Guelph II
A collection of activities around Guelph. Find out about our first visit to the city here.
Hiking There are two Grand River Conservation Areas in Guelph, with extensive hiking trails. We visited Guelph Lake during snowy winter with Karolyn. I didn’t find the online trail map particularly useful, as it just showed one continuous trail, but when we got there we found a more detailed one. We parked next to the Pollinator Garden and basically did a 7.5km loop encompassing all the trails. It was a bit difficult to see where each trail was with the snow, but we found our way! We even got some nice views of the frozen Guelph Lake and Speed River. We discovered most of the other dog owners had their dogs off-leash (although technically not permitted) so let Rita have a bit of a run too!
Our second visit was on a sunny spring day, when everyone was flocking to the beach. Without the snow, I got a better handle on the trails. Park in the Pollinator car park (across the road from the main carpark), take the orange and the North Roads (grey) trail to the north west of the park. From here you can join the rest of the trail system. Rita also got a dip in the Speed River. Then take the yellow and green trail back to the main beach area via the campgrounds.
Rockwood sits on the Eramosa River and its inclined trails provide striking views over the water and of the bordering limestone cliffs. From the Pavilion parking lot, we formed a 3km loop out of the Pothole and Cedar Ridge trails. At the North East end, we explored the caves and marvelled at the ruins of a woollen mill dating back to 1867.
Eating After all those outdoor activities, Fixed Gear Brewery hits the spot. During an April visit, we reserved a spot at their Canteen location to enjoy their pizzas, which reach temperatures of 400 degrees during cooking! We were lucky to reserve one of their Ice Domes (although, saying that, they had double-booked us a few weeks earlier and we got turned away but compensated us with a $50 gift card which paid for today’s meal). Neither Karolyn nor I are big beer drinkers but we thoroughly appreciated the pizza! Rita enjoyed having free rein of the dome, and I purchased a “Ruff’ Around The Edges” dog treat for her - they even stock branded dog bandanas!
Sightseeing We first visited Riverside Park during the winter, but realised it’s much prettier in the summer! The highlight of this park is the floral clock, with a different flower arrangement creating the clock face each year. In 2023, it was promoting the bird-friendly aspect of the park. Technically dogs aren’t allowed in the floral gardens – just make sure they don’t pee on the plants….
The enabling garden is designed for those with disabilities or limited mobility. I noticed the floral scents as soon as I entered the space, and it’s right next to the river, which provides a peaceful and relaxing backdrop. A registered horticultural therapist works alongside people with special needs to grow vegetables and plant flowerbeds whilst improving their wellbeing.
After admiring the gardens, we walked across the bridge onto the Speed River Trail, which turns into the Royal Recreation Trail. Crossing over the road out of the park, you can walk all the way to Guelph Lake. This park of the trial is named Robbie’s Path after a teenager who saved the area from condo development in 1985, before sadly passing away aged 15.
Other non-dog friendly activities at the park include the vintage carousel, train ride and disc golf. There are also regular events, such as Ribfest and the Classic Car show taking place the day we visited!
