HERITAGE WALKS

THE WILNO HERITAGE SOCIETY

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The  Shrine Hill Cross and
 Commemorative Plaque Walk

The Cross on Shrine Hill was put there by Father Wilowski and the parishioners in 1933.

The Historic Plaque on Shrine Hill tells briefly the history behind the first Polish Settlement in Canada.

You could park in the Wilno car park - if you really want to prepare your self for a delicious nosh-up at the Wilno Tavern when you return tired and hungry from this 2 hour walk - and start the  walk by walking up the hill, passed the church and  all the way to Shrine Hill (about 2 K).

Or you may wish to park at the Shrine Hill Lookout and start the walk there.  Take Hillcrest, which is the road on the side of the lookout nearest to the church and follow it for about 3 K.  The road is paved for the first half K, but then narrows into a well worn trail through the bush.

At the crossroads of Hillcrest and Mountview Road, turn right and walk along the well used dirt road until you reach the T-junction of Mountain View Road and Church Street Turn on church street and just before you come to the made- road is the old Cemetery where Polish Pioneers where buried from 1875 - some of the early gravestones are written in Polish.

The Old Rectory is still standing and is now a bed and breakfast, a good place to start exploring the back roads of the Wilno Hills. Opposite the rectory is an old single room school house built before the turn of the century , now converted into a residence. Continue along Church Street, passed Don Burchat's Wilno Woodcrafts on the left and a little further on the right, the Wilno Building Supplies store.  Further along is the Wilno Body Shop. (I am just pointing these businesses out as they are well known to the locals, but off the beaten track for out of towners, and after this walk you may wish to have some body work done, build a cottage in the area and put in a nice kitchen - it's amazing what decisions you make whilst walking on the backroads of Wilno.)   At the end of Church Street you will be back on the highway and you can walk to the right up the hill , or left down the hill depending where you left your car, and congratulate yourself for having walked a good 6K.

Distance:  6 1/2 K (from Wilno add another 2K both ways).

Time: 1-1/2 hours + extra time for looking at the wildlife and wildflowers/cemetery etc.

Interest: the Cross, the plaque, flora and fauna.

PS: Behind St Mary's Church there is an outdoor Stations of the Cross, which is a very pleasant 1K stroll and a delightful walk with many photo opportunities of the Stations, the artistic landscaping of rocks, logs, and flowers

For more information on the Wilno Heritage Society e-mail:
heritage@wilno.org