Armchair Traveller – Discovering Local Gems: Exploring Simcoe and Norfolk County This Fall

This post was previously featured in The Trinity Times in September 2021

The fall is the perfect time to get out and about a little, and while many of us are still not prepared to travel far and wide, we can take small steps right here in our own backyard! There are so many great spots to explore right here in Simcoe and Norfolk County that I thought I’d share a few of my favourites!

But First, Coffee!

We have enjoyed crossing paths with lots of Trinity folks at two Simcoe cafés:  Joy Café and Kingfisher Café (formerly Sabor Espresso).  Both local coffee shops offer a basic cup of joe along with teas, cold concoctions, fancy espresso-based drinks, and baked goods.  A take-out cup often caffeinates my Norfolk County roaming, but we like to sit in, too, enjoying the ambiance and people watching in fine café tradition! Right next door to Kingfisher on Norfolk Street is a new local bookshop, Firefly and Fox books – it’s been a long time since our town had an independent bookseller, so this is exciting to see (plus, if anything goes better together than a books and a cuppa, I’m not sure what!)

Ontario’s Garden

At this time of year, I’m always on the lookout for fresh fruits and vegetables, both for our daily meals and for canning and preserving.  We are fortunate to live in a county where so much great produce is grown.  I love to stop at roadside stands to pick up something to add to our dinner menu. Norfolk has large permanent stands as well as pop ups right on the shoulder of the rural roads – have you been tasting Norfolk’s amazing corn harvest this year?  Pro tip:  make sure to have a bit of cash on hand in small bills and coins – very helpful for paying for produce at self-serve stands!  To purchase larger quantities for preserving, check Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji to see if local farms are selling direct-to-consumer for some great prices!

Getting Some Exercise

During Covid, we have really enjoyed getting outdoors, and Norfolk County is a beautiful place to do that!  You might run into a few Trinity folks walking in local cemeteries where the well-groomed roadways let you wander in quiet contemplation.  I’ve also met quite a few of our parishioners on the rail trails (Lynn Valley Trail or Waterford Heritage Trail) while riding my bike this year – always happy to say hello as our paths cross!  One of our best discoveries has to be the extensive network of trails in the southwest areas of Norfolk!  Check out the Spooky Hollow Nature Sanctuary for a long or short walk in a lovely natural setting.  The St Williams Conservation Reserve has large tracts of land with multi use trails in both St. Williams and at Turkey Point (https://swcr.ca)   For a lovely walk or ride in the woods, we especially love Backus Woods, a property of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (and a favourite of quite a few Trinity walkers!) Several trails are accessible from the parking area on Highway 24, and you can choose your preferred distance and level of difficulty to explore the Carolinian trees and wetlands in this beautiful woods!

Safey Travels

Lynn

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