Hike, Bike and Walk Across Canada on the Great Trail

by | Oct 6, 2020

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Last updated on November 4th, 2022

Whew, what a week! Let’s get outside! 

One of the ways we can recharge and refresh our perspective is by getting outside and enjoying nature. At this time of year, the fall colours are ablaze in the northern hemisphere. Connecting with nature is a wonderful way to reconnect with ourselves and enjoy the sweeping vistas, vast wilderness, wild rivers, majestic lakes, rocky beaches. The rocky cliffs, deep crevasses, and secret forest paths. The starlit skies, offering up scintillating sights of the Milky Way and Northern Lights. These are stunning, awe-inspiring, and life-affirming.

NS-Salt Marsh Trail-CREDIT Daniel Baylis

NS-Salt Marsh Trail / Photo Credit: Daniel Baylis

PEI_Confederation-Trail

The PEI Confederation Trail

NB_Riverfront-Trail_Lighthouse-Riverview-Riverfront-CREDIT Hanna-Grossman

New Brunswick Riverfront Trail, Lighthouse / Photo credit: Hanna Grossman

The Great Canadian Hike

For our JourneyWomen in Canada: an idea for you to consider: from now until the end of October, you can join The Great Canadian Hike, a national challenge to embrace trails in a physically distant world. The Great Canadian Hike is calling on Canadians to collectively hike 27,000 km in 31 days from coast to coast. From humble strolls to epic adventures, you can hike, walk, jog, cycle, paddle and experience The Great Trail as a participant in the Great Canadian Hike. We invite you to check out the Great Trail map, choose a short, single-day hike along sections of the Trail close to your home.

Before registering, check current public advice issued for your province or territory and follow it before, during and after your hike. When registering, only add team members who are members of your household.  While on the Trail (or anywhere outdoors), keep a distance of at least two metres from anyone who is not a member of your own household or bubble – and always wear a mask if you can’t socially distance. You can register for a hike here:  https://greatcanadianhike.ca/.

 

Expert Advice from a JourneyWoman

We’ve asked JourneyWoman Advisory Council member Dr. Nekessa Remy for her expert tips and advice to help you limber up, wherever you are.  Nekessa is frequently featured as a health and wellness expert on Breakfast Television, CTV, and Global Morning, where she provides advice on posture, mobility and injury prevention. She’ll also join us on our October 20 ‘Behind the Scenes’ of our October issue to answer your questions live.

Nekessa’s Tips For Hiking   

Before you choose a brand you should determine what style of hiking shoe you need.
Shoes or boots? Hiking shoes, compared to boots, are more flexible and are excellent for day hiking. Shoes are lighter and therefore offer less support. If you plan on doing any running you should consider trail running shoes which are also low cut and are a hybrid of running shoes and hiking shoes.
 
Hiking boots are more supportive and protective than hiking shoes. Sometimes they are simply higher-cut versions of hiking shoes, and sometimes they feature slightly stiffer construction, both of which will offer more support. The tradeoff, of course, is that they’re going to be heavier than shoes. This makes them recommended when carrying heavier loads or on multiday trips involving on- or off-trail hiking.
 
Always look for reinforced toe boxes which will help protect your feet from the elements. Aside from intended use, another important question to ask is what kind of weather you will be using the shoes in. If your use will be mostly in the summer, or primarily in dry, warm weather, a well-ventilated, lightweight shoe with a lot of mesh in the upper will allow your foot to breathe best.

If you anticipate using your shoes in damp or cold weather, waterproof hiking shoes might be your best option. These hiking shoes and boots have a PU membrane sandwiched between the outer layer and the lining that keeps out moisture but still allows water vapor you generate to escape so your socks aren’t soaked through with sweat. These shoes will usually include ‛GTX’ in their title, which indicates that they include  Gore-Tex technology.

Have more questions? Let us know! 

Ready to Hit the Road?

Here are some of our top picks for Ontario:

  • The Kissing Bridge in West Montrose (the last covered bridge in Ontario)
  • Cataraqui Trail in Kingston
  • Elora Cataract
  • Sleeping Giant National Park in Thunder Bay
  • Great Lakes Waterfront Trail

 For those in Canada, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s resource page here:   https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/symptoms/provincial-territorial-resources-covid-19.html

 In all other countries, please check your local government website for the latest information.

Note: all photos and logo provided by the Great Canadian Hike. 

 

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