Summer in December

Sat. 12 December:  Foley Mountain Lookouts

"Summer in December"

In Australia they have a custom called “Christmas in July”, which I guess celebrates the coldest part of their year.  Here in Canada this year, we seem to be celebrating “Summer in December”. 

Today we took advantage of this unseasonal weather to explore the various lookouts along the Foley Mountain ridge.  We saw four lookouts along our path, all very different. 

Beaver Pond Lookout is a short stroll from the parking area, and is a low, rocky promontory above the small lake, surrounded by the trees.

Crossing the Westport-Perth road we followed the Rideau Trail westwards along the escarpment and down to Lions Beach on Sand Lake.  From here we climbed up the steep slopes, through the woods, back up onto the escarpment.  Along the way we stopped to admire an active beaver pond, hidden in the trees.  Behind the pond, rising above the forest, was a tall metal tower with a tiny platform at the top, which might be used, we supposed, as a fire lookout.  It was not on our route and it would not have been accessible anyway.

Old Bob’s Lookout is a rocky clearing in the trees, just below the top of the ridge, and gives superb views southwards across Sand Lake.  We basked in the warm sunshine, enjoying our lunch, taking full advantage of this unseasonal weather.

Retracing our steps back to Foley Mountain, we stood high above Westport on Spy Rock, the most spectacular of the Foley Mountain lookouts.  There was a large flock of ducks on Upper Rideau Lake. 

Spy Rock is geographically the high point of the Rideau Trail, and a magnificent place to end our “summer stroll”, with Christmas now less than two weeks away.

Note:  single-click on the first picture above to scroll through the photos separately.

Statistics:

Total Distance:         8.4 km (hike)

Height Gain:            Say 600 ft.

Max. Elev:               215 m (705 ft.)

Time on Trail:          3 hrs. 37 mins.

Foley Mtn parking:         9.36 am

End Beaver L. loop:       9.55 am

Lions Beach:                10.33 am

Old Bob’s L/O:              11.17 am

Lions Beach:                 12.15 pm

Spy Rock:                       1.01 pm

Ret. to cars:                    1.13 pm

Temp:                      +6 rising to +9C

Weather:                 Hazy cloud, sunshine, no wind, warm

Warm-up  loop on Foley Mountain

Beaver Lake lookout

Heading west from Foley Mountain along the escarpment

Dropping down to Westport Lions Beach

Lions Beach beside Sand Lake

Westport from Old Bob's Lookout

Balancing act

Possible result!

Warm, sunny lunch spot above Sand Lake

Watercolour reflections

Beautiful woodland trail below Foley Mountain

Spy Rock

Westport from Spy Rock

Sand Lake and Old Bob's Lookout up to the right