So Much To Do

Buckhorn Lake is part of the Trent Severn Waterway system and lock #31 is located at Buckhorn Village. The lock divides Upper Buckhorn Lake from Lower Buckhorn Lake by the relative difference in the height of the water on either side of it. The cottage is approximately 15 minutes by car from Buckhorn Village. Although there is a small walk-in beach at the cottage, one of the finest public beaches in all the Kawarthas (Sandy Lake Beach), the ultimate walk-in beach, with turquoise water and endless stretches of natural sand that draws people from miles around, is just 5 minutes by car on the road to Buckhorn Village.

Ten minutes from the cottage by car (just 5 minutes past the beach) is one of the best public golf courses in the area — an 18 hole, par 72 course at the Six Foot Bay Resort complex. In different directions by car, the cottage is approximately 15 minutes from Buckhorn Village and Ennismore; 25 minutes from Lakefield, Burleigh Falls, and Bridgenorth; 40 minutes from Peterborough, Trent University, and Bobcageon; and, 1 hour from Lindsay and Port Hope. There are a number of events held every year even in the immediate vicinity of the cottage such as the Buckhorn Wildlife and Arts festival, the Lakehurst Winter Carnival, and sites to visit such as the Gallery on the Lake, Petroglyph Park, and the Warsaw caves. For those who love horse back riding, there are two possibilities: ClairAda Farm Trail Riding Ranch, and Buckhorn Farm Equestrian Centre.

Peterborough, once a one or two industry town, has diversified, taken an interest in its historic core, and is becoming a university town with the influence of Trent. Despite the seemingly endless and questionable efforts to build large malls on its periphery, Peterborough’s core survives with coffee shops, small restaurants, clubs, theatre and festivals in no small part thanks to the influx of university students. It is, of course, home to the famous lift locks and Canada’s only Canoe Museum. Lindsay and Port Hope, in addition to being charming locales, have thriving repertory theatre scenes and Port Hope has a successful annual jazz festival.

The point is, there are numerous sites and activities in the vicinity of the cottage. You can enjoy them and then leave the hustle and bustle behind and return to the relative solitude and luxurious ambiance of the cottage.

A note about summer time boating:

I will provide a canoe, a paddle boat, and a small row boat; but liability issues prevent me from offering a powered boat of any size. Other boats and the boathouse itself are off limits. A cursory read of Transport Canada’s Boat Smart manual (a study guide for the pleasure craft operator’s exam) points out that both you and I are responsible any time I let you use one of my boats. As of September 15, 2002 any person operating a PWC (jet ski) or powerboat less than 4 meters must obtain and carry a Pleasure Craft Operator’s Card. Under no circumstances can anyone under 16 operate a jet ski. As of September 15, 2009 all operators of power driven craft, jet skis, and powered sailboats will be required to carry a Pleasure Craft Operator’s Card regardless of age or size of craft operated. You should be aware that even now the OPP’s marine division regularly patrols the Kawartha lakes checking for the required pleasure craft operator’s card and for the required safety equipment (which I will provide) and fines anyone who cannot produce these items on the spot.

Having said all this, I would be the last one to want to deny anyone the pleasure of boating. You can rent a boat (where liability is an issue between you and the renter) and dock it at my dock; which can easily accommodate almost any boat. Small fishing boats with a motor can be rented from Emerald Isle Marina at the south shore of Buckhorn Lake at the end of county road # 17 near Ennismore.

Town and Country Marine (on the Buckhorn road) has a wide selection of boat types to rent and will deliver and launch them for you. For a small fee you can arrange to do that (or launch your own boat) at Bill Allen’s Woodland Campsite which you can see across the water from my dock.

Emerald Isle Marina (705) 292 – 8452
Town and Country Marine (705) 657 – 1299 or 1-(800) 463 - 2628
Woodland camp site (705) 657 - 8946