If you’ve been to the Kawarthas, you don’t need a run-down of the perks of owning a slice of heavenly waterfront here. Nonetheless, the drive from the city to the Kawarthas, which can be accomplished in two hours, is a plus that receives far less coverage than the region’s picturesque lakes and landscape. In fact, you can reduce a routine car trip by one hour by choosing the Kawarthas as your cottage destination over other popular locales in Ontario. And, if you travel to your cottage almost every weekend, the time savings over one year can be significant. As my mother says, “the kids and the dog will thank you for it.” Another benefit of this cottage commute is the number of route options, all of which deliver a unique driving experience. There is no need to be stuck in traffic. If the roadway you are travelling on is busy, you can take another road.
Here’s our usual route from the Beach in Toronto to Balsam Lake Drive, just two miles east of Kirkfield:
Head east on Highway 401
We head north on Warden Avenue to the 401 and then travel eastbound on this bustling economic corridor. Yes, the traffic can be frustratingly heavy at times. But one advantage of travelling to the Kawarthas is you can recalibrate your route and bail out of the 401 early. Although this doesn’t happen often, sometimes, especially on the cusp of a summer weekend, we escape the bumper-to-bumper anxiety crawling east on the 401 by taking an early exit such as the Salem, Westney, or Brock Road exit.
Take the Thickson Road exit (exit 412) and turn left at Thickson Road North
If the 401 traffic isn’t too heavy, we exit at Thickson Road, and head north on Thickson Road.
Turn right onto Winchester Road
When we reach Winchester Road, just north of Whitby, we make a right-hand turn. We travel one mile along Winchester Road until we reach Simcoe Street North.
Turn left onto Simcoe Street North
We make a left-hand turn onto Simcoe Street North, also known as highway 2. After heading north on Simcoe Street, we soon enter the Oak Ridges Moraine, leaving behind the city’s tight grid plan and the hallmarks of dense population.
After we’ve passed through Columbus and Port Perry, we enter the hamlet of Manilla, which has a quaint general store housed in a turn-of-the century brick building. We often stop at the Ultramar Gas Station at Simcoe Street North and highway 7 to fill up as the gas prices are great.
We love travelling this section of Simcoe Street North for the spectacle it offers - rolling countryside, open expanses, and dairy farms. In the summer, by rolling down the windows we can inhale the scent of freshly mown hay. The verdant surroundings help to instill a sense of calm amongst the passengers in the car. Stress has dissolved. And even the kids in the back seat seem to be at peace with each another.
In the summer, once we’ve crested the hill just outside of Manilla we often find the waning sun washing light over the valley. Old Ontario stone houses trimmed with gingerbread and farmland give us something else to admire. In autumn, hay bales and corn stalks line the fields, and vegetable stands display the harvest of tomatoes, onions, and squash. Sometimes, along Simcoe Street North, we move over to accommodate a farm tractor on the road. The hand-painted signs advertising fresh farm eggs for sale gesture our arrival in the country.
Turn right onto the Glenarm Road
After several minutes travelling along Simcoe Street North, we make a right-hand turn onto the Glenarm Road. The journey along this section of road never disappoints. And the rural scenery includes a sprawling cabbage farm. A cluster of old, interesting buildings, including the Argyle Blacksmith Shop and the Argyle General Store, mark the spot where the Glenarm Road and highway 46 meet. By this point, the end of the trip is almost in sight.
Make a left-hand turn onto Fenel Road
More bends and curves in the road follow before we reach Fenel Road where we make a left-hand turn; the handsome brick façade of the Knox Presbyterian Church marks our turning point. Fenel Road is an inviting stretch of roadway lined with trees in certain parts. There are farmhouses, fields with grazing livestock, and an interesting old, abandoned house. The osprey nests at the tops of telephone poles are impressive in their scale. As we cross the bridge, we glimpse the Trent-Severn canal, a waterway that skirts the edge of our property.
Make a right-hand turn onto highway 48 (travel east)
There’s another swathe of the rural landscape to distract us before we make a right-hand turn at highway 48.
Turn right at Balsam Lake Drive
Seconds later, we make another right-hand turn when we reach Balsam Lake Drive. We’ve arrived at our destination. Total driving time: two hours.Click Here for a link to Google maps of our usual trip.
We’d love to hear about your favourite driving route to the Kawarthas. Please send us an e-mail.
