Too Square to be Hip
A narcissist's guide to travel and culture
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders Fields Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. This well known poem adorns North American classrooms every Remembrance Day (Veterans Day/Memorial Day), but did you know that its origins lie in the small Canadian city of Guelph? I sure did not, but now I do! Known for its University and …
The spiritual and technological successor to Merrickville, Smith Falls took over from where the former left off. Whereas Merrickville was powered by water, Smith Falls took its place as Eastern Ontario’s leading industrial center by harnessing a new technology, one that would revolutionize life in Canada. I am talking about railroads of course! What to …
Welcome to the Credit Valley, a large inland watershed following the Credit River down 90 kilometers until it spills out into Lake Ontario at Port Credit. The region is currently managed by the Credit Valley Conservation Authority and in this post we will be examining four of its conservation area: Limehouse, Belfountain, Cheltenham Badlands and …
These twin conservation areas between Toronto and Hamilton area part of a geographical formation called the Niagara Escapement. This geographical feature stretches from Niagara, through the horseshoe and up to the Bruce Peninsula. Rattlesnake Point The first of the these two mountain escarpments, Rattlesnake Point offers a fantastic view of the surrounding farmland. Like mount …
This tiny village built on the banks of the Coldwater River and tucked away off Highway 12 is a pleasant surprise to all who have not had the pleasure of walking its streets. Renowned for its steampunk festival, historic mill and quaint shops, it is surely worth a visit – especially if you are doing …
A longtime favourite of Canadians, Banff National Park (along with its co-conspirator Jasper) evokes images of rugged outdoorsmen and pristine wilderness. Not only has the park managed to claw its way into the national consciousness – becoming part of the nations branding in the process but portraits of its glacial lakes and high adorn the …
Gravenhurst Once known as McCabes Landing and later as Sawdust City, Gravenhurst has historically been considered the gateway to the Muskoka’s. The region grew in importance when new roads were built into central Ontario during the 1850’s and the steamship industry connected ports in the Muskoka’s to Lake Simcoe in the 1860’s. The town served …
Sitting between Lake Rosseau and Lake Muskoka Port Carling is somewhat of a gateway to the Upper Muskokas. The Rosseau lake is, after all, where every millionaire vacations and Canadian luminaries (dead or alive!) such as the hockey god Steve Yzerman, the comedic actor Martin Short, the media mogul Ted Rogers, legendary actress Goldie Hawn …
Just west of the city of Ottawa (then Bytown), on the shores of the river of the same name, you will find the remnants of a man’s dreams, the creation of a powerful settlement on a 1000 (4km2) acre land grant. Today Hamnett Kirkes Pinhey’s estate, the life’s work a forgotten man, lies in ruin …
Just east of the city of Ottawa, you will find the Mer Bleue Conservation Area. This ancient channel of the Ottawa river was once part of the Champlain Sea, massive body of water created by the malting of Laurentides ice sheet, a large mass of ice that once covered large parts of Canada. The swath …
