Woodend Conservation Area

From the parking lot, follow the white-blazed main Trail to the left. The Trail quickly climbs down the Escarpment and continues along the cliff face. It then ascends the Escarpment via a switchback, to emerge at the top near the buildings at Woodend.

The United Empire Loyalist family of Peter Lampman fled New York State in 1779 to establish what became a 650 hectare grant on the top of a hill known as St. Anthony’s Nose, now known as Woodend. During the War of 1812, a three gun battery occupied its heights, commanding a fine sweep of the lands below. The poet Archibald Lampman, grandson of the original settler, was a frequent visitor and wrote several poems about his grandfather’s estate.

Parts of the original two houses were incorporated into the present structure, built in 1931 and ’32. The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority now manages it as a 40 hectare parcel of land incorporating recreational and picnic facilities. Continue to follow the white blazes past the buildings at Woodend and along the Escarpment edge. You will pass several interesting rock formations that are characteristic of the Niagara Escarpment in this area.

You will also see splendid views of the vineyards and orchards on the flat plain below the Escarpment. About 600 m past the intersection with the Paul Naray Silurian Trail you will find the intersection with another blue-blazed side trail. Turn left and follow this side trail roughly 800 m back to your car.

With file information from the Bruce Trail, for more information on this and other Bruce trails please purchase the Bruce Trail map and trail guidebook. The Bruce Trail is the oldest and longest marked hiking trail in Canada. It is 840 km long, with over 440 km of side trails. Every year more than 400,000 visits are made to the Trail as people walk, snowshoe, watch wildlife, take photographs and admire the glorious scenery of the Escarpment.

The Bruce Trail was instrumental in the Escarpment being named a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations in 1990 - one of only twelve such reserves in all of Canada.

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