Almaguin Highlands, ON
The region has scenery on par with neighbouring Algonquin Park, especially in fall. Our accommodation for this leg of the trip was a vintage Airstream stationed at Northridge Inn and Resort. Glamping at its finest, the trailer is hooked up to a water supply and a sewer, so it’s got that trendy “tiny home” feel. What’s more, it’s situated right on the shore of Lake Bernard. I had the best sleep here and woke to the sound of water lapping the shoreline.
The resort has a contemporary eclectic feel, with thoughtful décor and a range of amenities including trail bikes and hot tub. Nancy, the operations manager, was most welcoming and provided breakfast in the cosy lodge each morning. As it was towards the end of the season, there was only one other pair of guests, so it felt like we had the resort to ourselves and I allowed Rita some freedom.
The resort is a short drive from the village of Sundridge, which began as a railway town called Sunny Ridge, until it was inadvertently renamed due to a post office error. I highly recommend Sips for a coffee and 89 Main, with resident dog Toby, for local souvenirs. High Rock Lookout Park is a great spot for views over Bernard Lake.
There are several Provincial Parks within driving distance. We had visited Arrowhead previously, during wintertime, and it was worth revisiting during fall. This time, we combined the Homesteaders and Mayflower Lake trails, where we could really soak up the changing colours of the trees. We also stopped at Big Bend lookout, a striking delta left over from the glacial age.
Mikisew (translated from the Cree language as “golden eagle”) sits on Eagle Lake and has lots to do for all members of the family, including a disc golf course and fenced dog off-leash area on the beach! Rita really enjoyed playing fetch in and out of the water at this spot. We also combined the Old Dog, Beaver Meadow and Maple Canyon trails, which were all quite rugged and rocky and took us through forests and wetlands. On the last trail, we passed a large rocky outcrop.
Restoule was well worth the drive further north. The Ontario Parks’ website helpfully pointed out the Fire Tower trail as a “must-do” – sometimes it’s hard to know which trail to choose. The rough terrain was worth it for the views of Stormy Lake. There are two lookout points and the historic fire tower midway through the loop. Afterwards, we took the River Trail for more scenic hiking amongst the colourful leaves.
For our second day, we drove south of Sundridge to Sugarbush Hill Maple Farm. There was lots to see, do and learn here. We had pre-booked onto a 12pm maple presentation. Our group gathered round the campfire while Tom, owner and former Air Canada flight attendant, related the history of maple syrup and the evolution of its production. Tom has 3200 trees on his 100 acre farm and is careful not to overtap them. He chooses wood as a fuel source for the evaporator, which is not only the most renewable power source available, but enhances the caramel flavour of their maple syrup.
After the talk, we had the opportunity to look at the old syrup-making equipment in the heritage cabin, and then got to try samples of both amber and dark maple syrup, before making our purchase in the shop! There was a range of maple products on offer, including maple peanuts and maple BBQ sauce. Sugarhill is also Ontario’s first maple creamee supplier, maple infused soft serve. Rita enjoyed this!
We then had the opportunity to walk the discovery trail through the maple farm. The family encourage donations to the foodbank in lieu of payment for this. Information boards introduced us to the different trees in the forest, most importantly the distinction between red and sugar maples. We were able to examine the tapping equipment up close, which works on a vacuum system to extract the sap.
In nearby Burks Falls is the Screaming Heads art installation, located at the home of retired school art teacher Peter Camani and open to the public. Peter created the massive concrete sculptures as a warning against environment degradation. The gardens have featured in a movie and are the backdrop for the annual Harvest Festival, showcasing electronic music. It was quite incredible and at times a bit unnerving, to explore the site with Rita.
