Prince Edward County : beaches and wine

The soft sand and shallow waters of Sandbanks in Prince Edward County has made it popular among beachgoers. But most recently, it is the inland that has attracted so many more tourists to the area because of its splendid wineries. The charm of the place comes also from the beautifully preserved historic houses and buildings, particularly in Wellington, Bloomfield, Picton and Milford. Now the County, as it is known locally, has become a hot spot that keeps growing; new restaurants, accommodations and local producers appear every year.

Coming from Toronto, it is best to exit the 401 at Trenton and take Road 40 to Loyalist Parkway. Surrounded by Lake Ontario, the county is almost an island, a peninsula separated from the mainland by lakes and rivers; this creates a microclimate favourable to farming. So the farm to table movement  has reached proportions unseen elsewhere. Many local restaurants feature local produce and wines. And this locally grown produce finds its way even to hamburgers!

If you prefer to stop for lunch before reaching the County, I suggest you exit the 401 at highway 62 in Belleville, take Front Street North towards the South and stop at Burger Revolution (300 North Front Street) on the strip mall where you might eat the best burger you’ve ever had.

After your meal, all you need to do is to get back on the same road, keep driving south through Belleville, then go across the tall bridge and you will soon be right at the centre of wine country : Bloomfield.

There are beautiful towns to simply walk around

It is a quaint small town, so much so that you might want to park your car and walk around, get some ice cream and admire the beautiful boutiques and houses all around you. Another place to stop and walk around is the town of Wellington, a few kilometers west; it has the added bonus of being next to water. There are some fabulous restaurants in those 2 towns and in between.

For the history buffs, Picton is the place to be. Several well preserved historical buildings are worth a look : the old courthouse, the Crystal Palace, the old movie theatre downtown and many stunning mansions.

If you are planning to tour the area by bike, there are several rental places : Bloomfield Bicycle Company, Ideal Bike in Wellington, Closson Road Cycles in Consecon. Request a basket that you can attach to your bike if you’re planning to purchase a few bottles along the way. The winding roads through farm land might remind you of your childhood in the country side : life’s simple pleasure.

(If you’re only interested in riding a bike in the country side, without the wine, try the Millenium Trail, where train tracks used to be.)

For beach lovers, Sandbanks is the place to be

A lot of people go to Prince Edward County only for the long stretch of beach along the shore of Lake Ontario or the sand dunes beach on West Lake. To access both, make your way to Sandbanks Provincial Park from Bloomfiled (road 12 and left on road 18). There is a fee to drive in the Park. Expect that on a hot and sunny summer week-end, there might be a line up of cars (sometimes the attendants even refuse entry if there is no more parking available). Even on a very busy day, the long and narrow lakeshore beach that faces Lake Ontario stretches so far that you will find a quiet spot if that’s what you are looking for. The Sandbanks Dunes Beach are also a lot of fun and you might find the water to be a little warmer as it is on a relatively small lake. Bring some sandals in the summer; you’ll find the sand to be too hot to walk on bare feet.

The western part of Prince Edward County (Bloomfield, Wellington, Cherry Valley, Milford) had been the most popular in recent years. But the action has been moving east recently with the appearance of new restaurants, accomodations, wineries, breweries and a cheese factory.

Admire the view from the edge of Prince Edward County escarpment

If you are coming to the County from the East (Kingston, Montreal, Ottawa), I highly recommend you take a more panoramic route. Exit the 401 in Kingston and get to highway 33, going west. Soon you’ll be driving along Lake Ontario. Follow that road to the end; a short ferry ride will take you across to Glenora. It is the most scenic way to get to the County and you’ll only be a few kilometers away from Picton.

Between Picton and Glenora, make a short stop to admire the panoramic view of the area. Go uphill on road 7 and park at the rest area at the top where you will enjoy the view of Picton Bay and the Glenora ferry from the edge of the Prince Edward escarpment. And right across the road, you should definitely go for a walk on the boardwalk along Lake on the Mountain. Located 62 meters from the Bay of Quinte, it is a mystery. Nobody knows where the water originates from, even though there is a constant flow of fresh water.

The County is a major destination because of its local wine and food products

Get the Taste Trail map if you are planning a self guided tour of wineries, breweries, spirit purveyors and artisanal food producers (jams, mustards, preserves) of Prince Edward County. There is plenty to taste. You can get the Taste Trail map and all kinds of information just outside Wellington, next to the Lakeshore Farm Market on Loyalist Parkway, at the tourism kiosk. Do take a map because you will need one in order to find your way around the County’s winding roads.

And speaking of taste, if you like home made donuts as much as I do, you should go inside the Lakeshore Farm Market; they are freshly made every day. It is also a fruit and vegetable market, all locally grown.

If you have never been on a wine tour in the area and are sceptical about the quality of wines, I will tell you this : some of my favourite chardonnay and pinot noir are from the County’s wineries. And no, I won’t tell you which ones! Most wineries will charge a fee for a tasting, except if you buy some bottles.

To my knowledge, there are 2 cheese producers, both located in the eastern part of the County : Black River in Milford, which has been around for over 100 years and specializes in cheddar and mozzarella cheeses; and the more recent Fifth Town in Waupoos, where you’ll find an impressive selection (almost 20 different ones on their website). And of course, there are samples for you to taste at both places.

Some other beatiful sites…

If you are into art, pay a visit to Oeno Gallery on County Road 1 in Bloomfield. There is spectacular sculpture garden outside the gallery that features the works of  Canadian artists exclusively. Bring some sunscreens though; there are no trees tall enough to hide under and you can get a sunburn easily in the middle of a field on a hot sunny day.

If you like historical buildings, Picton is the place to be. The Crystal Palace on Main Street is one of the few remaining scaled down versions of a similar building in London, England. The old courthouse on Union Street is also very stately. There is also the Regent Theatre in downtown Picton, a beautifully preserved old movie theatre that includes a restaurant, a good place to go to if you are want a healthy meal.

Just outside Picton, you might want to visit Bird House City on County Road 8, an impressive collection of bird houses representing several existing buildings in the area.

There is an interesting trail in the more quiet northeastern part of the County. The trail in the Little Bluff Conservation Area offers a beautiful view of Prince Edward Bay from atop the bluff, which ends at one end with a cobble beach, popular with the locals. To get there, take the winding County Road 10 from Picton through Cherry Valley and Milford, until you reach County Road 13. Turn right, drive for about 3 km and look for the Conservation Area sign on the left side. There are a few short trails to go for hiking.

While driving on County Road 13, you will notice the Mariners Park Museum. It is dedicated to the ways the locals have made their living from the surrounding waters, from fishing to shipbuilding and even bootlegging. Many of the artifacts and memorabilia come from over 50 shipwrecks located around Prince Edward County.

If you love spring flowers, go for a drive around Prince Edward County in late May; there is lilac everywhere on the side of the roads, especially in the eastern portion of the County.

Have a nice drive.

Postcards Ontario