Thursday, August 7, 2014

Visiting Inglis Falls

Last weekend was a holiday weekend in Canada, and our daughter, her husband and our grandson came to visit.  He's four, and a never-ending bundle of energy and mischief!  One day we headed up to Owen Sound to visit Inglis Falls.  Our destination was the 'potholes', but first of course we had to look around the falls itself.

I've posted pictures of Inglis Falls more than once before - last winter when it was completely frozen over, and last November, when the river was flowing high after a lot of rain.  In comparison, this is normal mid-summer flow.

We parked beside the old mill pond, which offered some beautiful reflections.  And the parking lot was full, with lots of visitors including other besides ourselves having a picnic lunch.

The pothole trail was the other direction, but first we headed over to look at the falls, Nana quite concerned that the four-year old didn't fall over the cliff!

As always, it's simply a beautiful waterfall.

I like looking closely at various parts of the falls.  They vary a lot depending on water flow, and in my more adventurous years, I would have climbed up these steps.

Along the short trail to the best viewpoints I'm always impressed by the roots of the cedar trees, which somehow manage to grow directly out of the bedrock, finding nutrients and moisture in the tiny crevices of the limestone.


Back beside the mill pond, I always note these old millstones.  I've been told that my great-grandfather carried his grain to this mill from his farm 2-3 miles west, to be ground into flour.

Past the millstones is a bridge directly above the falls, and you get a good view of the small dam holding back the mill pond.  The large pipe that provided water to the mill is buried underground mostly, to the right of the picture.

This time I took a careful look at the display, which I think has been renewed and improved.  This is a wonderful old illustration of the mill in its heyday, with the falls on the left, the entry where today's parking lot is on the upper right, and the foundation of the mill extending down about 4 stories below the cliff.  It was quite a major operation, but the entire mill burned to the ground in 1945.

This large picture posted on the outside of the small interpretive building shows the mill from above the falls, where it seems like a much smaller building.  There's still a bridge where this one is shown, with the water vanishing over the cliff just behind it.  In the upper right circle is the opposite view, showing how the mill extended down over the cliff to the foundation below.  A small remnant of the stone foundation is still there, though hard to get to.

Tomorrow, the potholes.
Linking to:
http://weekendreflection.blogspot.ca/


21 comments:

  1. Yes, that is a truly beautiful waterfall -- you're fortunate to have it nearby.

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  2. I remember your previous visits to this falls but it's very pretty in the summer and the mill pond is so calm. A lovely spot.

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  3. Great shots of the waterfall area. The roots of the cedar tree are amazing.

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  4. Those falls, and the surrounding area, are so very beautiful.

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  6. You gave us some beautiful views, and that waterfall is simply gorgeous!!

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  7. The water level seems to be pretty good for August. Always an impressive place to visit.

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  8. That was a large mill! Your pictures of the water are gorgeous!

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  9. That would have been a major construction all those years ago, and what a memory, that your grandfather had flour milled there, Superb photos of the falls. lovely. Cheers,Jean

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  10. What a wonderful place and way to spend a holiday weekend! Thanks for letting us tag along. :-)

    These photos are beautiful! I love the contrast of the energetic waterfalls juxtaposed with the tranquility of the mill pond. I call dibs on that rock by the pond - I could sit there for hours. And that glorious tree, with its beautiful (and ambitious) roots! Even the best human sculptures can't top that. Love the old millstones, they look like something left over from an ancient civilization ("Mayan" is what popped into my head!) What a shame the mill burned down, but how nice the spot has been maintained as a place of beauty and history - and how special that you share that familial connection to it! Thanks for another great post!

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  11. Nice place. That mill must have been quite the place in its day. Amazing building project.

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  12. What a beautiful waterfall. Your photo's are super.

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  13. A lovely serie of photos!
    Nice reflections!

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  14. FAntastic falls and amazing tree with great roots. Marvellous reflections. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  15. The waterfall is magnificent, the tree is stunning... Thanks you so much for this inspired sharing.

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  16. Lovely day and such a wonderful nature...Excellent reflection...

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  17. Absolutely amazing!

    Beautiful beyond words.

    Thanks for coming by to visit. I'm sure your wife will keep you if you woo her with places like these.

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  18. I love this part of Canada!
    (ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

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  19. I do love these falls! I haven't been there for a year but maybe I'll return this autumn. Your photos are great!

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