Peterborough & the Kawarthas for a different world

PETROGLYPHS, FIRST NATIONS CULTURE AT CURVE LAKE, PADDLING EVERYWHERE

By Katharine Fletcher | Photos: Eric Fletcher

Studying at Trent University started my lifelong affection for Ontario’s

Peterborough & the Kawarthas region. It has a geological foundation of glaciated drumlins, eskers and lakes that have been developed by local residents into a wonderland for play, relaxation and learning.

Eric and I have visited many times and will return in June to paddle and perhaps take another workshop at the Canadian Canoe Museum.

What’s bringing us back, again and again? Take a look.

ELMHIRST’S RESORT

This family resort on the north shore of Rice Lake offers so much outdoorsy fun that you’ll want to just park, pick your activity and jump in. Horseback riding offers an intriguing way to explore the woods and fields, topped by grand views of the lake itself. Hike the grounds and swim or paddle the lake, then finish the day with a farmto-table “terroir” dinner. Or rent a lakeside housekeeping cabin for family or friends and stay a while. If you’re inclined to go kiteboarding, host Stephen Elmhirst has best-practice tips and a friendly welcome here from all the Elmhirst family, dedicated hands-on owners

And it’s only a three-hour drive from Ottawa.

What’s special? An aerial orientation and perspective of the landscape via Elmhirst’s floatplane. Take off from the lake and see it and the resort recede as you gain altitude. Our enthusiastic pilot was totally up to speed on local landmarks and offered an intriguing aerial perspective of where we had been canoeing at Curve Lake First Nations. Then we flew over “my” Trent University and two of Canada’s National Historic Sites: the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Peterborough Lift Lock.

CURVE LAKE FIRST NATION

This community about 25 kilometres northeast of Peterborough occupies a peninsula that splits Buckhorn and Chemong lakes, and is home to about 2,700 people. We rented a rustic housekeeping cabin overlooking Chemong Lake from the band council, ditched our gear, and headed out into the shallows in the canoe that came with the cabin, paddling through metre-high stands of wild rice. These emerald-green plants whispered and rustled as we skimmed between their long, cattail-like blades. Great blue herons stood sentinel, awaiting an unwary fish or frog, mallards and black ducks paddled by, and an osprey hunted overhead. On shore, two white-tail deer watched as we spied painted turtles basking on logs.

What’s special? The wild rice. This native plant was decimated when the Trent-Severn

Carving our own custom-built paddle.

waterway flooded its natural habitat. Built over 87 years starting in 1833, this waterway now links Georgian Bay to Lake Ontario. But shallow lakes became deep lakes unsuited to the plant and First Nations people lost a staple food source. Today, James Whetung still gathers it from remnant shoreline stands and sells it at the Peterborough Farmers’ Market in autumn. Despite this calamity the community retained its art and culture, on display at the Whetung Ojibwa Centre, including one of my favourite crafts – porcupine-quill boxes. And if you don’t get there before summer’s over, the September powwow is fun too.

PETROGLYPHS PROVINCIAL PARK

This park became a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981 because it’s home to the largest concentration of ancient rock carvings