Badges
For youth, check out our new Youth Hiking Program for youth-appropriate badges!
**NEW** Walking Through Time in Sydenham
The new Sydenham Section geology badge is a tribute to the fossils that are abundant throughout the area. From delicate Syringopora, with its tiny organ pipes, to the arrow-shaped Pentamerid Brachiopods, to the honeycomb-like Favosites, all give a glimpse of the ancient past when the beautiful Niagara Escarpment was a tropical coral reef.
One of the most intriguing and abundant fossils in the Sydenham section is Halysites (hal-ih-site-ees), which is also called Chain Coral. We have chosen a stylized version of this lovely fossil for the Sydenham Bruce Trail Walking Through Time geology hike badge.
We hope you find many examples of these intriguing fossils on your journey!
Walking Through Time in the Sydenham Bruce Trail Section by Beth Gilhespy, may be purchased directly from our SBTC Hike Leaders by signing up for one of our Geology hikes on the BTC Hike Schedule. It will also be made available at Sydenham BTC events. Books purchased directly through the club are sold at a special member price of $37 with a portion of the proceeds directly supporting the Sydenham Bruce Trail Club.
For more information about the book and a list of other retailers, go to walkingthroughtime.ca.
Badge Requirements:
When you have completed the hikes and met the photo requirements for the badge, follow the following steps:
- Send an E-transfer for $10 (members) and $15 (non-members) to treasurer@sydenhambrucetrail.ca
- Email your hiking logs, including your valid BTC member number, along with full mailing address to badges@sydenhambrucetrail.ca
- Email your photo collage with references for each of the hikes to geology@sydenhambrucetrail.ca
Please allow up to 4 weeks to receive your badge.
Sydenham End-to-End Stained Glass Fundraiser Series
This badge is available to hikers who register for the paid series ($30 members, and $40 non-members) on the Hike Schedule and complete a Sydenham End-to-End series organized by a Hike Leader from the Sydenham Club or any of the other eight clubs.
The length and duration of the series is determined by the Hike Leader and will vary. Hikers should be aware of their ability to hike the distances prescribed for the specific series.
Once registered, there is no refund allowed.
Funds raised for this badge will be used to directly support Sydenham Bruce Trail Club activities.
Stained Glass Fundraiser badges are also available through other BTC Clubs. Check their websites for details.
If you are a BTC Hike Leader and would like to set up this series in support of the Sydenham Club, please contact hikedirector@sydenhambrucetrail.ca in advance of posting your hikes.
Sydenham End-to-End
This badge is for individuals who register for and complete a Sydenham End-to-End organized by the Sydenham Club.
This organized End-to-End is formatted as an 8-hike series, spread over four weekends, two days each, in the spring and autumn. You’ll receive this badge at the end of the 8th hike, usually in Wiarton.
Badges for Self-directed Hikes
Hikers who plan and organize their own hikes, and keep a record of their completed hikes, may earn the badges shown below. Payment for the badges below can be by cheque, or via e-transfer. No cash please.
All badges below cost $10.00 for BTC members, and $15.00 for non-members. Please include your membership number with your request, in order to receive the member discount.
Payment by cheque:
Send your hike log, cheque (payable to Sydenham Bruce Trail Club), your name, your BTC membership number if you have one (and for each member of your group, maximum 6 badges per request), your email address (in case we have questions), and a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:
Sydenham Bruce Trail Club
Box 431
Owen Sound, ON
N4K 5P7
Please allow up to 6 weeks to receive your badge.
Payment by Interac E-transfer:
Please direct your Interac E-transfer to treasurer@sydenhambrucetrail.ca . Our financial institution will accept auto deposit thus the Security Question and Answer are not required.
Please email your hike log and full mailing address to badges@sydenhambrucetrail.ca
Please allow up to 4 weeks to receive your badge.
I Hiked the Sydenham Section
You may earn this badge shown on the right by walking the entire length of the main portion (white blazes) of the Sydenham section of the Bruce Trail. As you walk the section keep a log of exactly where you hiked and when. Once you have completed the trail, follow the payment instructions above.
Note: This Yellow Lady-Slipper badge was introduced in 1993, designed by Clark Campbell and Orris Hall, Board members of the Sydenham Bruce Trail Club in the day. After 30 years in circulation, we are retiring it, and replacing it with the new design below. It will remain available for end-to-enders who still want it, until we run out of stock.
The New Badge for Sydenham End-to-Ends
This new badge is the winning design of a “badge design contest” in early 2023. It was designed by Ally Melanson. She graduated in the field of Wildlife Biology and Conservation from the University of Guelph, and is a member of the BTC Youth Council.
You may earn this new badge by walking the entire length of the main portion (white blazes) of the Sydenham section of the Bruce Trail. As you walk the section keep a log of exactly where you hiked and when. Once you have completed the trail, follow the payment instructions above, and be sure to tell us whether you’d prefer this “backpack” badge, or the original “yellow lady-slipper” badge.
Note: The new badge is only available for End to Ends completed in 2023 and beyond.
“Exploring Sydenham” 50 Loop Hikes
This new badge can be earned by hiking the 50 loop trails in the book “Exploring Sydenham” and finding the secret codes hidden close by the trail on many of these trails. Clues are provided in the book.
As you locate the hidden codes, fill out the last page of the book. When you have found and filled in all of the hidden codes, send us a copy of your filled-out page along with the payment instructions above.
“Secrets of Sydenham” Challenge
This special badge can be earned by hiking 30 of the Bruce Trail Conservancy’s Nature Reserves found in the book “Secrets of Sydenham” (The book is now out of print). You will also have to find the secret codes hidden close by the trail on each of these properties. Clues are provided in the book.
As you locate the hidden codes fill out the last page of the book. When you have visited all 30 of the nature reserves and filled in all of the hidden codes, follow the payment instructions above.
Archived (Retired) Badges
“Looping Through Sydenham 25” Challenge
This special challenge ran for 5 years from 2014 to 2019. We continued to send badges to hikers who completed the challenge, until Dec. 2022.
