Bruces Cave’s, Wiarton, Spirit Rock & Sauble Beach – Exploring the South Bruce Peninsula (and its Legendary Groundhog)

July 30, 2023 by admin

In this post I look at a few key attractions just outside of Owen Sound at the base of the popular tourist region, he Bruce Peninsula.

This article should be read in conjunction with my post on Owen Sound.

Geography

The Bruce Peninsula is a long strip of land that divides Georgian Bay of Lake Huron from Lake Huron itself. It stretches out in a northwestwards direction towards Manitoulin Island, forming a straight. Anything beyond is considered Northern Ontario, the Bruce itself is the end of Southern and Central Ontario. Niagara Escarpment.

Exploring the Southern Tier of the Bruce

Wiarton

Located along a narrow strip of land dividing the Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, Wiarton was a historic place of portage for the First Nations. It would nor be laid out as a town until 1855, and named after the birthtown of Sir Edmund Head, then the Governor General of Canada (from 1854 to 1861).

The downtown is rather typical of rural Ontario, with a main street full of masonry buildings and a few stately buildings like post offices offering stone and other materials to contrast with them.

It should be noted that this town is a perfect base to explore Spirit Rock and Bruce’s Caves, located just outside the city limits. Sable beach and Falls are also located nearby, but it is a bit of a drive (20 minutes).

The more interesting part of the town lies in its waterfront, doubling as a campground. The offices of the latter are in the old train station.

On the waterfront you will find a statue dedicated to Ontario’s season predicting rodent, Wiarton Willie. Like Punxsutawney Phil, whether he sees his shadow or not … the only difference is the Willie is a rare albino groundhog (which makes him hard to replace!). So on every February 2 (Groundhog Day), Willie takes part in the local Wiarton Willie Festival. This is a tradition dating back to 1956 when resident Mac McKenzie sent out invitations to his friends for a groundhog day celebration. A reporter from the Toronto Star came down for the story but found no groundhog. Disappointed, he went to the bar where he found Mac McKenzie partying with his friends. Explaining the predicament of coming back without a story after his expenses they did a mock groundhog day with a fur hat. The next year more reporters came and Mac McKenzie decided to seize the opportunity and host a real groundhog celebration.

Nearby you will find his home and visitors center.

If you follow the waterfront road, you can see the rock face of the spirit rock conservation area. Please not the conservation area itself is not accessible from here.

Sauble Beach

Nothing says summer on the Bruce like time at Sauble and its iconic welcome sign. Located on the west coast of the Bruce, on the shores of Lake Huron, this popular beachfront town really comes alive in the warm months and is known for its lively atmosphere.

Sable Falls

Just a few kilometers north of the beach you will find a series of cascading waterfalls, this is sable falls.

It is more impressive then it sounds I promise. Nothing revolutionary but still nice!

Spirit Rock Conservation Area

This is one of the better known attractions in the region and includes two main attractions, Spirit Rock itself and an old ruined estate called the Corran.

The conservation area starts atop a tabletop overlooking the Georgian Bay. As previously mentioned the actually Spirit Rock face can be seen from Wiarton Below. This tabletop has a tragic story (and spooky) history where it is said that Georgian Bay sailors could see the spirit of a woman who had hurled herself to her death when trolling the cove. The legend is of two warring tribes, the phantom of a Western Warrior daughter captured by the Eastern Braves and kept as a slave. The eastern chief fell in love with her but this love was forbidden between two enemies. The westerners threw him off the ledge and she too took her own life by hurling herself off the cliff to be with her love.

Today the upper most part of the land is home to a ruined estate called the Corran. The stone building was one a 17 room mansion. The sumptuous estate was built by Alexander McNeil for his wife in 1882. The floors were of marble, featured stained glass and it once sported a library with the best book collection north of Toronto. Mr. McNeil was the conservative member of parliament from the area from 1882 to 1901, and as such entertained esteemed guests with lavish garden parties. It once sported a 500 plant rose garden for such occasions. It was left to his son but over the years was left into disrepair and stripped by vandals who idiotically burned the place down in 1972.

The estate was built overlooking Colpoy’s Bay, near where those sailors would have seen that first nations ghost.

To get down to the water you must scale an old metal spiral staircase, that looks like it came out of a movie.

From there, a steep bath will take you down to the water for a nice view of the bay!

Bruces Caves

Named after the Scotsman Robert Bruce, a war hero who immigrated to Canada, purchased the land where the conservation area stands on and created a shanty at the mouth of this set of of caves.

The parking lot is located right off a roadway overlooking the Georgian Bay.