This adventure has a bit of everything - a cute Ontario town, a hike, a store that's become a land mark and a goat farm to round it all off!
We're starting in Port Hope, a beautiful town that sits on the banks of the Ganaraska river. It's well know for the beautiful Victorian architecture of its historic downtown with quaint shops and cafes. For the horror fans among us, it's also where the IT movies were filmed!
Port Hope is the start of the Ganaraska trail so we're going to do an out and back of the first 5 km of the trail to take us along the river and up to the town's salmon ladder. The migration will likely have finished by now but the Ganaraska is one of the top salmon migration spots in this part of Ontario.
Returning from our hike, we're jumping back in the van to visit Primitive Designs, the wildest shop you've ever been to. It's stuffed to the brim with 30' fire breathing dragons, fossils, hand made art, pretty much anything you can think of. It's overwhelming and absolutely bonkers.
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After some time checking out the creations at Primitive Designs we're making our final stop at Haute Goat a farm that, you guessed it, is all about goats. We'll have a look around the farm, finding adorable goats and stopping in for a hot drink and cake before making the return journey back to Toronto.
We'll be doing a very easy approx 6km hike that's suitable for hikers of all abilities.
08:50 - Those leaving from Keele meet at the PetroCanada by Keele Station
09:00: Shuttle leaves from PetroCanada at Keele Station. Please note that we leave dead on 9am and can't wait for latecomers.
10:20 - Meet self-drivers at the Capitol Arts Centre on Queen Street in Port hope
Explore Port Hope, checking out the Ganaraska River and locations from the IT movies.
11:15 - 13:15- Hike along the Ganaraska trail to the Salmon Ladder, eating lunch en route.
13:15 - Drive to Primitive Designs
14:00 - Drive to Haute Goat. Look at cute goats, have tea and cake.
17:00 -Anticipated return to Toronto - N.B drop off will exclusively be at Keele Station not Union.
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Keep an eye on how the weather's developing here.
We like to share some of the indigenous background of the areas we visit because these territories have rich histories that are easy to overlook. Indigenous communities have a connection to and respect for the land that has largely been lost since European settlement. As we strive to form a deeper connection with the land, we have much to learn from these communities. I use the Native Land map to learn more about these areas and find that developing a richer understanding leads to a greater enjoyment of the adventures.
The area around Port Hope is part of the traditional territories of several Indigenous Peoples, including the Missisaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Anishnabe, Haudenosaunee, and the Huron Wendat.. These lands have been inhabited and cared for by Indigenous communities for thousands of years, long before the arrival of European settlers. The relationships to the land, waterways, and natural resources were, and continue to be, of vital importance to these communities. Traditional activities like hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering have taken place here, and these landscapes are imbued with cultural and spiritual significance.
The colonization of these areas led to the displacement, dispossession, and disenfranchisement of Indigenous Peoples, a legacy that is still felt today. Treaties were often signed under coercive conditions, and land was frequently appropriated without the free, prior, and informed consent of the Indigenous communities concerned.
We acknowledge the traditional Indigenous caretakers of the land and are making ongoing attempts to engage with this history in a manner that respects and honours their ongoing relationship with the land.
This adventure has a bit of everything - a cute Ontario town, a hike, a store that's become a land mark and a goat farm to round it all off!
We're starting in Port Hope, a beautiful town that sits on the banks of the Ganaraska river. It's well know for the beautiful Victorian architecture of its historic downtown with quaint shops and cafes. For the horror fans among us, it's also where the IT movies were filmed!
Port Hope is the start of the Ganaraska trail so we're going to do an out and back of the first 5 km of the trail to take us along the river and up to the town's salmon ladder. The migration will likely have finished by now but the Ganaraska is one of the top salmon migration spots in this part of Ontario.
Returning from our hike, we're jumping back in the van to visit Primitive Designs, the wildest shop you've ever been to. It's stuffed to the brim with 30' fire breathing dragons, fossils, hand made art, pretty much anything you can think of. It's overwhelming and absolutely bonkers.
After some time checking out the creations at Primitive Designs we're making our final stop at Haute Goat a farm that, you guessed it, is all about goats. We'll have a look around the farm, finding adorable goats and stopping in for a hot drink and cake before making the return journey back to Toronto.
We'll be doing a very easy approx 6km hike that's suitable for hikers of all abilities.
08:50 - Those leaving from Keele meet at the PetroCanada by Keele Station
09:00: Shuttle leaves from PetroCanada at Keele Station. Please note that we leave dead on 9am and can't wait for latecomers.
10:20 - Meet self-drivers at the Capitol Arts Centre on Queen Street in Port hope
Explore Port Hope, checking out the Ganaraska River and locations from the IT movies.
11:15 - 13:15- Hike along the Ganaraska trail to the Salmon Ladder, eating lunch en route.
13:15 - Drive to Primitive Designs
14:00 - Drive to Haute Goat. Look at cute goats, have tea and cake.
17:00 -Anticipated return to Toronto - N.B drop off will exclusively be at Keele Station not Union.
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Keep an eye on how the weather's developing here.
We like to share some of the indigenous background of the areas we visit because these territories have rich histories that are easy to overlook. Indigenous communities have a connection to and respect for the land that has largely been lost since European settlement. As we strive to form a deeper connection with the land, we have much to learn from these communities. I use the Native Land map to learn more about these areas and find that developing a richer understanding leads to a greater enjoyment of the adventures.
The area around Port Hope is part of the traditional territories of several Indigenous Peoples, including the Missisaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Anishnabe, Haudenosaunee, and the Huron Wendat.. These lands have been inhabited and cared for by Indigenous communities for thousands of years, long before the arrival of European settlers. The relationships to the land, waterways, and natural resources were, and continue to be, of vital importance to these communities. Traditional activities like hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering have taken place here, and these landscapes are imbued with cultural and spiritual significance.
The colonization of these areas led to the displacement, dispossession, and disenfranchisement of Indigenous Peoples, a legacy that is still felt today. Treaties were often signed under coercive conditions, and land was frequently appropriated without the free, prior, and informed consent of the Indigenous communities concerned.
We acknowledge the traditional Indigenous caretakers of the land and are making ongoing attempts to engage with this history in a manner that respects and honours their ongoing relationship with the land.
