14/03: The Grotto
Category: General
Posted by: The Agnew Family
Ed and I were invited to go snow shoeing to the Grotto with our neighbours, Rob and Ellen and their kids. The weather was a little iffy as there was some rain in the forecast but as snow shoeing season will be ending soon we decided to drive north and hope for the best. About an hour and a half into the two hour drive it started raining, but we pressed on. Good thing we did as we drove out of the rain and into cloudy but dry conditions. The temperature was just below freezing but all in all it was good snow shoeing weather.
The grotto is a big cave on the shore that was carved out by the waves Georgian Bay. It is on the Bruce Trail with the easiest access point being at trail at Cypress Lake in the Bruce Peninsula National Park.
We've arrived. Now it's time to put on the snow shoes and start walking.
The chickadees are very friendly and like to be fed. When they land on your hand it feels like someone is poking you gently with a stick (that's the feet) and you don't feel any weight.
The water moving from Cypress Lake to Horse Lake.
The ice formations are incredible.
Ryan, in the ice cave.
Looking up through the arch.
Looking down through the arch. In the summer water you stand here watching the waves splash in against the rocks.
Looking down at Rob in the grotto. This is a favourite spot for scuba divers in the summer.
In the grotto looking out at the shoreline.
Heading back to shore.
Ed and I, taking a break.
On the way back to the car we trekked around Mar Lake and began the trek around Cypress Lake. After a kilometer and a half (or maybe two), the trail ran out and we couldn't find the bridge to cross the river so we snow shoed the kilometer and a half or two back to the main trail. The GPS indicated that we walked 15 kilometers. No wonder we were all tired.
The grotto is a big cave on the shore that was carved out by the waves Georgian Bay. It is on the Bruce Trail with the easiest access point being at trail at Cypress Lake in the Bruce Peninsula National Park.
We've arrived. Now it's time to put on the snow shoes and start walking.
The chickadees are very friendly and like to be fed. When they land on your hand it feels like someone is poking you gently with a stick (that's the feet) and you don't feel any weight.
The water moving from Cypress Lake to Horse Lake.
The ice formations are incredible.
Ryan, in the ice cave.
Looking up through the arch.
Looking down through the arch. In the summer water you stand here watching the waves splash in against the rocks.
Looking down at Rob in the grotto. This is a favourite spot for scuba divers in the summer.
In the grotto looking out at the shoreline.
Heading back to shore.
Ed and I, taking a break.
On the way back to the car we trekked around Mar Lake and began the trek around Cypress Lake. After a kilometer and a half (or maybe two), the trail ran out and we couldn't find the bridge to cross the river so we snow shoed the kilometer and a half or two back to the main trail. The GPS indicated that we walked 15 kilometers. No wonder we were all tired.