Saturday, June 1, 2013

Bass Lake Provincial Park


We awake to a cloudy day, but at least it is not raining. 

I have decided not to put out our big awning, this site is not very wide and there are big pine trees that are dripping sticky pine sap.  I don’t want that all over the top of the awning.  We will be fine for 2 days here without our awning out because Don & Shirley have theirs out and we will be joining them for any outdoor sitting.  We are in Site 48.

4494 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our camp site #48 4495 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our motorhome in camp site #48

Don & Shirley are in the site next to us.

 4501 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our motorhome in camp site #48 and Don & Shirley's in #5 4502 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our motorhome in camp site #48 and Don & Shirley's in #5

D & S tow their car behind their motorhome and they were up and gone before we peek our eyes out the door.  They went to see a puppy that they are interested in buying. 

We have a tasty breakfast of bacon and eggs.  After breakfast we go for a hike.  There are views of Bass Lake as we walk to get to the beginning of the trail.

4504 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park - Bass Lake 4505 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park - Bass Lake

There is a nice 3 KM hiking trail within the boundaries of the park.  The Waterview Trail.

4507 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park - sign Waterview Trail 4508 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park - sign Waterview Trail

Before we  begin the Water View Trail, we decide we should first walk out to the entrance.  In yesterdays downpour, we did not stop to get photos of the entrance sign.  We always like to do that where ever we go.

4511 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park - Bass Lake sign 4514 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park - Bill at Bass Lake sign

Ok, that done, we can walk back to the beginning of the trail.  We have already walked a couple of KM and we haven’t even started on the 3 KM trail yet.    We pass many drifts of wild flowers as we walk.

4513 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park -field of flowers 4519 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park

4524 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park 4526 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our walk in the Park

Uh Oh…. we forgot to bring water with us, so back to the Motorhome to get a couple of bottles.  That adds about another KM to our total for the day.

4532 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Bill ready for Waterview Trail hike

The trail is numbered 1 – 16, we are going to start with # 15 and walk our way around. 

Marker 15 is a Glacial Erratic.  This is nothing comparable to the Okotoks Glacial Erratic we saw in Alberta last summer.  That one was as big as a large castle.  This one is only as big as smart car.  A Glacial Erratic is a rock that is out of place and is not like the other rocks in the area.  It was dragged and deposited here by an ancient glacier.

4537 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike Post 15 glacial erratic 4539 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike Post 15 glacial erratic

There is a nice beach and view at marker # 15, so we stop to enjoy.

4547 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike- Bass Lake beach 4545 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike-Bill waiting on beach at Bass Lake beach

At marker # 16 the trail wanders through a stand of cedar trees.

4550 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 16 4554 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike

At marker # 1 the trail winds through these birch and aspen trees.

4559 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 1 4560 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 1

Marker # 2 takes us back down to the waters edge and a swimming dock.

4568 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 2 4571 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike

Marker # 3 takes us onto a boardwalk through a marshy area.

4576 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 3 4579 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 4

We must have missed marker # 4 because the next one we saw was marker # 5 and we are back wandering through stands of cedars.

4581 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 5 4582 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 5

Marker # 6 and we are walking through stands of oak trees.

4584 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 6 4587 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike

At marker # 7 there is what remains of an old barn silo.  Back in the late 1800’s this property was originally farmed.  there are several foundations where buildings once stood.  This concrete silo has stood the test of time.

4590 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 7 4593 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 7

Onwards to marker # 8

4594 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Bill

Marker # 8 is at the original dairy shed.  Being made of stone this building would have been cooler for storing the farmers perishable items and it has also stood the test of time, while all the wooden buildings have long ago deteriorated back into the earth.

4596 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 8 4598 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 8

Marker # 9 is at a section of the original stone and cedar rail fence that was part of the old farm property.  Not much left, as it is all over grown.  The rocks would have been hand picked off the fields and piled along the property line.  The cedar fence rails were on top of the pile of rocks, so that the cattle would be penned in.

4605 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 9 4608 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 9

Marker # 10 takes us further along through meadows of wild flowers and more cedar stands.
4609 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 10 4614 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike

Marker #11 and we are walking through drifts of ferns and stands of cedar.

4615 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 11 4618 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike

Marker # 12 and we are still deep in the forest.

4622 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike

Onwards to marker # 13.   No these are not glacial erratics.  We are crossing one of the park roads, and these large rocks were placed here to keep vehicles off of the Waterview Trail.

4625 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Bill 4626 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - looking back

Marker # 13 and we continue on our walk through the forest.

4627 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 13 4628 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 13

We almost missed marker # 14.  now I know what happened to marker # 4…  it must have been hidden like this one is.

4629 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 14 4630 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Post 14

Karen leads the way for a while till we arrive back at # 15 where we started.

4635 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Karen 4636 Bass Lake Provincial Park - Waterview Trail hike - Karen

We arrived back at our home on wheels after a lovely walk along the Waterview Trail.

You can click on this link and see the route that we took on our walk.

4503 Bass Lake Provincial Park - our motorhome in camp site #48 and Don & Shirley's in #5

Don & Shirley are back from their excursion and they have a new puppy with them.  Sorry, but we forgot to take pictures of the new puppy.

For lunch the 4 of us drive into Orillia and go the the Mariposa Market.  This is our favourite dining spot in Orillia.  The meal is delicious and the desserts even more so.   After lunch we wander the main street.  Karen and I certainly are getting in our walking today.  All totalled, we did close to 10 Km.

Back at our motorhomes it was time for Happy Hour.  Then we bbq’d steaks and potatoes in foil on our Weber Q.  After dinner it was back to D & S’s for a camp fire and more cold ones.  I brought over my blue tooth Jawbone Jambox speakers and we listened to iTunes and played “name that tune” all evening.  Oh yes, we roasted marshmallows also.

To see all of the photos we took today, and there are many... please click on the link to our FLICKR site.

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