While a vineyard tour evokes thoughts of warm Mediterranean winds in the Tuscan hills or the hot Burgundian summer sun, in Meaford, you can tour our local winery all winter long. Next Saturday, Coffin Ridge Winery is offering a tour behind the scenes of the production facility, and then you can learn, hands-on, the gentle vintner’s art of hand-pruning the grape vines. Dress for the weather, and bring along a pair of pruning shears.

Then after your intimate communion with the vines from whence the wine was born, you can enjoy the actual stuff. Head inside the elegant tasting room for a glass of wine and a delicious vintner’s plate.

The event is $30 per person and space is limited to 20 people, so reserve now. Email willow@coffinridge.ca to make your reservations.

If you’ve had enough of this long hot summer, and are getting in the mood for a Meaford autumn, we discovered a nice video by “drofluf” down at the bottom of this post (with some stills from it gracing our page).

Meaford autumn country road (by drofluf)

(If you didn’t spend the summer here, you might be surprised at how perfect it was. While the south sweltered in smog and humidity for much of the season, Georgian Bay worked its magic, moderating temperatures here so that few days left us panting in heavy heat. The lack of rain was another story for farmers….)

A Meaford farm in autumn (by drofluf)

We came across this video by the mysterious drofluf (who is also apparently an avid cyclist), which showcases some of last year’s fall splendour. He (that’s an assumption we’re making) was testing out a new long lens for his video camera, so there’s a lot of nice pulled focus and selective focus shots (check out the Canada geese!).

Rolling hills in Meaford autumn (by drofluf)

The blue Blue Mountains (by drofluf)

And note the shot of a jet overhead. The crickets drown out its distant noise. Something else you notice when you live in quiet Meaford: while you’ll sometimes see distant planes and contrails, you rarely actually hear the airliners – they’re too far away.

Next on our 30-mile spirits tour of the area around Meaford is Creemore Springs, which opened 25 years ago in the tiny village of Creemore, south of Collingwood. Start by enjoying the scenic drive that brings you there. From Meaford, head south on Grey Road 7, or as it’s known locally, the 4th line. This road climbs steeply out of town, and if you stop at the top, you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Georgian Bay and the sweep of Cape Rich. (By now, you’re probably familiar with it – though we hope still in awe of it.)

Continue along the road and down into the wide Beaver Valley until you reach the stop sign at Grey Road 13, below the looming face of Kimberley Rock or “Old Baldy”. Turn right here, and proceed through the quaint hamlet of Kimberley before climbing back out of the valley toward Eugenia. The Beaver Valley Lookout on your right might be worth a stop to enjoy the view. Then, through Eugenia until the stop sign at Grey Road 4. Turn left, and head east for 10 minutes or so until you reach another stop sign at Highway 124. Turn right here, and about 8 kms. later, turn left at Simcoe Road 9. This winding road descends through tree-shaded curves to the village of Creemore.

A right on the main street of town, Mill Street, brings you to the Creemore Brewery. Back in 1987, retired ad man John Wiggins decided the town’s old hardware store, which he owned, would make a perfect place for a brewery. A friend, who was a retired bottle manufacturing executive and soon-to-be-co-founder, had an artesian well on his Creemore property. Another partner, also retired, who happened to be a pipe fitter and welder – handy for all that copper equipment – came on board, and the team hired brewmaster Doug Babcook to create the original Creemore Springs Premium Lager.

Creemore Springs opened its doors on August 15, 1987 (which makes its 25th anniversary just a few weeks away), and the original batches of beer sold out in four hours. But as the beer was welcomed throughout the province (and eventually Quebec and Alberta, and even further afield), the brewery expanded to accommodate.

Your blogger enjoyed his first taste of Bohemian-influenced Creemore Lager a year after its launch during a visit to Collingwood, and declared it delicious. But more reputable beer tasters were already noticing. Michael Jackson, world-famous beer writer, soon declared Creemore one of the two best lagers in North America (the other no longer exists).

Since then, the brewery has introduced such beers as it’s UrBock, a heavier winter beer, launched in 1996; a Pilsner, introduced as a summer beer in 2007, but now made year-round; and Kellerbier, an unfiltered German-style beer, first produced in 2009.

In 2005, beer giant Molson bought Creemore, but the distinctive brews continue to be produced in the village, and the quality and flavour of the beer doesn’t seem to have suffered.

Take a tour of the brewery while you’re there, and enjoy a sampling of the Creemore offerings. And don’t forget to bring some home with you.

When the rivers and streams rushing to Georgian Bay encounter the steep, ragged edges of the Niagara Escarpment in the Grey County area, the water tumbles down in an impressive display. You can take a day trip, or plan a few, to visit the waterfalls in the area around Meaford. Just check out the guide at the Grey County tourism website, or begin with an armchair tour right here:

With beautiful sunshine and summery temps predicted for Thanksgiving weekend, this is the perfect time to enjoy the vibrant fall colours of the Beaver Valley from the vantage of a canoe or kayak on the Beaver River. The river meanders gently trough the Beaver Valley, curving through forests and meadows making a delightfully relaxing paddle for everyone, from beginners on up. And with three access points, you can choose the length of your journey. In addition to the fall colours, you’ll likely catch glimpses of wildlife, and if you like, you can drop in a line.

Upriver, the highest access point is just north of Kimberley west off the Beaver Valley Road (Grey Road 13). For 10 kilometres, you wind through mainly mature forest, shaded by large hardwoods. While seeming wilderness, the foliage is quite a bit different from the northern paddling most Ontarians are used to, making it a unique experience. You’ll likely encounter the odd log jam, but don’t worry, if you can’t pull the boat over, your portage won’t be more than a few yards.

When you reach the next access point near the Epping road, or when you put in here, you’ll see the canopy open above you, drift through more open spaces with views of the valley, and enjoy the odd slightly swifter current.

The Heathcote dock is on the right bank before the bridge. You can pull out here, or continue through the hamlet to “Slabtown”, a favourite swimming hole. You might encounter a few small rapids and eddies in this section, before you pull out on the left bank before the dam.

Find more paddling info and maps here.

And you can rent a canoe or kayak, and even book a guide and learn some tips at Free Spirit Tours.

The first flares of fall have caught our eyes in the last few days, as a few eager maples show their autumn colours early. While the Beaver Valley drive, just a few minutes south of Meaford, is great at any time of year, an autumn tour of this grand, scenic vale should be in your plans for the coming weeks.

To whet your appetite, check out the video.

Stock up in town for a picnic lunch at Eggcitement Bistro, McGinty’s, the Earth Harvest Café or The Kitchen, or plan a stop in Eugenia, up the far side of the valley, for a quick bite at the Eugenia Falls Emporium or a delicious meal at the Flying Chestnut.

Apple season’s here in the “other Big Apple”. The orchards lining the roads around Meaford that were white with blossoms a few short months ago are now heavy with apples, and the farmers’ markets and fruit stands are displaying their ripe, red wares. We picked up our first half-peck of Jersey Macs the other day to bake up some apple crisp, but there’ll be many more varieties available in the days to come.

Take a country drive around the area, and visit one of these country markets to get your apples (and much more).

Almond’s Fruit Stand
Home baking, jams, birdseed and gifts.
Highway 26 between Lora Bay and Meaford | 519-538-2281

Appletop Farm
Picked organic apples and more.
416476 10th Line, The Blue Mountains 519-599-6177

Barbetta Orchards
On-farm market June through November. Apples, pears, plums, pumpkin squash and more.
Highway 26 just west of Meaford | 519-538-2206

Bay Ridge Orchards Limited
Eight varieties of apples stored in a controlled atmosphere.
7th Line South of Highway 26 | 519-538-1405

Bev Murray Farms
Pick your own apples.
145816 Grey Road 12 west of Meaford | 519-538-3592

Dykstra Farms
Ready picked apples and more.
301 Clark St, Clarksburg | 519-599-9938

The Farmers Pantry
Minutes south of Clarksburg, pick-your-own or ready-picked apples, fresh-grown in season vegetables, baked goods and crafts.
788030 Grey Rd 13, The Blue Mountains | 519-599-3691

Finch Haven Orchards
Apples, fresh pressed cider, non-alcoholic sparkling apple ciders, jams, jellies and preserves, maple syrup, honey, and apple gift boxes.
416241 10th Line, The Blue Mountains | 519-599-7775

Goldsmith Orchards
On-farm market open July to December 9.
Highway 26 between Lora Bay and Thornbury | 519-599-3246

Grandma Lambe’s Fruit Market
Fruits and vegetables, baked goods, honey, maple syrup, gift baskets, candles, and more.
Highway 26 between Lora Bay and Meaford | 519-538-2757

Jones Willow Grove Orchard
496818 Grey Rd 2, The Blue Mountains | 519-599-3668

Oaklane Orchards Ltd
Apples, including pick-your-own.
496445 Grey Rd 2, The Blue Mountains | 519-599-5841

Vail’s Orchards
Cider, apples, jams, maple syrup and fresh produce, September to December Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
 Two locations: Highway 26 west of Meaford and South on Grey Road 7 at west end of Meaford | 519-538-4928

At about 7 p.m. on November 14, 1872, the first locomotive rolled into Meaford along the newly-laid rail line between Collingwood and Meaford – built by the North Grey Railway Company. Until then, the village had shipped and received goods via ships and along the primitive roads of the time, and while various interests petitioned for a railway, it looked unlikely. According to Charles Cooper’s Railway Pages, it was Gooderham & Worts, the Toronto distillery, which may have finally spurred the development of the line.

The Northern Railway, which operated in Simcoe County, wasn’t convinced of the value in extending a line along the southern shore of Georgian Bay. But Gooderham & Worts had recently underwritten the construction of the Toronto Grey and Bruce Railway – arrowing northwest to Owen Sound to bring back the distillery’s primary supplies: firewood and wheat. To compete, the Northern gave authority to North Grey Railway, formed by politicians and business interests from Meaford, Collingwood and nearby communities, to build the line – with the ultimate goal of extending it to Owen Sound.

The train station at Meaford harbour

The first station stood on the west side of Sykes Street, near the top of “Station Hill”. (A small parkette now fronts the road here, with the rail yard long gone and a subdivision taking its place.) By the turn of the century, a new spur line to the harbour and a new station allowed more efficient access to industry and shipping. For years the railway served Meaford’s economy, brought in holiday visitors, and carried soldiers from the Meaford base overseas to the war in Europe, welcoming those that returned. But regular passenger service ended in 1960, and by then freight service had dropped to a train a day. The old station fell to the wrecker’s ball in 1965.

For two decades the line was essentially abandoned, but in a time when a growing “rail to trail” movement was converting abandoned rail lines across Ontario and North America, local residents showed considerable interest in turning the 32-kilometre line into something that could continue to benefit the towns along the way. The Georgian Trail would offer hiking, jogging, cycling, cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing to residents and visitors alike, whether they were touring a local leg or venturing the length of the trail. But the Georgian Cycle and Ski Trail Association had its work cut out for it. The rail line passed through two counties, two townships and three municipalities, and creating the trail would require considerable fund raising and volunteer time. But the group persevered, and within a mere three years the Georgian Trail officially opened. (As with the original North Grey Railway line, the section down to Meaford harbour took a little longer to complete – when your faithful blogger arrived in town back in 1992, you needed to venture up St. Vincent Street to access the trail across from Knights of Meaford.)

Next up, a tour of the trail.

One of the things that’s great about Meaford Haven is its proximity to attractions everyone else needs to travel far to experience. Hop in your car, and within a half-hour drive on scenic country roads, you’re at Scenic Caves Nature Adventures.

The site, high on the Niagara Escarpment above Georgian Bay, has attracted people for centuries. A huge standing rock, carved by erosion from the cliff at the site, was seen by the Hurons as Ekarenniondi, the rock that marked the path to the Village of the Souls, or the Afterlife. “Today, no-one disputes that the sacred Rock marking the trail to the Village of the Dead, which is at the same time Ekarenniondi, The Watcher and Oscotarach, the Head-Piercer, is the rock long so identified at the Scenic Caves,” writes Collingwood archeologist and historian Charles Garrad. “It is the only rock which meets all the tests implied in the legends,” he writes.

Ekarenniondi - the sacred Rock marking the trail to the Village of the Dead at Scenic Caves Nature Adventure

But with the arrival of European settlers to the area in the 1800s, the area was more noted for its vistas and the narrow caves that wind through the area. Locals would climb up to the site to picnic, and back in 1850 someone carved their initials in one of the caves – leaving marks still readable today.

The property eventually became a farm, which operated until an enterprising businessman purchased the property in 1932. Aflred Staples built wooden ladders and bridges and offered guided tours of the caves. An irrepresible showman, he called himself the “Man of Nature”, and performed feats and stunts to attract visitors, including crossing the ice of Nottawasaga Bay to Christian Island and walking from Collingwood to Chicago.

His daughter, Sandra took over the operation in the sixties, and ran it for the next quarter century with her husband, adding amenities and building a gift shop.

Then, in 1993, Collingwood businessman Rob Thorburn bought the property. Convinced it could be more than a homespun tourist attraction, he invested heavily in the property, adding attractions and activities to make Scenic Caves Nature Adventures a true tourism destination.

In the last decade, improvements have included:

The Nordic Centre A groomed cross country ski trail network that retains the feel of a backwoods ski route, with trees bounding trails that haven’t been cut wide to accommodate large-scale groomers. The Centre also includes snow shoe trails. Ski and snow shoe rentals and winter warmups make for a full winter experience.

The Suspension Bridge at Scenic Caves Ontario’s longest suspension bridge offers views toward Collingwood, Georgian Bay, and beyond to the Penetanguishene Pensinsula – from a vantage 300 metres above the Bay.

The Eco Adventure Tour The three-hour guided tour takes you across the suspension bridge, along a suspended pathway through the canopy of the trees, then down to the ground via exhilarating zip lines. (The adventure also includes the cave tour.)

We promised some more background on the incredible opportunity to hike near your Meaford Haven home, and we definitely have to mention the Bruce Trail.

The famous trail, which snakes along the “Giant’s Rib”, the Niagara Escarpment, for nearly 900 kilometres, has numerous nearby access points with a wide variety of terrain and magnificent views, and two of the nine Bruce Trail clubs base themselves here.

You can be on the trail within minutes of leaving your door, with access to four different hikes within eight kilometres of Meaford Haven and many more nearby.

The Beaver Valley section winds 113 kilometres from Craigleith to Blantyre (southwest of Meaford), through fields and forests and along the edge of rocky cliffs, and offers hikers expansive views of Nottawasaga Bay (part of Georgian Bay) and the Beaver Valley. The Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club schedules numerous hikes throughout the year in this section.

Hoggs Falls (Beaver Valley)

Beyond Blantyre, heading west and north, you’re into the Sydenham Bruce Trail Club’s “domain”, which extends all the way up to Wiarton on the Bruce Peninsula. The group develops, maintains (and hikes) the 170 kilometres of trail (plus side trails) in this section.

Syd Keeling Side Trail (Sydenham) by Jennifer Prior

In addition to its spectacular views and beautiful waterfalls, this section is famous for its ferns.

Visit the club’s websites to learn more about the different sections and help decide where you’d like to start. (And stay tuned for more hiking guides.)