| Product: |
Prince Edward County (Ontario, Canada) |
| Date: |
23/10/07 (147 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Beautiful, peaceful, ecclectic, friendly, loads to do, good weather and the list goes on
Disadvantages: It's too far away for a weekend break!
My review is of a small County in Ontario, which has managed to remain relatively unscathed by development and urban society, although it is quickly climbing up the property ladder and being seen as a haven away from the day-to-day hustle of big cities like Toronto.
The County is an island on Lake Ontario and consists of 10 small towns:
Dereronto
Picton
Ameliasburgh
Cherry Valley
Milford
Bloomfield
Wellignton
Wapoos
Northp ort
Condecon
I consider myself to be very fortunate in that my family (parents and brother and his family) have set up home in the County since I moved to Britain and as such, each trip home brings me to this fabulous slice of beauty and tranquility tucked away quietly in a nest of back roads and kind neighbours.
What has Prince Edward County got to offer?
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Please see the photos I have posted for a very limited taste of what County life is like.
Prince Edward County (PEC) is a cluster of small towns located within a small island part of Ontario, which offers visitors truly breath-taking scenery, friendly people (Canadians aren’t very good at not being friendly) and plenty of things to do.
the County is a mecca for artists and nature lovers. It is renowned for its sailing, fishing and giant sand dunes and also offers live theatre, artists studios and galleries, unique regional cuisine, a growing wine industry, local crafts and boutique style shops and even a seasonal corn maze!
What is there to do
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Below is a very brief and summarized list of some of the activities and places to visit:
***Apple Picking and The Cidery*** (Main Meals average £5.00)
What better way to spend a nice autumn day than by taking the kids apple picking before making your way to the local cidery for a lunch overlooking the orchards and lake Ontario. There is a gift shop and staff on hand to answer any questions you have about their business. This has one of the best views to be found in the county.
***The numerous county wineries*** (tours and tastings average £4.00)
PEC is quickly gaining a reputation for quality wineries with some award-winning white wines having been produced over the last few years. Huffs and The Grange are two of the biggest, but smaller, locally run businesses like Sugarbush are starting to pick up steam. Local artists often entertain in the evenings and at weekends.
***Art and Pottery Galleries***
The County is littered with galleries of local artists. Of particular note are Peta Hall’s in Bloomfield, The Bald Photographer in Cherry Valley and The Picton Art Studio.
***Shopping***
Finding gifts to bring back home will hardly be a problem in PEC. The county is full of small craft and boutique style shops selling everything from locally made soaps, hand-spun knitted clothing and hand-painted silks to homemade jams and preserves, Cider and wine from the local region, and of course, enough maple syrup products to rot your teeth just thinking about them.
Bloomfield has some beautiful boutique shops, which cater for most tastes, and Deseronto, the nearby Mohawk community has some great roadside shops selling everything from handcrafted leather goods and weaponry to artwork, toys, jewellery and Christmas decorations. (I collect some of the Christmas decoration balls, which are hand-painted from the inside out.)
The country roads are peppered with homes and farms selling their wares on their front lawn. These businesses, be it, local crafts and pottery,antiques, fruit and veg, baking and preserves etc, usually work on a “help yourself” system, which relies purely on trust. A box or bucket will be left for passers by to put money in for their purchases. When last visiting one of the many pumpkin stands last month, I saw several notes left in the moneybox, which had obviously sat out there for some time. You wouldn’t find that in Glasgow!
***Bergeron’s zoo*** (approx £4.50 but remember, they depend on donations)
Bergeron’s zoo is more like an animal sanctuary and can be a bit sad to visit. Just outside of Picton a family opened a zoo, which is home to many animals that would have otherwise been destroyed. They have ducks and donkeys and other farm animals wandering around but most impressive are the big cats, including Lions, Tigers and Panthers that lounge around in the sun all day. The conditions are far from modern and they struggle to make ends meet relying on the donations of visitors and locals alike. I implore any visitors to stop by this volunteer run sanctuary and offer this family their support.
***The Sandbanks Provincial Park*** (approx £4 per car)
The Sandbanks is best known for its beaches and mountains of fine sand, which is considered one of the most significant fresh-water dune systems in the world. It is divided into East beach and West Beach) The East Beach is used mostly by the on site campground visitors and is more populated. The East Beach however, is hardly populated at all and has the most beautiful sandy dunes leading down to the crystal clear Lake Ontario – perfect for swimming in. The beach is lined with trees and offering added seclusion.
***Sailing***
There are marinas in Wellington, Milford, Cherry Valley and Picton and boats of all sizes can be chartered for tours or fishing. If you prefer a more relaxed outing, Canoes and Kayaks can also be sourced from the marinas.
***Natural beauty spots***
Every winding road out of the towns leads you to a new beauty spot, which will astound you. My two favourite spots are: -
Lake on the Mountain - A unique sight found on the outskirts of Picton. This is often the sight for local music festivals. Located 62 Metres above the Town of Picton, this lake has a constant flow of fresh water and has left geologists stumped for an explanation of its existence, as there is no visible water source on the mountain. The Mohawks call it Onekanoga (Lake of the Gods) and believe spirits dwell in the waters. Each spring they offer gifts to the spirits to ensure successful crops in the coming year
Little Bluff - a beautiful pebble beach tucked away from the main part of the lake with an 18 metre high limestone cliff and some beautiful forest trails. This is an ideal spot for bird watchers as it is home to many red-winged blackbirds.
There are a number of play parks scattered throughout the towns with the Wellington Park being my favourite. It is right on the edge of the lake and the play structures have been put together very imaginatively offering kids hours of fun. It was funded entirely by the residents of Wellington through donations and fund raising.
Nearby Cities
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Kingston - is a beautiful Loyalist city with a fabulous harbour front. It offers good shopping facilities, a maritime museum, Fort Henry, built in 1812 as a base for British Military in the war against the United States, and plenty of history and is only a 30-minute drive away,
Bellville - is not that much to look at, but if you are looking to hit the mall for money-saving shopping The Quinte Mall will have everything you need.
Annual Events
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What really makes PEC such a wonderful place is the community feel. Barely a weekend goes by without some event happening. It may be the annual Jazz Festival, which has gained a national following, or the Arts festival, which showcases local artists or Taste, a celebration of local produce and eateries. There are seasonal events like the Pumpkin Festival, which this year crowned a 1600lbs pumpkin as its largest, Octoberfest, the annual Mohawk pow wow, Wellingtons Winterfest, a snowy celebration for all the family or one of the individual town fairs which mark the summer each year. And of course, the Canada Day celebrations on July1st bring everyone out for a party.
Accommodation
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B&B’s (average between £35pp and £75pp per night – weekly rates also offered)
The County is filled with Bed and Breakfasts as this area becomes popular with visitors. Many are situated on the lake and you would be hard pressed to find anywhere that didn’t offer a view to remember.
Campgrounds (tent: £20 per night – weekly rates also offered)
There are a number of great campgrounds but Westbanks, with excellent facilities and ideally located near the Sandbanks Provincial Park is worth considering. Not only can you pitch your tent, there are also trailers or fully kitted out cottages (nicer than my house easily!) available for rent.
Eating Out
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Whether you are looking for KFC and McDonalds or fine dining there are plenty of choices available. The local businesses tend to support each other rather than treat them as competition and as such they will promote the use of local produce. Several establishments push for organic and where possible, fair trade products. All culinary needs, whether catering for children, Vegetarians or Vegans can be met easily.
Among them are:
*Currah’s For a finer dining experience and a great wine list.
*Waring House - A warm atmosphere and good traditional food
*Duke or Marysburgh Pub - A relaxed pub in Wapoos with good food and live entertainment (blues and grassroots music)
*Accoustic Grill - Live music and basic grill food – burgers and chips but good ones!
*The Buddha Dog
The Budda Dog is a unique fast food restaurant, serving mini spicy hotdogs with a massive selection of sauces and locally made cheeses. They are delicious but if you are hungry, make sure you get more than one!
*Menus are seasonal and so prices change but most are very reasonable, particularly when compared with what we are used to paying here.
Getting there
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Like most of Canada, Prince Edward County is a bit of a drive away for those of you flying in to any of the major airports. It is 135miles east of Toronto and 160 miles south-west of Ottawa It is possible to get the VIA train into Bellville which is about 20 minutes outside of Prince Edward County and you can fly into Kingston which is 50 miles north-east but ultimately, you need to rent a car to get there. Besides, to not have a car to explore this beautiful area is unthinkable.
Still not convinced?
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Finally, if you still need your arm twisted, look through the few pictures found at www.pec.on.ca remember the 2 dollars plus to the pound exchange rate and get yourself booked. Whether you spend a few days or a few weeks, you will wake up each morning knowing that you have been lucky to experience even a little bit Prince Edward County in all its magnificent glory. I can personally guarantee you return from your holiday feeling rested and content and ready to plan your return to PEC.
Summary: Prince Edward County is a little piece of heavan found on Lake Ontario
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