-----------------------------------------------------------
Please make note of the clue written on my green caching card taped to the inside of the logbook. You will need this information to complete the final cache: "Hermitage History Series - Final" GC69FMP
-----------------------------------------------------------
HISTORY LESSON: There were three owners of this property prior to the Leith family - the family who built the home that is now the 'Hermitage Ruins'. In 1793 this land was deeded to Henry Chrysler. In 1826 the Reverend George Sheed built a wooden house on the grounds, but died before he could live there. In 1833 Otto Ives purchased it and called it the Hermitage. It was purchased by the Leith family in 1885. Also note that the trail you are on will lead you across Sulphur Springs Rd. The Sulphur Springs are another big part of this area's history and inspired a hotel just across the road. You'll learn more about that hotel in another cache in this series.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Series Overview (identical for all caches)
Welcome to the Hermitage History Series. It composed of 9 traditional caches and 1 final mystery cache. While finding these caches, you will visit some beautiful spots, including the Hermitage ruins, and in each traditional cache you will find some details that you will need to collect to complete a field puzzle for the final. You can do the caches in any order despite the way I have numbered them. The numbering does not have any significance for the final puzzle.
Your adventure will take you along Dundas Valley Trails near the historic Hermitage ruins and its Gatehouse Museum. You will travel short sections of the Headwaters trail, the Main Loop (part of the Bruce Trail) and the Homestead trail which is a short loop. All trails are relatively wide, and on fairly even ground suitable for family outings. I’ve seen people with rugged strollers on these trails. Note that there is a significant hill to get to caches HHS #1 and HHS #2, but the view is definitely worth it!
You can see a map of the area below. Note: the Hermitage itself is located near the top right corner of this map on the north side of the road labeled ‘Private drive”. Don’t worry, you won’t be trespassing. The private property is further to the east and is marked. Entrance to parking is at the bottom of the map where it says ‘Hermitage Cascade’
I hope you enjoy these trails and learning about the history of this area.
Note: Parking is available at the Gatehouse Museum on Sulphur Springs Rd in Ancaster and has been waypointed in the cache listing for the final (link is above). Please note that there is a self-service fee policy in effect of $10 per car.
MAP OF THE TRAILS IN THE LOCAL AREA:
