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As I mentioned in my last post, I have spent an incredible bit of time up north this summer, which is good. Getting copious amount of sun and exercise, which is also good. But what is even better than all of this is that none of it has been the opposite, bad. Last summer as readers of this blog will know there were several distinct moments where our northerly fun was quashed by heavy handed administration, crumby weather and other campers who lacked basic etiquette. This year has been the polar opposite. Weather – lovely. Companions – a joy. Other campers – pleasant. Administration – unseen. And, as always, Ontario Parks – magnificent. I can only hope you have been enjoying it as much as I.
So this past weekend we blasted up the Trans-Canada highway bound for a park I had heard a lot about but never visited. Oddly, it was a park for which many sung its praises but no one ever said exactly why. No one ever explained what made it so great. It was almost as if there were some indescribable element that everyone experienced but instead trying to explain it, they simply said… ‘go and see.’
Bon Echo was the park and it lived up to much of its hype. And as it is not the mandate of this blog to leave you guessing, I shall try my best to convey its majesty.
Located in between Belleville and Renfrew, Bon Echo is considered by many to be one of the post picturesque parks in Ontario. Heavy coverage of old pines, which have been left to grow since the early 1900’s, leave ground level relatively sparse. None-the-less, smart site placement allows for excellent privacy for most campers. The Group Sites, where we stayed, are secluded and natural, many offering paths to private beach areas off of Joeperry lake. The park itself, with its clearly cut paths and high canopy with sparse ground coverage truly reflects the use of the park as a resort and a children’s camp, as it was used from 1900 – 1950.
Bon Echo’s true defining feature is Mazinaw Rock. Rising erect directly out of Mazinaw Lake, Mazinaw Rock stands above the water over 100 meters and carries for over 1.5 km. When I first saw it I could do nothing but stand awestruck. It is as if picked directly from a Group of Seven painting, and, indeed, the Group of Seven did frequent the park, and I am sure stood equally awestruck as I.
We were quick to rent canoes and paddle alongside the great wall. Mazinaw Lake, I quickly realized, has one of the most interesting topographies I had ever come upon. Upon leaving a lagoon where you rent canoes, the land parallel to Mazinaw Rock at the other side of the lake, about .5 km across, abruptly juts directly towards the rock wall. This means the lake suddenly narrows to only a tiny passage right next to the wall before quickly widening again. This forms a peninsula which, viewed from above, is one of the parks most unique features.
Canoeing next to the wall you are treated to several other surprises. Native Canadian pictographs can be faintly seen painted on the rock wall. 260 of them total! We were told about them before heading out but they are still very difficult to see. Another option is to take the Mugwump Ferry on which an experienced guide will point them out for you. Drifting along you come upon another bazaar sighting. A memorial to poet Walt Whitman is actually carved into the wall in foot high letters. Former owners of the area commissioned the memorial and it still stands today. A slight shame to perform such a novelty in a place of such grandeur but certainly an interesting spectacle.
There is also a spectacular trail that hikes on top of the wall and is only reachable by boat. The park operates a shuttle at the price of $3 per rider that will take you across, or you can rent a canoe and dock it. Either route to get there is definitely worth the price of admission.
The beaches of Bon Echo are decent. Several options are available, one grassy, one with fine rock, and the last pure pebble. The Mazinaw is actually the second deepest lake in Ontario, and due to the extreme glacial impact, sand and mud are quite rare under the water. The pebble lake bed means the water remains quite cool, though with the summer we’ve had it is still perfect for swimming. This also means that fish and other lake species are not all that numerous in the area. Though the park is one of the few places where you can find Ontario’s only lizard, the Five-Lined Skink.
Bon Echo is another of Ontario’s absolute treasures. And although I have done my best to show its wonder, I still implore you to ‘go and see.’
What an incredible summer. Blazing sun overhead wide open weekends and an almost ridiculous amount of time spent up north in Ontario’s countless paradises. So much so that this blog remains severely under-updated, and for that I am sorry, but tis better to do than to say, says I. Besides there will be plenty of cold winter nights to convey my stories, that I promise you. (And, as always, I love hearing your stories too)!
On one such visit to the vast northern vantage we found ourselves just north of Barrie in the outdoor amusement park that is Horseshoe Valley. Braving instinctual fears of height and insecure footholds, we decided for a friend’s birthday to try zip lining and tree top trekking.
For those who don’t know, tree top trekking is like an obstacle course up high in the trees. Sounds amazing, right! You are connected to safety wires at all times and must manoeuvre across ropes, bridges, swings and other obstacles to find your way from one platform to another. At some platforms, you must attach a slider that is also on your harness, and zip line from platform to platform, quite a rush!
Having a few friends who had talked about crazy/dangerous experiences with zip lining in exotic destinations like Costa Rica, I assumed the Canadian version would likely be an over-supervised, foam-padded, plus-sized McDonalds play land. I expected underwhelming.
Luckily my first impression was a good one. I was running late and had fallen behind my group, so the awesome instructor who ran me through my orientation lesson recognized that I was a big boy and gave me a condensed run down of safety and how everything worked. She was quick to turn me loose on the training courses, which were expectedly small and easy, but we were quickly certified and ready to hit the challenges.
Sure enough, when we reached our first course, a 40’ ladder brought us to a towering platform high above terra firma. We crossed several rope bridges, slid across a wire, swung from platform to platform on a rope, and completed all manner of obstacles, some quite challenging. We hit the first zip line, a decent 200 foot slide from end to end. In all there are about 20 bridges, zip lines and other obstacles to cross before reaching the end, all of which leave you will a solid sweat and some pretty decent calices.
The second course started with a bang, five consecutive zip lines, some over 300 feet. Much higher than the first, many of the platforms are literally at the top of the tall pines. Some of the obstacles in the second course were quite difficult, and several in our party had slips and near falls. Several also missed the grab ropes at the end of zip line runs and were forced to pull themselves hand over hand back to the platform.
The last course, the big zip, is an incredible 900’ long zip line. Again this is likely better seen than talked about…
Overall I was blown away by how much fun we had tree top trekking. It provides a decent challenge, some great thrills, a solid work out, and, most importantly, a great outing for good friends. Check out www.treetoptrekking.com for more info.
Beyond wine and spectacular vistas the Niagara region has an incredible abundance of offerings. The microclimate that creates the impeccable wine capabilities of the region also creates a perfect opportunity to create some of the freshest and most delicious fruits, vegetables and herbs in the country.
The Niagara Region’s strategic location places it off the southern coast of Lake Ontario bordered by the Niagara River to the East and the Niagara Escarpment to the West and South. The geographic equivalent to winning the lottery, the combination of these factors leaves the region at a constant temperature variance from the rest of the province. In the heat of the summer, the region is up to 10 degrees cooler than neighbouring regions, and in winter, it can remain 10 degrees warmer. This allows for the longer and more consistent growing season required to grow more finicky foods like tender fruit. The wind off Lake Ontario also plays a strong role as wineries have even learned to plant their vines in lines perpendicular to the water so that the winds rush up and down the rows, providing event cooling and heating and consistent temperatures. It is also why almost any time of the year, a trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake feels like a full on vacation.
The best part about having this fresh food paradise close to home is that Niagara Farmers love to show off their wares. A drive across Four Mile Creek or Niagara Stone Rd. features countless produce stands where you can pick up fresh-off-the-vine/tree fruits and vegetables in their perfectly ripe form. Usually cheaper than grocery store, 5000 mile foods, you might even find stands asking you to simple pay-what-you-can for these sumptuous offerings. You often feel guilty, favouring a stealthy getaway, after paying the recommended 2 bucks for an incredible bushel of the biggest, freshest peaches you’ve ever seen, that are indeed worth their weight.
Early summer stop by for rhubarb, plums and absolutely amazing cherries. The cherries continue into the mid-late summer and are joined by apples, strawberries, apricots and pears. Late summer signals the arrival of amazing peaches (the best I’ve ever had, take that Georgia)! This not to mention squash, pumpkins, garlic, nectarines, blueberries, raspberries, elder berries, eggplant, tomatoes, and much, much more. Fresh herbs of all varieties are also readily available.
Some uses of this bounty are better than others 
We are indeed lucky to live near such a fresh food paradise. Warmer climates including the United States usually get a jump on the fresh food market which thus causes us to stock up on fruit that is either unripe, or that ripened over countless kilometers in the bed of a smoke spewing 18-wheeler. If you search for local, the pay-offs are numerous. Supporting local farmers, environmental benefits, fresher, better tasting foods, pride of community, getting outside, saving money, and the joy of finding fresh foods at a local farm or farmers market. You can’t lose!
Check out the following link for a great summery of Niagara’s culinary offerings!
http://www.niagaraculinarytrail.com/index.php?page=map#farms
If you love the peaches as much as I do, pick up a bottle of Peach Wine at the Konzelmen Winery. Locals snatch up most of the stock of this unique vintage each year but if you’re lucky to stop by the winery at the right time, you might find yourself with a bottle.
