| Fall is one of the most beautiful seasons in Ontario, and | | | | legacy left by the intrepid settlers to this vast county |
| after last weeks early fall colour tour through the | | | | of rolling hills, stony fields, deep gorges and quaint |
| Kawarthas east of Toronto, it was time yesterday to | | | | villages. |
| check out the areas west of Toronto. My husband | | | | Another few kilometres down the road is the country |
| and I set off on the highway, left the 401 at | | | | town of Elora, one of Ontario's favourite weekend |
| Mississauga Road and drove north into rolling | | | | excursion destinations. Elora is situated in a beautiful |
| agricultural farmland. Our first interesting village along | | | | nature area with glacial rock formations, and its most |
| the way was Glen Williams, a little hamlet outside of | | | | stunning geological feature is the Elora River which |
| Georgetown, whose former sawmill now houses more | | | | plunges over a number of rapids into the spectacular |
| than 30 artists and artisans. We headed north along | | | | Elora Gorge. The mill sitting at the top of the gorge, |
| the scenic Credit River and drove up onto the Niagara | | | | aptly called the Elora Mill, has been turned into an |
| Escarpment and literally stumbled over the Cheltenham | | | | upscale fine dining restaurant and country inn with 32 |
| Brickworks, a now abandoned brickmaking factory | | | | guest rooms. |
| dating back to 1930 that utilized the area's clay soil to | | | | The Elora Gorge features several kilometres of |
| manufacture bricks for Toronto's housing boom. | | | | 80-foot cliffs, caverns, rapids and quiet pools. During |
| Abandoned industrial buildings always hold a strange | | | | the summer, hiking along the cliffs and inner-tubing |
| fascination for me, and they offer great opportunities | | | | through the gorge are favourite pastimes. Hiking trails |
| for curious photographers. | | | | start right at the Elora Mill. During the winter months |
| Not far away is another very unique area, the | | | | visitors indulge in cross-country skiing and scenic nature |
| Cheltenham Badlands, a unique geological formation of | | | | walks through the area. The Grand River also provides |
| weathered terra cotta hued rock, that originated as a | | | | excellent opportunities for fly-fishing, canoeing and |
| result of deforestation and overgrazing during the early | | | | kayaking. |
| 1900s. It's a fascinating landscape of undulating hills of | | | | The Elora-Cataract trail crosses 47 kilometres of |
| red clay with greenish stripes, due to the soil's red and | | | | scenic countryside. Between Fergus and Elora the trail |
| gray iron oxide content. | | | | passes by the Elora Quarry Conservation Area, an |
| The 800-kilometre-long Bruce Trail that goes all the | | | | abandoned quarry that is a favourite spot for a |
| way from Niagara Falls to the tip of the Bruce | | | | refreshing dip. The quiet farmland around Elora is |
| Peninsula snakes through this region, and there are | | | | perfect for long country bike rides, and numerous golf |
| several entry points close by. The Niagara Escarpment | | | | courses round out the activities on offer. |
| is a truly unique habitat and home to 300 bird species, | | | | During our visit yesterday, Elora was nicely dressed up |
| 53 mammals, 36 reptiles and amphibians, 90 fish and | | | | for Halloween - a variety of ghouls, ghosts, spiders, |
| 100 varieties of special interest flora including 37 types | | | | monsters and witches adorned the buildings, balconies |
| of wild orchids. UNESCO named Ontario's Niagara | | | | and lamp posts along the town's main streets.The |
| Escarpment a World Biosphere Reserve in 1990. It's a | | | | town also offers a variety of shops, antique stories, |
| popular spot among hikers and naturalists. | | | | galleries and diverse dining establishments. |
| We headed east and down the Niagara Escarpment | | | | Horse-drawn coach rides throughout town are also a |
| again and drove north in its shadow to the Forks of | | | | popular activity for tourists. |
| the Credit area and the quaint little village of | | | | Not far from Elora you can visit Ontario's last remaining |
| Belfountain. This popular excursion destination was | | | | covered bridge in Montrose, and you'll have a chance |
| founded in the 1820 by Scottish and Irish immigrants, | | | | to explore Old Order Mennonite Country. Summer |
| many of whom worked in local quarries, railroads, mills | | | | brings a variety of festivals to this area, including the |
| and tanneries. Today the village has souvenir shops, a | | | | Elora Festival which is a one-month musical showcase |
| beautiful country store, a spa, and an ice cream | | | | of internationally acclaimed musicians and singers. |
| parlour. | | | | About 15 minutes south of Elora is the major city of |
| From Belfountain we drove westwards through the | | | | this area: Guelph is a university and manufacturing city |
| town of Erin into Wellington County, an area of fertile | | | | with a population of more than 100,000. Its diverse |
| farmland, punctuated by rivers, gorges, small lakes, and | | | | economy also includes high technology enterprises and |
| golf courses. Our next stop on this country drive was | | | | today Guelph is one of the fastest growing economic |
| the little town of Fergus, a town known for its Scottish | | | | regions in all of Canada. Similar to Fergus and Elora, |
| Heritage which Fergus celebrates every year, usually | | | | Guelph was founded by Scottish settlers in the 1820s |
| during the second week of August, with the Fergus | | | | at the junction of the Eramosa and Speed Rivers. The |
| Scottish Festival. During this three-day event, visitors | | | | University of Guelph Department of Scottish Studies |
| from all over the world enjoy all aspects of traditional | | | | links academic research to the community of those |
| Highland Games with a wee bit of modern flare | | | | with Scottish ancestry.The city features many trails for |
| tossed in. | | | | hiking, biking, skiing and horseback riding and a variety |
| Fergus has a number of historic buildings in the | | | | of riverside dining establishments. |
| downtown area, and a major draw in this little town is | | | | Guelph's most stunning architectural feature is the |
| the Fergus Market, housed in the historic Beatty | | | | impressive Church of Our Lady Immaculate, a |
| Brothers Farm Implement Manufacturing building which | | | | Gothic-Revival structure begun in 1877 and completed |
| overlooks the Beatty Dam and dates back to the | | | | in 1888. The twin towers, more than 200 feet high, |
| 1830s. The foundry was the first industrial location in | | | | were not completed until 1926. The Church of Our |
| Fergus and today houses a diverse collection of | | | | Lady Immaculate is one of Ontario's largest and most |
| merchants, food retailers, and artisans. | | | | impressive churches. |
| Just outside Fergus is the Wellington County Museum | | | | This time we didn't have a chance to explore Guelph in |
| and Archives. The museum stands majestically | | | | detail as it was getting late afternoon and we had to |
| overlooking the once mill-laden Grand River. Built of | | | | head back. But there will be another time for exploring |
| locally quarried limestone in 1877 as the House of | | | | this beautiful, historic city and other surrounding |
| Industry and Refuge, this landmark structure then | | | | communities. But our little excursion out of the city was |
| provided shelter for the "deserving poor", the aged and | | | | a perfect Saturday getaway for exploring the history |
| the homeless for almost a century. The museum now | | | | and countryside just outside of Toronto. |
| gives visitors an opportunity to experience the cultural | | | | |