Prince Edward County

We set off for Prince Edward County early one Saturday morning, made a pit stop for coffee and drove two hours (in the rain) for a weekend ‘away’. This is a confusing concept sometimes as technically we’ve been ‘away’ since June but let’s roll with it…

‘The County’ or PEC as some like to call it, is on every list for suggested day trips outside Toronto. It’s a bit like driving to Bowral from Sydney or maybe Whitstable from London. The county is made up of small townships, all with their own quaint high street of cafes, boutiques and shops selling everything from antique homewares to local maple syrup. PEC is particularly popular with foodies; owing to its plethora of wineries, breweries, chocolatiers and more frequently, restaurants that boast paddock-to-plate-style menus. We drove through Belleville and Picton, Bloomfield and Wellington, before heading for some food.

The Drake Devonshire came highly recommended. As an eatery and boutique hotel, The Drake’s restaurant sits at the back of the property overlooking the water and made for a snuggly spot to hide from the wind and rain. We could have stayed there all day. I went a bit rogue on the menu choice; I’d never really understood the waffle/chicken combo that seems to be so popular in North America; waffles are sweet, chicken is savoury, it just doesn't make sense.

But I decided to give it a chance and OH EM GEE. Word for word from the menu “sour cherry waffles, peach + almond jam, goat cheese cream, basil” = all time greatest comfort food. Jack had the Drake burger; “Prinzen beef, bacon, cheddar, red onion, iceburg, pickles, Russian dressing, milk bun, fries”, another winner but no competition for the waffles.

Jack had booked us into Montrose Inn for the night. When we arrived, the sun that had barely come out all day was starting to set and it looked a bit like a spooky haunted house; sitting at the end of a long dark driveway behind wrought iron gates…not quite what we had in mind! An old house built in 1916 It was actually warm and cosy inside with a grand staircase leading up to the only four B&B rooms that are run by Suzette and her husband. We snuggled in for the night and woke up to a delicious eggs benny breakfast in their dining room.

One of my favourite things about exploring local towns and villages, wherever I am in the world, is the little shops you find. I love discovering new products, cute trinkets and pretty souvenirs. A lot of the time I just window shop, contemplating but not always buying; driving some people mad! But I love it. And this trip was no different. We browsed through Dead People’s Stuff, an aptly named antique store full of things that once belonged to now dead people; furniture, old TV’s, record players, crockery, paintings etc.

The Local Store was a huge barn/warehouse style building that was hosting a local artisans Christmas market - there was everything from handmade jewellery, natural beauty products, jams, chutneys, chocolate, baked goods, candles and of course, maple syrup.

Coriander Girl in Picton was another favourite. I hate (with a capital H) coriander but loved this florist. As well as their beautiful arrangements, they had a selection of natural beauty products, essential oil room sprays, gift cards and other small items. So pretty and it smelt good in there too!

The next morning we drove out to an area called Lake on the Mountain, a summer resort so it felt pretty quiet on this, an albeit bright, very windy, chilly November day. The area gets its name from (you guessed it) the lake that sits up high in the mountain. The lake has a constant source of fresh water with seemingly no source…there are lots of stories about how it was formed including volcanoes, meteorites and large glacial whirlpools, but the most accepted theory is a collapse in the limestone rock foundations in the area.

I loved the idea of the mystery of the lake; the Mohawks called it Onokenoga, or Lake of the Gods, and believed there were spirits hiding in its deep waters; each spring they offered gifts to the spirits to ensure a successful crop in the coming year and early settlers believed the lake was bottomless!

We headed into Miller’s House the only place open at this time of year; a bar/restaurant overlooking the water with an amazing patio for those summer days and a roaring fire for our chilly morning. We sat with hot chocolates by the fire, looking out at the view feeling snug and warm and blissfully happy.