Read about the people, places, businesses, and history that make Kawarthas Northumberland special
What is good design? Swell Made Co. founder and designer Lesley Robb takes a beat before she answers. “I think primarily it’s something that looks effortless and is very simple, which you’ll see in a lot of my work. It looks effortless because it’s actually quite complicated to make it look so.” Case in point,
A lot of restaurants have lovely patios, but Campbellford’s The Dockside Bistro takes it one step further. Not only can you dine by the water—boaters arriving by the Trent-Severn Waterway can tie off below the patio and enjoy a meal quite literally dockside. It’s a distinction few other restaurants can boast, but if you’re dining
After a long and trying lockdown, Kawarthas Northumberland is feeling cautiously optimistic. While COVID-19 protection is still a priority, vaccination and other safety protocols have made it safer to step out and enjoy some of the in-person experiences so many of us have been missing. Better yet, local restauranteurs have braved the uncertainty to bring us new and exciting flavours. Read on to discover why we’re calling it the Restaurant Renaissance.
“I grow all kinds of stuff—I grow rose, I grow yarrow, mint, lemon balm, camomile, calendula,” Melissa Condotta says. “And then of course I get cedar and pine and stuff from all over the property or around Northumberland… With roses it’s the care that goes into growing them and just seeing how versatile they are and
“Korean and Japanese potters are very fine, detailed potters—very precise,” Sheila Brenchley says. “Now, the English potters are very geared towards functionality and everyday use… The English have showings and sales and things but they’re geared more to function, I believe.” Brenchley is in the midst of describing a globe-trotting tour she embarked on to
It can take the better part of a century to rack up enough stories for a spooky reputation. Fortunately for lovers of a good ghost yarn, Kawarthas Northumberland is rich in historical sites that—at least according to those with an inclination towards the supernatural—resonate with the spectral echoes of years gone by. As Halloween approaches,
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
the soil like giant flagstones, and birds flit from the fenceline to hardy clusters of juniper. You’ve arrived in Carden Alvar, a rare form of grassland habit home to a range of uniquely adapted species.
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.
Just north of Ennismore, on the other side of the picturesque truss bridge at Gannon’s Narrows, you’ll find one the most quietly beautiful hiking spots in Kawarthas Northumberland. John Earle Chase Memorial Park offers 7.4 kilometres of trail across three loops – one passes through stands of mature maple on its way to the shores
Drive one of Kawartha Lakes’ quiet backroads, and the richness of the region’s history might not be immediately apparent. Look a little more closely, though, and you’ll find a wealth stories from Ontario’s past. From a bustling 19th century lumber trade to contemporary Indigenous art, local residents have diligently preserved the region’s past and carried
Read about how Westben’s Digital Concerts at the Barn have kept audiences and musicians connected to this unique venue outside Campbellford.