Out & About #1016 | Silver Creek Conservation Area + Downey's Farm Market

What started as an outing for fruit picking somehow evolved into a hike. The original order of the events had lay with a raspberry patch visit followed by a casual trek about a nearby green space. Alas, user reviews of our chosen walking area had informed of trails becoming busy after 11 AM, risking availability of parking. This data informed an earlier departure, along with an agenda where the Silver Creek Conservation Area would precede Downey's.

Despite having anticipated a casual trek through a supposedly residential area, my conservative choice of attire would enable trickier routes as well. My trusty camera bag would be summoned for the trip, though this time devoid of my usual DSLR. The camera compartment would be removed to enable transport of prepared food for eating during the hike.

​Our first stop of the day was, of course, a washroom stop. Featured in Georgetown's McDonald's was an old-fashioned play area and Despicable Me 4 Happy Meal toys on display.

​We then navigated towards Silver Creek. Prior research had confirmed free admission to the conservation area in addition to free parking. Distributed between four areas, complimentary vehicular spaces could be found along the connecting gravel roadways within the conservation area boundaries as well as in designated asphalt lots.

Pulling into the area around noon, the area did not appear horribly busy, as we had feared. That said, we had opted for a side street about one third into Bruce Trail, rather than commencing at the trailhead.​

​For the first time, it mattered minimally that we had skipped the trailhead. There were maps positioned at every crossover point, inclusive of legends to assist in wayfinding.

The conservation area comprised of twenty stations, all clearly marked on pillars throughout the trail and identified on the map using numbers. These numbered stations would aid hikers in planning their route and finding their way through the main (coloured) trails or side/link trails.

Source: Credit Valley Conservation, 2024

​Signage was also abundant and offered exceptional clarity using tree markings to show the direction of the trail. One vertical bar would denote that the trail continued forward. Additional vertical bar(s) would be positioned diagonally above the vertical bar to denote the direction of the trail: left, right, or both, showing a fork.

​In review of the map, my ever-ambitious browsing partner suggested traversing the longest loop possible. I was skeptical that we'd be able to finish the proposed route, for the legend on the side of the map indicated estimated travel times that exceeded our allotted period before fruit picking.

Starting from Station 12, I suggested navigating to 9, 8, 7, 6, and determine our next course of action upon reaching the parking area at Fallbrook Trail.

From the get-go, it was learned that Silver Creek was not the walk in the park both of us had envisioned. Thankfully, we were adequately equipped for the surprise and physical challenge.
Bruce Trail instantly emerged as being very rocky and steep. Hiking boots were deemed crucial: Proper gear/footwear would be essential in preventing one from rolling his or her ankle - especially if you have weak ankles like myself.

​The trail featured steep, uphill paths with plenty of rocks and sodden soil. Boardwalks and man-made stairs would be present throughout, as would tiny, flying pests. Bug spray is strongly advised. In my haste, I had forgotten the bottle and later emerged with 6 bites along the length of my right arm and one bulging bump on my chin. These spots became horrifically swollen and itchy before subsiding some four days after. My browsing partner also acquired a few on the hands, though saw them dissipate as quickly as they were obtained.

​The varied landscapes made for a splendid, but undoubtedly challenging hike. This portion of Bruce Trail boasted greater elevation differences than the usual Ontario hike, making the undertaking more suitable for intermediate/advanced hikers. Stairmaster practice would likely assist with the climb, while conditioning would strengthen knees during the descent.

View the full album HERE !

​Several photo stops were made while traversing between Stations 12, 9, and 8, causing us to reach Station 7 much later than expected. We resolved to continue towards the second parking area at Fallbrook Trail via Bruce Trail, then route back afterwards on the Fallbrook Farm Trail, shown in pink.

​Just one bench was spotted between Stations 7 and 5. There were otherwise no other defined areas of respite.

North of Fallbrook Trail, the section featured paths that were less steep - save the mosquito-infested climb to the lookout point - and a decrease in shrubbery. The reduction in tall trees equated to a reduction in shade, making for a sweatier, stickier climb.

​Considering our progress thus far, we agreed to continue until the lookout point just beyond Station 4.

Truthfully, the hike towards the clearing was more interesting than the lookout itself, which merely boasted views of tree branches against a sunny, blue sky.

I'd suggest quickly routing along the Irwin Quarry Side Trail, shown in orange on the map.

​This portion was an interesting mix of trail conditions: slick rocks, muddy/mossy patches, and stout shrubbery. We observed a frog camouflaging amongst the leaves, seemingly unbothered even as we inched closer.

​Besides being extremely well-marked with stations and signage, I also found the trail to be decently clean. The typical sightings of abandoned trash along the edges were nowhere to be seen. The only observation were two half-empty Tim Hortons cups residing on one of the trail markers.

Around the 2:30 PM mark, when we retraced our steps to find the beautiful, quaint creek scenery between Stations 8 and 9, I proposed stopping for a late lunch.

​Perching ourselves on a sturdy log, with our feet supported by rocks embedded in the creek, I retrieved our packed meals and water bottles. The meal would be consumed with an unobstructed view of creek waters rushing over stones.
Admittedly, the pairing of Chinese food and hiking was a tad strange. It was in this moment that I considered sandwiches more fitting of the environment.

​Our entire trip took three hours to complete, inclusive of the late lunch stop. By this point, our ability to meet last call for raspberry picking was waning. Silver Creek Conservation Area had proved quite enjoyable - and not horribly hot either! - thus resulting in a longer stay than anticipated.

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I requested a stopover for indoor plumbing services, earning myself looks of disdain and annoyance from my browsing partner. "Why not go in the woods?"
"There is nowhere to sit." I argued.
"You can lean against a tree."
"And get eaten alive by mosquitoes?!" I exclaimed with disgust. "I just can't."
"Seems inflexible to be unable to go wherever."

I couldn't disagree more, for certain prerequisites were required for bathroom usage. Any squatting toilets in Asia would have rendered the same result.

We attempted to route to Tim Hortons for a bathroom, but then hit tragic amounts of congestion due to traffic signal outages in Brampton. Needless to say, the Tim Hortons location itself was also shuttered due to the power outage. My browsing partner continued griping the entire way, noting that we'd be unable to meet the 3:30 PM last call at this rate. Frankly, I was more concerned about my health than a few berries.

​Eventually, we settled on heading directly towards Downey's instead of testing our luck with another public washroom in the vicinity. The main gravel lot was noticeably quieter than pumpkin patch season, and the second lot hadn't even been opened for use (no overflow volumes). We were able to secure a decently close spot with ease, then gradually made our way to farm area.

​The raspberry patch would close at 4 PM. Having arrived at 3:59 PM, many visitors were spotted exiting the field, half-filled, white baskets in tow. Admissions had indeed closed at 3:30 PM, with the on-site staff member notifying us to return another day for pick-your-own adventures. The Farm Market, as she noted, operated independently from the raspberry patch, thus it was impossible to confirm whether raspberries would be available for sale in the retail section.

Nearby the picking area was a petting zone. Visitors could interact with sheep, cows, and other farm animals without relinquishing an admission fee. For hygiene purposes, a handwashing station would be positioned nearby. This would serve not only post-farm animal engagements, but also provide relief for the port-a-potties on site. In place of proper stalls fitted with sinks and indoor plumbing, Downey's provided four stalls between the handwashing station and petting zone. One of these stalls was accessible, thus more spacious than the rest.

​Subject to the pressure of my browsing partner, I entered into the accessible one. Although fairly clean, equipped with hand sanitizer, and nowhere near as smelly as the Celebration Square Ribfest stall I had attempted many years ago, I could not go.

On the other side of the farm, delineated from the fruit picking section with fences, was a children's play area which required time slot bookings and general admission fee.

​Without much else of interest, I led the way into the farm market. Long gone were the COVID queues for Pumpkin Donuts and entry into the indoor space. The wooden building would feature produce near the entryway and a refrigerated section for cider/juices, frozen berries, and pies along the back wall. Navigating further within, we'd lay eyes on shelves of jams, preserves, and honey, gaudy-looking merchandise such as patterned tea towels and vintage trinkets, and a bakery section featuring everything from lemon squares to cheddar and chive scones.

​The produce on offer was found in exceptionally poor condition: depressing, nearly rotting, and of a scanty selection. Instead of investing in subpar quality at staggering prices, I resolved to commemorate the visit with Downey's branded Hard Apple Cider instead. One of each variety was procured: Apple, Apple with Blackcurrant, and Apple Strawberry. A $5.99 magnet would also be obtained.
My browsing partner would take to a 2L bottle of Downey's branded Strawberry Apple Cider. Adjacent was the Wellesley edition, a concoction I had strongly opposed based on previous experience at Dixie Orchards.

​Both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic variations were quite tasty. The Strawberry Apple Cider harnessed the best of both ̶w̶o̶r̶l̶d̶s̶  fruits, ultimately emerging like a fresher rendition of fruit punch. Meanwhile, the Hard Apple Ciders treaded the border between cider and wine, boasting a delightfully invigorating profile with minimal sweetness. Carbonation levels were present but not excessive, just in the way that I prefer.

​Our final stop of the day would be the Real Canadian Superstore.

​Unwilling to return home empty-handed, the budget grocery giant would serve to provide air-conditioned bathroom facilities (thank goodness!) and berries to take home. A 12 oz portion of raspberries set me back $8, the equivalent of a 1 L bucket at the farm. That said, the fruit was undoubtedly plumper, drier, and more saturated than those witnessed in the picking baskets of others. I'd immediately gobble down half the container upon reaching home. The quantity was insufficient for baking experiments or jam-making, though more than adequate for afternoon munching or making a single serving of raspberry lemonade. (The latter did not happen, mind you.)

My browsing partner revealed obvious irritation from the day's events veering off the planned agenda. I was saddened that I had missed the opportunity to venture into the patches, though nevertheless still happy to return home with raspberries for snacking. After all, the base objective was met: To go home with raspberries.

​With berry season quickly coming to a close, it would appear the next plausible fruit picking endeavour to entail peaches or plums.