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Limehouse
Kilns and Limehouse Conservation Area
A hidden gem near the Bruce Trail
©
Outdoor Adventure Canada
There is a
hidden gem in Halton Hills, Ontario - Limehouse Conservation Area.
The Bruce Trail runs through the conservation lands and hooks
up with the Black Creek Side Trail. This area is ideal for day
hikers looking for an outing that has geological and historical
interest. We were fortunate to have a guided tour from Mary Shier
who is President of the Limehouse
Kiln Society, an organization attempting to save the historically
significant sites that you see photographed here.
 Limehouse
was a thriving community in the late 1800's when Lime production
was at its peak. Now it is a quiet, friendly and quaint little
village located at the 22 Sideroad and Fifth Line not far from
Georgetown, Ontario. The industry closed in the early 1920's but
15 kilns and a powder house remains.
The first
site we visited was a powder magazine. The powder house underwent
massive restoration in April 2005. A stonemason rebuilt the structure
with historical accuracy. The main purpose of the powder house
was to store explosives. There is a railway nearby and you can
see where they would have had to blast the rock to make way for
the tracks. We continued on to the remains of a quarry bed that
forest is slowly reclaiming.
The next part
of our walk brought us to a series of kilns. In the early days,
"set kilns" had to be used to fire the lime. This process
was a long one - it took about a week. There are several ruins
of "set kilns' joined in a row. Some of the kilns are in
better shape and all need preservation. Just past the set kilns,
there is a small limestone wall, which was a loading dock. Further
down the trail you will also visit the remnants of a "draw
kiln" which stands over fifty feet high. The "draw kiln"
is fenced in now because it sits precariously awaiting restoration.
 Recently
the little footbridge that crosses the Black Creek on the Bruce
Trail is closed. This closure means that you will have to walk
the road or drive to the parking lot at Limehouse Conservation
Area. It is worth the minor inconvenience to see the kilns and
to do the hike that I am about to tell you about. The bridge will
remain closed for some time.
Starting at
the parking lot in Limehouse Conservation Area, on the Fifth Line,
you will follow the access trail to the main trail. The entire
hike is about 4 kms. The access trail is fairly straight and short
and it takes you through a beautiful section of large Sumac. When
you come to the Bruce Trail, you will turn right and follow the
path through a hardwood forest. This part of the walk is especially
pretty in the spring when the forest floor hosts a carpet of Trout
Lillies and Trilliums.
 There
are massive crevices in the rock all along the trail. Continue
until you come to the Black Creek Side Trail. Turn left onto this
side trail and follow the blue blazes. You will go through areas
with different types of trees. Eventually you cross a small creek
and begin to parallel the Black Creek. Amongst the large cedars,
there is a former campsite next to the creek. This makes a good
spot to stop for lunch or a snack but please note that camping
and fires are no longer allowed.
Follow
the trail down and back onto the Bruce Trail. Turn left and you
will cross a little foot bridge next to a swamp. If you look closely
you can see the old wood beams of the railway trestle. Keep left
and then pay close attention to the left hand side of the trail.
The trail requires a left turn up a rocky hill where you least
expect the it. This takes you up to a pile of rocks left by glaciers
and you will see an opening into the "Hole in the Wall".
The trail continues through the rock doorway and into the crevice.
You must take two ladders up to get back onto the trail. This
is the only way through and it is an interesting feature. Once
on the top you will step over several narrow but very deep crevices.
You should keep an eye out for the trail blazes here, as it is
easy to get off course. Eventually you will be out of the cedars
and back into hardwood forest.
This is a
picturesque area and well worth visiting for a day hike or as
part of a thru-hike on the Bruce Trail.
Editor's Note:
The Limehouse Kiln Society needs help funding the restoration
of these artifacts. Please visit their website, www.limehousekilns.ca,
to make a donation or to find out more about the history of the
Limehouse Kilns.
You may also
want to visit the
Bruce Trail Association's Website for more details on the
main trail at Limehouse Conservation Area.
I would also
like to give a special thank you to Mary Shier for taking us on
our tour of the Limehouse Kilns.
For more articles
please view the archives.
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