Limehouse Conservation Area – I Was Just Kilning to See You
Just west of Georgetown, Ontario you will find this small verdant patch of greenery. Part of the 800 km Bruce Trail stretching from Niagara to Tobermory in the Bruce Peninsula, it is the main attraction for the small community of Limehouse that surrounds it. With parking on site and no reservations required it is a nice change of pace as compared with most conservation areas in southern Ontario. In this park you will find beautiful rock fissures and old 19th century kilns. Stopping here is a good way to waste an house or two!
Table of Contents
- Geology
- Parking Lot Trailhead and the Hole in the Wall (Bruce Trail)
- Kilnsation (Black Creek Trail)
- Exiting the Conservation Area (Radial Trail Entrance)
Geology
The Niagara escarpment, that the Bruce Trail traces, is known for its limestone rock formations. These are part of the a plateau that formed over millions of years where some rocks eroded over time due to their softness leaving a either a cliff or deep fishures in the rock.
Parking Lot Trailhead and the Hole in the Wall (Bruce Trail)
Any trip to the the area will start at the parking lot off Line 5 road. From here a plethora of trails will take you in various directions. I recommend taking your first steps along the two kilometer Bruce Trail section to experience the Hole in the Wall rock formation. In this section ladders will bring you down into the rock crevices and you will be allowed to explore them.
You will then have to find a way down the cliff escapement, so that you may access the Black Creek Trail where the Kilns are located.
To find you way down you will have to find a scalable area of the cliff where the path is located.
I have included a few more pictures of the crevices area below for reference.
Kilnsation (Black Creek Trail)
The next section of trail is the black creek section. The body of water will have the remnants of an old industrial mill and you will soon see some remaining crap metal pipes to remind you of this. Unfortunately the old stone bridge that forded the creek at the mill was under repair (in orange). It is usually this area where people will take pictures.
When you have passed the creek you will enter the Radial Trail where the Kilns are located. Among the ruins are a restored draw kiln (circa 1870s) and a restored powder house. In this area you will also find some pretty neat mushrooms due to the humidity.
Exiting the Conservation Area (Radial Trail Entrance)
There is an exit from the Kiln Area that takes you past the Toronto Suburban ‘Radial’ Railroad, which ran between Toronto and Guelph and leads to the Limehouse Memorial Hall, built of limestone of course! From here you can either walk along Line 5 back to your car or return via the pathway you came from. The choice is up to you!
