Algonquin
For Thanksgiving weekend, Rita and I took a trip to Canada’s oldest Provincial Park (est. 1893) with our friend Nina.
Admiring the Fall colours
Accommodation, Barry’s Bay As Nina and I only booked this a week in advance, we were lucky to find a suitable cabin close to (i.e. a 1 hr drive from) the West Gate of Algonquin Park. One small pet is allowed (for a $50 refundable fee) and it sleeps up to 2 adults (although has room for more!). The cabin was very homely and filled with many trinkets and interesting items. There were also numerous board games and DVDs in case of a rainy day. The best feature was the fact it sat right on Kulas Lake, which was very picturesque. Included with the cabin were kayaks, a canoe and water toys, of which we made use. There was an outdoor seating area and BBQ for warmer weather. We were dissatisfied with a few things: it was a little cold (not helped by orders to keep the windows open and a lack of firelighters for the wood-burning stove), it could have a been a bit cleaner, and we only received our check-in instructions the day after we checked in…..but besides this, it did the job!
One of 5 sofas in the cabin
Day 1: Kayaking and Logging Museum Our first stop was Algonquin Outfitters on Lake Opeongo. We had brought one of the kayaks from the cabin with us in the back of my pick-up, but the other one was a little large so we decided to rent it along with our safety gear. Although Rita wasn’t allowed inside the shop, she got some pats from the staff and was able to be safely tied up outside. The gear we rented was all of great quality and the staff were incredibly helpful in showing us where to paddle. They also operate a water taxi to transport you and your canoe to other points on the lake upon the which the store sits. I had bought Rita a Ruffwear life jacket, which she wasn’t too keen on putting on (or keeping on!).
“Leave the navigation to me”
We completed a clockwise loop within the lake, around Sproule Bay. This took us about 4 hours, with several breaks for lunch and rests. The water was very calm and it was a wonderful opportunity to view the Fall colours. We also spotted many Loons. I think Rita enjoyed it, although she was certainly glad to get back on dry land! It was also a little cold for her, but she was able to warm up by having zoomie fits around the islands we stopped off at en route!
It had rained a little during the second half of our kayaking, so due to this and with getting splashed from the paddling, we were a bit wet. Luckily we had a change of clothes and could crank the heating up in the car. Near the West Gate of the Park is the Logging Museum. This consists of an exhibition, theatre and a small gift shop. Rita was not allowed inside, but Nina and I took about half an hour to learn about the logging practices in the Park, dating back to the 1830s and still in place today, despite many objections from environmentalists. This mostly takes place during the winter, when there is less undergrowth and fewer recreational park users. Meanwhile, Rita helped herself to some bran muffins in the car. To complete our educational experience, Rita joined us on the 1.3km trail surrounding the museum, which features reconstructions of the lodges which would have housed over 50 men during the six-month logging seasons in the 1800s and of the machinery, equipment and artefacts used in the past. Each model was accompanied by an information board explaining the history and usage . It was a nice way to learn about the history whilst enjoying the trails of the park.
For dinner, we decided to visit Ashgrove Inn, which has a dog-friendly patio. However, due to the rain this was closed and so instead we ordered the food to go and took it back to our cabin. There was decent choice (I got a vegan burrito bowl and Nina got mushroom ravioli) and we only had to wait 15 minutes (outside) for the food to be ready. However, the service wasn’t the most hospitable and the food was “just alright”.
Day 2: Hiking trails and Flying Monkeys, Barrie For our second day at Algonquin, we journeyed along Highway 10 through the park from the East Gate to the West Gate, stopping for several hikes along the way. Classed as “interpretive walking trails”, these had companion guide booklets, in various languages, to collect at the beginning and return to a box at the end (or alternatively you could leave a small fee and hang onto it). Numbered posts along the route indicated which part of the guide to read at that point. All of the trails were very well signposted. The only trail which doesn’t allow dogs is Mizzy Lake, as it has been deemed the "wildlife viewing trail" by Ontario Parks.
The guide booklet stand
First, we did the 2km Beaver Pond trail. This was particularly interesting as we learned about the beavers’ habits and the processes followed to build their lodges, where they live and store food, and the dams they built to create lakes and ponds in the Park to provide habitats for themselves. We learned about the positive knock-on effect this has on other wildlife in the Park. The guide did not give the beavers much credit, putting it down to “instinctive behaviour” and claiming they didn’t really know why they did it themselves! However, it did claim that beavers were one of the most industrious and capable animal species, which caused Rita to be a bit insulted! I think it was because of this that she started removing twigs from one of the beaver dams!
Those “dam beavers” ruining my reputation as the cleverest animal
The longest trail of the day (3.5km) was Hemlock Bluff. Here we learned more about the interconnectedness of the wildlife of the area, and research results on the deer, wolves and fish. The leaves were particularly colourful in this spot too.
Next we stopped for lunch at Bartlett. From here, you can take a water taxi to Bartlett Lodge. We were able to phone and ask if they served lunch, which they didn’t, so instead we had our packed lunch sitting by the lake. In addition, they don’t accept dogs, otherwise it could have been a fun trip.
From the looks of it, Rita was eagerly anticipating a full-course lunch
The final stroll of the day was around Peck Lake. This was nice but not as impressive as the previous lakes we had seen. On our way out of the Park, we stopped at The Portage Store to browse the gift shop, which had some different items on offer besides the regular Ontario Parks merchandise, and to grab a takeaway coffee. There was a seating area outside with views over canoe lake if you wanted to relax with your dog.
It was a 4 hour drive back to Waterloo, and so we needed to stop somewhere for dinner. We decided on the Flying Monkeys Brewery in Barrie. Their heated outdoor patio is dog-friendly and even features a special “dog bar”. Rita felt very welcome and admired the eclectic style. We both got fries/poutine dishes, which were tasty. Live music (apparently on every night!) was starting as we were leaving, and if we hadn’t had a couple of more hours to drive, I would have loved to stay longer!
