So, you’ve got weekend or day visitors coming, and you need ideas? By no means an exhaustive list, this article aims at giving a few suggestions of the many fun outings in the area.
Food and Drink Tour
Saturday mornings, starting outdoors around May through to October, many regional producers can be found in farmer’s markets. All these markets emphasize seasonal, local and fresh foods. Orangeville’s is located in the historic town hall and opera house, where it is also held indoors in winter months. In Guelph, the market has run year-round since 1827, when John Galt and the Canada Company erected the first rough structure with the visions of making Guelph the centre of Ontario’s farming industry. After moving to several buildings, its permanent home in 1968 became the Show Horse Barn, originally constructed in 1911 for the Provincial Winter Fair (moved to Toronto as the Royal Winter Fair). In Bolton, the farmers’ market is downtown. Erin’s Farmers market takes place in the fairgrounds on Thursday afternoons. Most web pages for these will give you the specifics of dates, and also provide links to individual vendors.
While in these towns, be sure to explore the nearby streets and shops offering books, olive oils, local art and all manner of wares. Local heritage groups offer online walking tours as well!
Don’t forget roadside stands/farm shops too! Caledon has Rock Garden Farms near Caledon East, Downey’s Farm Market and Heatherlea Farm Shoppe near Erin. Berryview Farms is across from Downey’s, De Boer’s Market and The Birch are near Palgrave. Albion Orchards Country Market near Caledon East offers “pick your own” apples, Christmas trees and have a farm store. Dixie Orchards has late summer ‘’pick your own’ apples, hazelnuts and pumpkins, besides family fun. Am Braigh Farm near Orangeville also offers education, besides its farm gate store. Butter tart trails can be found on line in local municipalities!
In terms of drink, Caledon itself has four craft breweries, each with their own style. You can visit GoodLot Farmstead Brewing Co. located on its own farm, is a “farm- to-barrel” brewery. Another farm-located brewery is Sonnen Hill Brewing Co. with a 160 year old Bavarian family tradition and fresh pale beer and mixed-culture fermentations, and a farm bottle shop. Caledon Hills Brewing Company operates a beer garden in a restored church in Palgrave. Badlands Brewing Co. is named after the famous Cheltenham badlands, and offers a bottle shop and brews which constantly change.
The online Guelph Beer Guide “helps locals and visitors discover the city’s growing craft beer scene”. These include Wellington Brewery, Royal City Brewing Company, Sleemans Brothers Brewing Co., Fixed Gear Brewing Co., and Stone Hammer Brewing.
Windrush Estate Winery in the emerging wine region of Hockley offers international award-winning wines, innovative tours and events. Their mission is to empower youth through the arts. Nearby Adamo Estate Winery also has award winning wines, with tours and “Wine & Unwind Fridays” with live music, besides Sunday brunch and a ‘‘pantry’’. Downey’s Estate Winery offers award winning fruit, dessert and iced fruit wines too at their farm market. Cox Creek Cellars near Guelph makes European style fruit wines, and has winter firetable tastings, as well as artisan Millbank cheeses to enjoy at their picnic tables with the tastings.
Spirit Tree Estate Cidery in Caledon is a destination for its hard and sweet ciders, perry, baked goods from the wood burning artisanal oven, local foods shop and bistro. Caledon Hills Brewing Company also has hard ciders.
The Elora Distilling Company focusses on gins based on local grain, fruits, vegetables and herbs.
In the late summer season, amazing sunflower fields may be viewed at the Davis Family Farm, Campbell’s Cross Farm and Dixie Orchards in Caledon. In Elora there is Fieldstone Barn. Some also have year-round offerings like yoga, herbs, and horse drawn sleigh rides.
Cultural and Historical Sites, Anyone?
In the Hills of Mulmur, Dufferin County Museum contains a diverse amount of artifacts and archives. Significant among its collections are the archives of W. J. Hughes Corn Flower Glass, started by a “local boy”. It houses the largest public collection of W. J. Hughes Corn Flower Glass in the world in a special gallery. At the southern end of Caledon, Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives even has a restored jail! Also check out the Great War Flying Museum near Cheltenham, with its reproduction period aircraft.
Guelph’s past is featured in the recently renovated historic Loretto Convent, which houses the Guelph Civic Museum. It is beside the equally historic Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate, which dominates Guelph on its hill. Nearby St. George’s Anglican Church also has a long history. John McCrae, who wrote “In Flanders Fields”, was born in McCrae House open to the public as a museum. They offer periodic teas and other events, as well.
For train buffs Locomotive 6167, built in 1940, was one of 203 “Northern” locomotives used by Canadian National Railways (CN) for passenger and freight service, and also hauled troops and supplies during the Second World War. It is located in Guelph’s John Galt park. Tottenham’s South Simcoe Railway will take you for a ride through the countryside to Beeton and back, in a restored 1920’s steam locomotive!
In Alton, the repurposed and restored 19th century Alton Mill Art Centre is a popular destination for its art galleries, studios and shops.
Live theatre afficionados have the Orangeville Theatre, located in the historic Town Hall Opera House on the main street, offering a regular season. The Inglewood Schoolhouse Performers has been entertaining audiences for over 30 years. Blackhorse Village Players Theatre and The Caledon Townhall Players offer amateur productions in Caledon heritage buildings. Guelph Little Theatre has been entertaining since 1935, and the River Run Centre is Guelph’s premier performance venue, rising from the burnt ashes of a historic structure.
Sports, the Outdoors and Animals
There is no end to hiking, biking, camping and fishing in the area. The Trans Canada Trail passes through Guelph to Caledon with scenic landscape in between. Caledon’s Belfountain Conservation Area will be reopening with restoration work done to its historic features from when it was home to the Toronto founder of the rubber stamp. Mono Cliffs Park near Mono Centre offers a viewing platform. The Elora Quarry Conservation Area is a local landmark with a real swimming hole. Harris Woollen Mill ruins in the Rockwood Conservation Area are a popular destination not only for walks, but wedding photographs and movie sets. The Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area is one of the best bird-watching spots in Ontario! Conservation areas and provincial parks websites provide information on facilities. Caledon’s protected Cheltenham Badlands red striped landscape is worthy of a science fiction set.
Animals you say? The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada south of Guelph is a great place to go with family to learn about and interact with these sweet creatures. Go to Caledon’s Horse Park, a site for the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games, and watch amazing horses and riders during the season. It is open to the public and also features a Grand Prix on Saturday evenings, with a kid’s zone.
So, no matter what your interest, there is lots to do for an hour, a day or weekend in our region!
WRITTEN BY: DIANA JANOSIK-WRONSKI
