This stunning Ontario trail was ranked one of the world's 'happiest'

A popular Ontario trail that is just over an hour's drive from Toronto has been recognized as one of the most enjoyable places in the world to take a walk.

Bruce Trail, which boasts the title of both the longest and the oldest marked hiking trail in the province, has landed alongside such renowned geographical wonders as the European Alps and Yosemite National Park in a new ranking of the "World's Happiest Walks."

The adventure holiday experts at Ingham's in the U.K. compiled the list to help travellers seeking the mood boost that activity in awe-inspiring landscapes is known to cause, writing that "studies have been conducted to prove that feelings of happiness and improved well-being are genuinely felt stronger when we're immersed in natural environments."

"Hopefully, our fun study will provide explorers with some travel inspiration," they add.

The firm used a very unique methodology to nail down the ranking, enlisting the help of software to go through social media posts from hiking sites around the globe and measure the size of the smiles of the people depicted.

Topping the list was the South West Coast Path in England, with a happiness score of a whopping 99.30, followed by England's the Thames Path (with a score of 99.29) and Australia's the Blue Mountains (89.38).

Eryri National Park in Wales (96.50) and the Appalachian Mountains in the U.S. and Canada (95.94) rounded out the top five, after which came the Bruce Trail, with a happiness score of 93.67.

This trail in Ontario leads to turquoise waters and a hidden grotto https://t.co/JobGWqawj3 #Ontario #BrucePeninsulaNationalPark

— blogTO (@blogTO) June 11, 2022

Of the trail, which runs from Niagara north to Tobermory, the team says that Bruce "provides access to multiple side trails (which cover an additional 250 miles to the main trail), waterfalls and scenic vistas where visitors can explore the natural surroundings of southern Ontario."

There is also the fact that the 900 km-long path is set to become fully thru-hikeable with campsites stretched along its entirety by 2030.

The beloved destnation is the only Ontario attraction to make the list, and one of only three Canadian sites (the Canadian Rockies came in at number eight, with a score of 93.67).

So if Ontario's early spring-like conditions have you eager to get outdoors, you should defiintely add a meander along the Bruce Trail to your list of things to to do during the warmer-weather days.