblers. Wrens were everywhere to be heard, but we did not get lucky enough to see one. We also got to see a Mom and baby Wood Ducks in the marsh, as we headed back along the roadway at one point. Too bad they were so far away, but it was still such a cute sight to see! Lots of dragonflies were around too, mainly orange and green ones, but a few red ones, and those black and white winged kind.
Not sure if we ended up in an area that was private property, as there were tons of signs saying so but on every side, on swallow houses, along the path, very hard to figure out if we were or weren't and if we Were then how the hell did we end up in one lol! In any event, we ran across a little bee farm area. I've never seen one before and it was quite fascinating! A bit creepy too though.
This is an area that is really worth checking out. It is a lovely and unique area, part of it was bequeathed to the township by a couple, who wanted the area to be preserved and enjoyed for generations to come. So, treat the land, as all land, with respect, pick up after yourself and leave no sign that you were there :-)
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