Hiking for Beginners in Cambridge, ON Please Read Info Below

This is a beautiful walk through the historical homes off of Blenheim Road in Galt, with a short hike through Victoria Park. December tends to be unpredictable weather and this hike will go during light rain, snow or sunshine. This hike goes for 1 hours and please dress accordingly. Guests and Friendly pets are welcome.

I hope you will join me for the historical tour. I like to especially do this historical hike at Christmas time. All the houses are decorated and gives the hike a festive feel.

The city of Cambridge was created in January, 1973. It was formed by the amalgamation of the city of Galt, the Towns of Hespeler and Preston, and parts of the Townships of Waterloo and North Dumfries. The history of the area is a diverse and interesting one.

In 1816, a large block of land originally owned by the Six Nations Indians was purchased by William Dickson – a Scotsman who dreamed of founding a settlement to attract his fellow lowland countrymen. Scots from the “old country” immigrated to the village called Shade’s Mill. In 1827, the Canada Company Commissioner, John Galt, visited the area and, in his honour, the village was re-named Galt.

John Erb, a Pennsylvanian, built a sawmill on land bordering the Speed River in 1806. He called his settlement Cambridge Mills. During the 1830’s, the village grew rapidly and when William Scollick surveyed the community in 1834, he renamed it in honour of his English home town – Preston.

Originally a hamlet called Bergeytown, and then named New Hope by its Pennsylvanian settlers, a thriving town grew on the banks of the Speed River. One prominent citizen was Jacob Hespeler who built a dike and diverted the river to provide power to his gristmill. He also opened a sawmill, a distillery, a woolen mill and a coopershop. In 1859, the town adopted the name Hespeler.

Today, the city of Cambridge is a thriving, cosmopolitan city with a population of approximately 129,000 and an average age of 36.4 years old. Located within the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and the gateway to Canada’s Technology Triangle, Cambridge is minutes from major metropolitan cities and in close proximity to three international airports, as well as three US border crossings.

Afterwards you are more than welcome to join me for coffee or light lunch after the hike at Melville Cafe. 7 Melville St. Cambridge, Ontario N1S 2H4. Directions are on their website: http://www.melvillecafe.ca

Happy hiking and I look forward to seeing you there!
Brendalee...your Organizer

The Cambridge to Paris Rail-Trail is owned and operated by the Grand River Conservation Authority and follows the old roadbed of the Lake Erie and Northern Railway between the City of Cambridge to the Town of Paris. The Cambridge to Paris Rail-Trail was opened in 1994, and was the first section on the Trans Canada Trail built in this part of southern Ontario.
We will be hiking for 1/2 hour then turning around to head back to our cars. It's about 3.8km. Remember this is January, so please dress according to the weather.
Leashed friendly pets are welcome.

The old roadbed of the Lake Erie and Northern Railway between the City of Cambridge to the Town of Paris. It was opened in 1994 and was one of the first Ontario abandoned rail lines to be converted to recreational trail use. The Lake Erie and Northern Railway was one of the last electric railways to be built in Ontario. The electric cars were similar to streetcars, although running along their own right of way and hauling both freight and passengers between urban communities.

General Trail Description
The 18 kilometre (11 mile) trail follows the Grand River through lush Carolinian Forest with spectacular river overlooks en route. Posts mark each kilometre from Cambridge. The trail is level, finished with fine gravel, and provides an easy path for cyclists and hikers. Trail Access
Cambridge: The Canadian General-Tower Trailhead and parking area is located on Highway #24 (Water Street), just south of the City of Cambridge. Watch for the Canada Petro gas bar on the right or west side of the road. The parking area is the first driveway past the gas bar. Food sales and washrooms are located nearby. A kiosk provides trail information and history.

After the hike you are more than welcome to join me at the Melville Cafe in downtown Galt for coffee/lunch. Directions are on the link below.
http://www.melvillecafe.ca/directions.htm

Happy Hiking,
Brendalee ... your Organizer