The Kawarthas or Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario is located one to two hours by car  (depending where in the region you are travelling) North-East of Toronto, and is considered part of Central-East Ontario. This is one of Ontario’s prime cottage and vacation areas, encompassing the County  of Peterborough and the City of Kawartha Lakes (formerly Victoria County) and is encircled by Durham region and Haliburton, Northumberland and Prince Edward Counties.

The only ski hills of note are in Durham region which is not technically in the Kawartha’s but if you are vacationing in the Lindsay, Beaverton, Scugog or Pigeon Lake areas they are easily accessible. Devil’s Elbow, Lakeridge, Skyloft & Dagmar all have snowmaking equipment so skiing can start in December. Check the sites for opening hours.

Finding a comprehensive list of cross country ski areas, or places for snowshoeing has been a bit of a challenge. There are groomed trails at Devil’s Elbow and Dagmar, and to the east of the region near Apsley, the Kawartha Nordic Ski Area in Apsley has a wealth of groomed trails. Just to the west of Norland in the north west of the City of Kawartha Lakes, the Norland Cross Country Ski and Recreation Park is home to a number of trails as well, although I haven’t been able to find a site dedicated to it, you can contact them on 1 705 454-9518 for more information.

Trails for Health list a large number of trails open for cross country skiing and hiking.

I’ve been doing a bit of foot stamping as I search for winter activities in the Kawarthas. I know there’s lots going on, but there’s not much on the web pulling it all together. Come on Kawartha Tourism – this is something you should be doing.

The great advantage of Muskoka is the easy access, with Hwy 400 and Hwy 11 delivering you to the region in a little over an hour. In winter there won’t be the hordes of traffic heading up there every Friday night although do expect it to be busy, given its popularity for winter activities. You should also expect and respect the conditions you’ll find!

When we used to fly in from UK in the winter, I always loved the ‘instant winter’aspect of driving north. We’d arrive, often to find some snow around theairport, but nothing spectacular, and start heading up the ‘400. By Barrie, winter was definitely in progress and once we got to Bracebridge, we reached the snowy wonderland we had come for. Lake effect snow can bring massive amounts of the white stuff to the area when the city has just a few centimeters, so if you are planning a trip, make sure you are well prepared.

Once you get there, a wealth of winter fun awaits! If you have your own snowmobile, thousands of miles of OFSC trails are open to you and if not, you can rent one from Muskoka Motion .They can provide you with machine, helmet, gloves, clothing – in short, everything you need for a day out on the trails. And if you need a guide, then give them some advanced notice and they have those too.

Downhill skiers will love Hidden Valley. Located to the east of Huntsville off Hwy 60, there’s plenty of runs for all abilities, ski school for budding skiers and snowboarders, and enough lifts to get you up to the runs with little delay.After a day’s skiing, head off to Rock Ridge for an evening of floodlit tubing. I just love this. Sit on a huge rubber tube, get towed to the top of the hill, then the kind attendant will push you off the top and give you a spin as well. This is such a rush – go with a bunch of friends and hurtle down with three or four tubes together. There’s a licensed restaurant too so you can take a break amidst all the fun for a burger and a beer.

Cross country enthusiasts can get there fill of some easy to difficult trails at Arrowhead Provincial Park. Cross country ski, and snowshoe rental is available there too. If you have never done cross country before, qualified instructors with Ski for Life will have you skimming the trails in no time. Visit the site for a list of workshops held on Sundays throughout the winter in Gravenhurst and Huntsville.

How about some dog sledding. Mushing across a frozen lake and through forest trails. Sounds cool doesn’t it? Call of the Wild has half day and full day trips to experience this unique winter activity north of Huntsville.

We have rental cottages available in winter throughout the Muskoka and Almaguin Highlands region. Take a look at the website and book an adventure weekend. The snow will be with us soon, so plan on getting active this winter.

Tomorrow: Winter fun in the Kawartha

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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