Apr 192012
 

If it looks like I’m standing in the water here it’s because I am. Well, not really. My camera was though. I spotted this weir next to this old mill above Walter’s Falls in Ontario. After failing to be satisfied with a shot from the bridge I went clambering down the bank, through branches covered in thorns to get down to the river edge. I landed heavily on a pair of rocks which immediately gave way under me. I looked like I’d be getting wet for sure. Somehow, I managed to back pedal faster than the rocks were falling and build myself a new platform of rocks landing beneath my feet.

From my precarious perch, I lent out as far as I could to place my camera closer to the middle of the river, and fire off 7 exposures, before clambering back up through the bushes. Following this I went down to the bottom of the waterfall to get some shots there. I and my gear got pretty soaked once down there, but that’s a story for another day.

 

The Old Gristmill and weir at Walter's Falls, Ontario

  9 Responses to “The Old Gristmill, Walter’s Falls, Ontario”

  1. I have a few fond memories of this waterfalls and mill when my father took me here to try trout fishing. I found the place very relaxing and had a calming effect on me. Than there was the small church in the community of Waters falls I also recall, that is one place that also has stayed in my memories over the years. The falls is where both my father’s and mother’s ashes were placed and I would like to return and visit again very soon to pay my respects.
    I like cycling and contemplated a bike ride from London, Ontario to here but it looks like a good 2 day journey for me and to think my Dad cycled it from Toronto, didn’t know he had that much energy.

  2. I remember the mill and falls as a kid when my Dad took us back for reunions in the summer. We would fish from the top of the falls and hope we could bring the trout all the way up before they could flip off and fall back into the pool below the falls. My Dad and his brothers used to ride their bikes up from Toronto in the summer to spend the summers working on the farms of friends.. They would work and fish all day long. My Dad’s ashes were spread at the top of the falls and my Mom’s followed a few years later.

    This is not only local history this is my history.

    Dave Walter

  3. i used to jump off of these falls in the summer with some of my high school friends ♥ since it is a man made damm you can control how much water comes over these falls the bottom where we jumpped was flat the only tricky part was climbing back up !! it got slimy come mid summer . . . boy i sure would love to come and re visit the falls . . . some of my most favorite memories are linked right here in this pic ♥♥♥

  4. Sounds pretty dangerous to me ! It’s a lovely picture. Thank goodness you didn’t get hurt or damage your equipment!

  5. The folks at the Inn linked this on their Facebook page – beautiful shot.

  6. lucky you didn’t get your camera wet??? risky spot?

    I need a new camera soon – which one you use 🙂 ??

    Beth

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