Out & About #742 | Webster Falls, Locke Street, and Hamilton Nostalgia

​The mention of Webster Falls had inflicted regret over the years, as I had viewed my half-hike of the Spencer Gorge Conservation Area as incomplete without it. My time of academia had been spent in an area of hiking trails and waterfalls, yet the destination had sadly been excluded due to insufficient exploration time before sundown.

With COVID policies in effect, reservations were required in advance of any visits. Prime photo-capturing coordinates had also been removed from public access due past tales of trespassing and the need for rescue crews. The experience has undoubtedly changed in the past half-decade, yet I remained keen on making my mark.

In advance of the long weekend, I had proposed the trip - ie. the intent to reserve. A day trip beyond the west limit of the GTA was scheduled; it included lunch in the quaint cobweb of Westdale followed by hiking. Whatever residual time would be allocated towards re-acquaintance of the nearby neighbourhood.

A quick review of Google Maps informed me of Westdale's existing directory and dining setup. Saigon and Manna withstood their space, as did Paisley, unfortunately. Franchises like Subway and Pizza Nova were foregoed; instead we headed towards a newcomer in the area: Nannaa Persian Eatery.
Parking in the area was limited, but complimentary on Sundays and holidays.

​Upon brief inspection of the menu, it was selected as the preferred alternative to its adjacent establishments of The Bean Bar and Mikel Coffee. Inside were tables positioned along the walls, plexiglass panels installed in between. The cashier could be accessed at the end of the corridor, nestled behind another plexiglass bearing.

We requested our meals in a dine-out(side), takeout format, along with two drinks.

The latter arrived within a few minutes of seating, accompanied by sealed paper straws. The Nannaa Iced Green Tea appeared refreshing and received positive feedback from my partner-in-crime. As depicted by the cashier/waitress, the Homemade Doogh was a loose yogurt base flavoured with sizable dark olive specks and distinctly salty undertones. Neither aquatic like seawater nor one-dimensional like saltwater solutions used for gargling, the depth can be described akin to an IV drip, where the presence of sodium was undeniable yet its strength harmonious with other components. Minty essences were minimal, though the tartness was quite nice.

The first sip resulted in a raised brow, followed by a gaze that was both pensive and perplexed.
"How is it?" came a chuckled across the parasoled plastic picnic table.
"It's...an acquired taste." I uttered hesitantly while searching for fitting vocabulary.
"Would you get it again?"
The answer was affirmative: "If I order something spicy." I continued to explain that the creaminess would offset any embers from a fiery dish. "But now I'm just double downing on creaminess." I gestured in the direction of my order.

​The Joojeh Wrap in my hands was approximately three-quarters the size of a standard shawarma (or half the length of Me Va Me's laffa). Encased within were supple strips of chicken, distinctive chunks of tomato, and dime-sized portions of smooth-surfaced pickles - all coated liberally in sauce. The seasoning was of a loose consistency, also white in hue with unnamed herby specks dispersed throughout.
A welcome variance from Me Va Me's extremely tough laffa, Nannaa offered a soft, spongy pita with faintly charred edges. The first few bites were glorious, though excess liquid permeated over the course of consumption, leading to an overall loss of structural integrity. I swapped to picking up the final few morsels with plastic utensils in an attempt to redeem dignity.

The Pulled Lamb Tacos were informed to adopt a texture not unlike pulled pork, but retain the gamey properties of lamb, albeit at a reduced potency. As with my own Joojeh Wrap, it was a mild pick off the menu and filling despite being its palm-sized portion.

​Located within the restaurant at the bottom of a stairwell were the very compact bathrooms, along with an "Employees Only" room, and a half-opened chamber of cleaning materials. There was no signal in the stalls nor by the sink, which was presumably due to being situated on the basement level.

​We made our departure from Westdale at the 12:30 pm mark. While it coincided with our original reservation time, the fine print had mentioned permission of a thirty-minute grace period for time of entry. That said, we were not exceed the upper limit of our booking slot.

​Quite frankly, I had found the fees associated with the booking to be absolutely outrageous. In addition to a parking fee of $9.29, admission fees of $4.42 per person, the process further entailed a reservation fee of $8.85. Moreover, the aforementioned components were subject to HST, totalling over thirty dollars for the two-hour, self-guided tour.

​The main parking area was discovered to be barred upon arrival, at which point three staff members directed us to the alternative lot named Greensville Optimist Park. Only a handful of other vehicles occupied the gravelled lot. Signs indicative of a shuttle service were striked through, leaving only arrows pointing in the direction of the falls in sight. Upon completing the "on-road trail section" between residential units, we arrived at the check-in gate. The PPE-donning man striked through our reservation in green highlighter, then provided blue wristbands for entry.

​As with Eramosa Karst, the area was nestled in a predominantly residential area. No more than three other groups were spotted during our visit, most of which were families with young children.

​We arrived at the first lookout with minimal effort, exchanging looks of astonishment at the tininess of the site. Two stone bridges allowed for crossing over Spencer Creek. The first was rather narrow, involving ducking to avoid injuries inflicted by low-hanging branches. The second was wider, taller, and similarly manmade.

View the full album HERE !

​The first lookout point was positioned near the top of the falls, offering shade for rest and awkward viewing angles. We navigated up a gradual slope to the second lookout point. Elevation was attained for a somewhat proper perspective, yet obstructions by protruding twigs could not be avoided.

​We proceeded with the remainder of the trail, eventually arriving at a steep staircase threatening falls without a railing. At its base was a fenced burial area no larger than the floor of a standard elevator. "WEBSTER" it read in large letters. It was assumed to be the memorial grounds of the family by which the falls had earned its name.

​Retracing our footsteps back to the point of egresss, I glanced at the time for good measure: 2:27 PM. In spite of our late entry and leisurely dawdling, the entire trip had taken less than 90 minutes to accomplish. Majority of the trail had provided low difficulty, with only off-trail portions sloping with a tremendous amount of bulging tree roots.

My suggestion for ice cream was well-received, thus we geared up for a trip to Locke Street. The intersections of Main/Dundurn and King/Dundurn conjure capstone project flashbacks. It coincided with pre-night class excursions to McDonald's and early undergrad years of aimless venturing.

Much like Westdale, the range of shops have altered since my last visit. NàRoma is gone, as is Finch on Locke. Starbucks remains tenacious, as one would expect. Street parking could be found on both sides of the road, with additional spaces behind the renowned coffee franchise. The metre-enforced slots charged at a peculiar rate of $1.00 per forty minutes

​My suggestion of AMO Gelato Caffe led to to acquisitions of two Medium cups, each priced at a reasonable six dollars.  ̶S̶w̶i̶r̶l̶e̶d̶ Paddled into one was Salted Caramel, and the other a mix of Lemon and Mixed Berry. The chosen flavours were all deemed scrumptious and absolutely refreshing.

The parlour also offered Small (one flavour) and Large (up to three flavours) cups and waffle cones at an additional seventy-five cents.

​With roughly twenty minutes leftover, I couldn't resist suggesting a drive through McMaster territory. Even the mere sight of the campus was enough to bring affection to this proud alumni. Glimpses of Welcome Week activities could also be spotted from afar.

A gleeful smile could be seen as we bid a silent farewell to JHE and the parading jumpsuit-clad crews.