Vishwawalking

Hastings Heritage Trail

The Hastings Heritage Trail (HHT) begins in Glen Ross north of Trenton, Ontario. However, the Lower Trent Trail starts in Trenton and connects to this trail. The latter trail is for hikers and cyclists only (yeah!), so we'll start there. At Glen Ross, when the Hastings Heritage Trail takes over, so do the motorized vehicles.

I've included the Trail of Two Lakes here as well, which officially runs from just north of Tufstville Road east of Highway #62 (Madoc Junction) to Old Marmora Road at the southwest end of Madoc.  Information on the Trail of Two Lakes is not readily available. The official trail is about 23 kilometres long. I've described a much longer version, essentially the entire length of what was once the Belleville and North Hastings line which ran from Madoc Junction to the Hastings Heritage Trail at a point just west of Eldorado, a distance of about 34.5 kilometres.

It should be noted that web information on these trails is generally skimpy. There's plenty of come-ons from businesses touting the trails, but very little substantial information on the trails themselves. While beginning and end points (The "Hastings Heritage trail runs from Glen Ross to lake St. Peter" and the like) are noted, it is sometimes unclear which trail belongs to which. Sometimes one trail arbitrarily ends and another (with another name) begins. Information on the net is hard or impossible to track down. I'll do my best to try to sort this information out.

Have a look at my rails to trails page if you want more historical information on these rail lines.

The main advantage of walking these trails is their ease. They're flat, with none of the challenges a woods walking trail might have. That can be a great thing for a family (say) with different walking skills and physical abilities. The motorized vehicles are always a hazard, but like a road, with care it can be dealt with. If you're lucky enough to be able to walk during regular working hours as opposed to weekends, you'll find some stretches with no vehicles at all.

The other advantage of these trails is their ease of access.

Lower Trent Trail (includes Bata/Sills Island walks and Frankford)

The start: Glen Ross to Bonarlaw
Bonarlaw to Bannockburn , (past Marmora and Eldorado)

Trail of Two Lakes