During the late Ordovician Period,approximately 450 million years ago, a large, shallow warm water sea filled this area. The climate was tropical, and although the shallow sea was teaming with life, plants and animals had not yet been established on land. It was the time of the first arthropods, such as the trilobites, who’s fossils can be found in our shale shoreline in Craigleith. In the fall especially, I find mushrooms and microlife in the forest that look like shells, jelly fish and other sea life, but it’s fungi on the ground. It’s so incredible, I sometimes have to drag myself away, or I would still be looking at them under the moonlight…I will leave that for another night!
NIAGARA ESCARPMENT HIKING 