Adolphus, Glenora and the Lake on the Mountain – Prince Edward County By Ferry
In this post we will cover a small part of eastern Prince Edward County often neglected by tourists. This massive landmass is located in the province of Ontario and juts out its jagged edges into Lake Ontario. This peninsula is separated from the nearby Loyalist Township my a thin body of water called the Bay of Quinte. There are two ways to access Prince Edward County, the first is a series of bridges all located on the north side of the peninsula and the second is a backdoor ferry entrance linking Adolphus and Glenora via the Loyalist Township. It is the area near this ferry that we will explore in this post!
This article is a stub of a larger article. For more information see Prince Edward County.
Table of Contents
Adolphus
This beautiful rural region is home to the ferry terminal into Glenora. Settled with the rest of the Loyalist Township in 1784, there is little civilization here. The region is known for its strawberry and apple harvests and if interested you will find plenty of cideries available to you on your drive to the ferry.
The ferry is an extension of the regional road system and as such is free of charge. In fact this ferry links the western and eastern halves of the the Loyalist Parkway (Ontario Highway 33), one of the oldest colonial roads in Ontario. Although the ferry runs frequently, it is a slow slog across the waters and if one misses there ferry they will be stuck waiting nearly 45 minutes. While waiting you will find signposts detailing of the history of Glenora, which you will be able to see across the water (Bay of Quinte).
Glenora
As the ferry apraoches the shore, you will get a better look at the stone warehouses and depot that line the bank of the Bay of Quinty. This is the outpost of Glenora, once an important shipping port for Prince Edward County’s agricultural produce. Originally called Stone Mills, it housed a ferry crossing across the bay predating the 1802 expansion of the road to Adolphus.
Among the buildings you will find multiple mills, a Fisheries Building and the Ferry Terminal at the base of a hill. Overlooking it on top of that hill are a series of houses delineating the subject of our next stop, the Lake on the Mountain. Canadian Prime Minister and nation builder Sir John A. Macdonald, lived for three years in Glenora, where his father operated a grist mill. He then later moved to Picton to become a lawyer and public administrator.
Lake On The Mountain
Once you get off the ferry you can follow the road up the mountain where you will find a parking lot for the Lake on the Mountain Provincial Park. As the name would suggest, this is a stunning body of water, formed on top of the mountain (ok… its more of a hill but its still cool!). If you continue on the road east of Lake on the Mountain you will find a handful of delicious ciders.
Walking back along the road you will find a handful of historic structures (some who you may have probably seen from the ferry), many of them now restaurants including the Inn and the Miller house. These are both excellent options for a stop off but if it is your first time visiting I recommend the back patio of the Miller house.
From this patio you will get a fantastic view of the Bay of Quinty as well as the ferry crossing.
This is a grat place to sample local beers and ciders, such as the Lake On The Mountain Brewing Company.
