Spring Is Sprung: Visiting the Warkworth Lilac Festival

Lilac in the foreground, with people walking in the background

There’s a moment every year when you walk out the door and realize, “spring is really here!” Temperatures climb upward, buds appear on the trees, and birdsong suddenly seems louder. Nothing drives the feeling home quite like spring flowers, though—and the avid gardeners at the Warkworth Lilac Festival have found a way to turn that sensation in a weeks-long celebration along the Millennium Lilac Trail.

Riding the Snowscape: Fat Biking in Kawarthas Northumberland

Three cyclists in a snowy forest

Until last winter, I’d never been on a fat bike. I’d cycled Kawarthas Northumberland thoroughly in the warmer months—the region is crisscrossed with rail trails and backroads that make for shady, serene riding in the summer. Then I was invited to ride some Northumberland County trails on a borrowed fat bike, and my conversion into an all-season rider happened almost instantly.

Fall Exploration: Our Recommended Hike and Brewery Pairings

Every beer drinker knows a brew tastes better when you’ve earned it. Preferences also change by season—a crisp lager is never better than in the high heat of summer, and cooler weather makes a rich flavour like porter especially appealing. These fundamentals combine beautifully in Kawarthas Northumberland, where an abundance of hiking trails meets a … Read more

Return of the Tallgrass Prairie: Exploring Hazel Bird Nature Reserve

As an avid hiker, I’m a little embarrassed how little I know about plants. If it’s not a maple tree, trillium, or poison ivy, there’s a good chance I’ll be stumped. I read interpretive plaques in the hopes of raising my identification game, though, which is how I stumbled upon the remarkable work of the Nature Conservancy of Canada at Hazel Bird Nature Reserve.

Kawartha Nordic Cross-Country Ski Club Attracts Beginners and Pros Alike

Skiers depart from a snow-covered cabin

When I first moved to Peterborough, I kept hearing about Kawartha Nordic Ski Club. On a snowy weekend I finally drove the forty minutes north with a few friends, none of whom had cross-country skied since childhood. We rented gear and hit the trails, choosing a gentle loop through the woods with a few manageable hills. The next week my wife and I were at Wild Rock Outfitters getting fitted for skis, poles, and boots.