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Escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and connect with nature and yourself on this mindful hike.
Be fully present with your surroundings, leave stress behind, and rediscover the calm within. As we set out on this journey, we'll be guided by fellow member Zeeshan who will facilitate mindfulness practices to help you tune into the sights, sounds, and sensations of the natural world, including:
Nature Observation: Pause and observe the intricate details of nature, from the smallest insects to the grandeur of ancient trees.
Silent Contemplation: At various points along the trail, enjoy moments of silence to reflect and connect with your inner self.
Sound Meditation: Tune in to the sounds of the forest, from birdsong to rustling leaves, and use these natural rhythms as anchors for your mindfulness practice.The first half of this hike will focus on personal reflection, while the second half will more closely resemble one of our typical hikes, giving us an opportunity to share our experience with others.
This is an easy hike along a well maintained trail in a rare patch of old-growth forest.
Hike Length: 7km
Terrain: We'll be on well trodden trails through the forest. There's a decent amount of elevation but nothing that's too steep
Estimated time to complete: 4 hours with breaks and exploration time.
09:20: Those taking the van meet at the Petrocanada next to Keele Subway Station. Driving to the shuttle location? There's free parking here.
09:30: Shuttle leaves. Please note that out of respect for each other, we leave dead on time and can not wait for latecomers.
10:00: Pick up Noel at Major Mack parking lot
10:30: Meet self-drivers at car park (free parking)
10:30 - 14:30: Hike, stopping for lunch en route
16:00: Anticipated return to Keele subway station
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Looking rainy but this is the kind of hike where the weather just adds to the experience.
Remember to pack a lunch, some snacks and at least 1l of water.
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles.
Ticks - Black legged ticks are in the area. You should wear pants rather than shorts to prevent them latching on and lighter colours make it easier to spot them and keep you more cool. There's no need to worry about ticks if we take a few precautions and we'll talk about doing a tick check after the hike just to confirm we haven't picked any up. You can learn more here
We like to share some of the indigenous background of the areas we visit because these territories have rich histories that are easy to overlook. Indigenous communities have a connection to and respect for the land that has largely been lost since European settlement. As we strive to form a deeper connection with the land, we have much to learn from these communities. I use the Native Land map to learn more about these areas and find that developing a richer understanding leads to a greater enjoyment of the adventures.
We'll be close to Happy Valley, an area that has had a large number of first nations in the area, including the the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation,the Anishnabe, Haudenosaunee, Petun (who you may remember from our last rural hike), the Mississauga nation and the Huron Wendat.
Escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and connect with nature and yourself on this mindful hike.
Be fully present with your surroundings, leave stress behind, and rediscover the calm within. As we set out on this journey, we'll be guided by fellow member Zeeshan who will facilitate mindfulness practices to help you tune into the sights, sounds, and sensations of the natural world, including:
Nature Observation: Pause and observe the intricate details of nature, from the smallest insects to the grandeur of ancient trees.
Silent Contemplation: At various points along the trail, enjoy moments of silence to reflect and connect with your inner self.
Sound Meditation: Tune in to the sounds of the forest, from birdsong to rustling leaves, and use these natural rhythms as anchors for your mindfulness practice.The first half of this hike will focus on personal reflection, while the second half will more closely resemble one of our typical hikes, giving us an opportunity to share our experience with others.
This is an easy hike along a well maintained trail in a rare patch of old-growth forest.
Hike Length: 7km
Terrain: We'll be on well trodden trails through the forest. There's a decent amount of elevation but nothing that's too steep
Estimated time to complete: 4 hours with breaks and exploration time.
09:20: Those taking the van meet at the Petrocanada next to Keele Subway Station. Driving to the shuttle location? There's free parking here.
09:30: Shuttle leaves. Please note that out of respect for each other, we leave dead on time and can not wait for latecomers.
10:00: Pick up Noel at Major Mack parking lot
10:30: Meet self-drivers at car park (free parking)
10:30 - 14:30: Hike, stopping for lunch en route
16:00: Anticipated return to Keele subway station
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Looking rainy but this is the kind of hike where the weather just adds to the experience.
Remember to pack a lunch, some snacks and at least 1l of water.
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles.
Ticks - Black legged ticks are in the area. You should wear pants rather than shorts to prevent them latching on and lighter colours make it easier to spot them and keep you more cool. There's no need to worry about ticks if we take a few precautions and we'll talk about doing a tick check after the hike just to confirm we haven't picked any up. You can learn more here
We like to share some of the indigenous background of the areas we visit because these territories have rich histories that are easy to overlook. Indigenous communities have a connection to and respect for the land that has largely been lost since European settlement. As we strive to form a deeper connection with the land, we have much to learn from these communities. I use the Native Land map to learn more about these areas and find that developing a richer understanding leads to a greater enjoyment of the adventures.
We'll be close to Happy Valley, an area that has had a large number of first nations in the area, including the the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation,the Anishnabe, Haudenosaunee, Petun (who you may remember from our last rural hike), the Mississauga nation and the Huron Wendat.
