KILGOUR BULGE SERIES # 8
The Kilgour Tract is positioned in an area steeped with natural and cultural heritage. Remains of early Aboriginal life continue to be discovered throughout the lower Maitland River valley, especially at the Falls Reserve and in the Benmiller area, just North-West of here. Large numbers of artifacts indicate that the area served as rich hunting and fishing grounds for the Chippewa Indians. Natives referred to the river as Menesetung, an Ojibwa name variously translated as "healing waters" or "windings". In the 1820s, the London-based Canada Company renamed the river after Sir Peregrine Maitland (1777-1854), Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1818 to 1828.
This is another section of the MAITLAND TRAIL that did not have a cache. I am placing 8 caches on this section that bulges West from Sharpes Creek Line and back, and 3 more going towards Benmiller.
The seven KMs covered here have a varied terrain. I will try to describe the immediate area in each cache description. The white trail markers on the map are 500 meters apart.
DO NOT PARK ON OR DRIVE BACK BISHOPS RD AS IT IS PRIVATE!
You might want to split this series into 2 outings. If you are hiking from the South end, you may Park where indicated on SHARPES CREEK LINE. WATCH FOR TRAFFIC. If you attack from the north, Park where indicated on CHERRYDALE RD and make your way down the STEEP slope to the trail. There are steps anchored to the hillside and several switch-backs before you get to the bottom. A sturdy walking stick might help. The cache descriptions assume you are travelling north from Sharpes Creek Line for #1- #7 and travelling south from Cherrydale Rd for #8 - #11.
Please practise CITO and proper trail etiquette.
BYOP. Please screw the lid back on tight. Painted screw top bottles. All of these caches are tethered to their tree host with a short length of Bell-wire. These should all be found easily. My main concern was for them not to be seen by MUGGLES.
This next stretch is the most physically challenging of this series. You will follow a bush lane much of the time, head up a long hill going away from the river, then down across a creek and back up a bush trail heading towards the river again. Then you repeat the process one more time before getting back onto a flat bush lane again. # 8 is in a tree a bit off the trail on the river side. This cache is also on the Carey family section.
You now have a 4 km hike back to your car. This worn out 72 year old did it in less than 1 1/4hours OR you can continue for an easy 500 meters along this bush lane to reach #7.
HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU!
CONGRATULATIONS Andre and Pulsardude on FTF. I appreciate your courtesy of logging FTF ASAP after finding.