Waterfalls: The Niagara Escarpment

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Could waterfalls-watching join birdwatching as a popular hobby? Jerry
Lawton suggests there’s potential given the lure of cascading water,
the appeal of the dramatic scenery in which falls are found, and the
challenge of building a list of falls observed.

Lawton introduces 30 waterfalls in the Niagara Escarpment area of
southern Ontario. He includes the world-famous Niagara Falls and 29
others “of some size” from the Hamilton, Caledon, Halton, and Owen
Sound areas. For each, he provides detailed instructions for locating
the falls, a sketch map, estimated height, width at the crest,
suggestions on the best time of year to visit, the name and phone number
for the responsible authority (park, municipality, etc.), and the type
of waterfall (curtain, ribbon, cascade). A lively, informative essay
gives the geography, history, sights, sounds, and author’s experience
of each area.

The style of the text is outstanding, making the book very enjoyable,
even for readers who have minimal interest in tracking through the
woods. Lawton is a master of descriptive prose, able to avoid the
temptation to use overworked adjectives and clichés. His style is
clean, friendly, informal—as sparkling as a waterfall in sunlight.

Approximately 35 black-and-while photos and 16 color plates add
supporting details and illustrate the tremendous variety among the
falls.

The appeal of the work is very wide; it will be welcomed by residents
of and visitors to the area, hikers, photographers, day-trippers,
birders, amateur naturalists, and all those who appreciate excellence in
writing.