Lets kick off with my favourite area. When we first came out to Ontario from UK, we bought a cottage on a tiny lake in the Haliburton Highlands, and it was there we experienced our first real Ontario winter. I’ll never forget the quirks of the weather at Christmas, that gave a day of thaw and rain, followed by a trip back into the deep freeze. The lake that had been covered with snow was revealed as the biggest skating rink I have ever seen. We skated non-stop that day, along with other delighted cottage residents – a never to be forgotten experience.
This beautiful area has a lot to offer winter visitors. For starters it has a great downhill ski area at Sir Sam’s on Eagle Lake. Granted this is a ski hill, not a mountain, but it is great for a half day out, and will serve the beginner to moderate skier really well.
There’s a wealth of cross country trails in the Haliburton Highlands with over 100 kilometres of groomed trails maintained by Haliburton Nordic Trails. A day pass will allow you to ski at Glebe Park in Haliburton, Moosewoods, the Leslie Frost Centre trails, Camp Wanakita, and the Resort Trails (including Wigamog, Pinestone and Willow Beach).
The Trails and Tours Network is a really comprehensive site covering all winter activities across Haliburton. It includes all trails, dog sledding, and a great list of tobogganing hills. And don’t forget the luge at the Redstone River Luge Club.
And for snowmobilers, the region is blessed with a great network of OFSCtrails, and the The Haliburton Forest was rated by “Supertrax” as one of the top-10 snowmobiling destinations in North America. Daily snowmobile rental is available here too. And for those who like to be shown the way, try a guided snowmobile safari. Highland Wilderness Tours offer the complete package – sled, all equipment and clothing, and a guide – for your supreme snowy day out.
And last but not least….you’ll need a cottage to stay in while you enjoy these great activities, and you’ll find those at CottageLINK Rental Management. Visit the site and take a look at our range of fully winterized cottages.
I’d love to hear about your winter experiences, what you like to do, and where your favourite place is, so just leave me a comment.
Tomorrow: Muskoka and Almaguin Highlands
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