Presqu'île -- Clark-Denson Cottage

This write-up is coming a bit late, but better late than never, I suppose. (I'll do that Rondeau write-up one day!)

I've been wanting to do a camping trip with my mom for ages now. And I've had my eye on Presqu'île and Clark-Denson Cottage in particular as a good location for it. The problem is, there's only one Clark-Denson Cottage and, if the availability grid is anything to go by, everyone wants to camp there. But, I still check periodically to see if anything's come available. And back in January I lucked out. Two nights of availability right at the end of May! So I grabbed it and figured I'd sort out the details later.

In the end, I ended up booking a second site -- one of their "explorer tents" -- and inviting my brother and his family as well. The kids took the tent and the adults took the cottage. It worked out quite well. (Aside from the fact that we all got COVID.)

The Park

We were only there for two nights and it rained for most of the day on our one full day there. So we didn't get to explore as much of the park as I would have liked. There are some nice trails and a boardwalk (which we didn't get a chance to do). There's a lighthouse right at the tip of the peninsula. You can't go inside, but it's still neat to look at. And there are a couple of bird-watching blinds out by the lighthouse as well. One noted to be a particularly good place for spotting warblers in season. (The plaque marked it as "the site of many 20-warbler days".) The other seemed to be geared toward ducks with a brief guide to the local waterfowl posted inside the shelter.

The campgrounds are all on the near end of the peninsula, close to the gatehouse. So is the boardwalk. The day use area is in the middle. And the cottage and lighthouse are out at the very tip. The roads at the near end of the peninsula are all two way, but once you get past the campgrounds, you are on a one-way loop. Similar to the Pinery, they have one lane for cars + a dedicated bike lane.

Even though we didn't get to do much in the way of hiking in the park, we still got to enjoy lots of great vegetation. Driving along the main loop felt almost prehistoric. There were ferns everywhere! I think they were mostly ostrich ferns, but I saw at least two other species as well. And the may apples were also all in bloom. It was quite lovely.

The one drawback of all the lush vegetation and water is the bugs. The mosquitoes were pretty vicous and, as some of our party discovered, the ticks were also all too eager to hitch a ride. Even just walking from the tent site to the comfort station in shorts was a dangerous proposition! I definitely recommend wearing long pants at all times and doing a thorough tick check at the end of each day. A bug jacket is also handy to help deal with the mosquitoes. And DEET is useful for both. Although I wouldn't rely solely on the DEET but rather add it as an extra layer of protection in addition to your clothes.

Really though, the park was wonderful. And as long as you stay covered up and don't go tromping through the long grass or off the trails (which you shouldn't be doing anyway) the ticks are not a problem. The only time people ended up picking up ticks is when they went out in shorts or barefoot.

Oh, and it's also worth noting that, despite being on Lake Ontario very early in the season, the water was surprisingly warm. I didn't bother bringing my bathing suit because I figured it'd be too cold to swim anyway, but I was wrong! Everyone else was out swimming and having a grand old time!

There's no swimming allowed in the water directly outside the cottage. Apparently strong currents make it unsafe. But there are two day use beaches with excellent swimming opportunities. As noted, I didn't end up getting in the water. But everyone else did and they had a great time.

The Campground

There isn't really a campground associated with Clark-Denson Cottage. There are the campgrounds and then, three kilometers away, on the tip of the peninsula, there's the cottage. The explorer tents are all part of the regular campgrounds though. We had 128 in Maples.

I didn't spend much time there, but the campground seemed to have all the usual amenities. There were dumpsters for garbage and recycling by the entrance. And there was a comfort station with flush toilets (and I believe showers) more toward the middle of the campground.

The sites all looked to be regular tent sites except for the one explorer tent. If I recall correctly there are some additional explorer tents set up in the other campgrounds.

The sites all looked to be well-treed and well-shaded. I can't really say much more than that as, like I said, most of my time was spent at the other end of the peninsula.

The Site

The cottage was even better than I'd hoped and very well appointed. The three bedrooms and the bathroom were all on the "back" side of the cottage, furthest from the water. The bedrooms and bathroom all open up into a narrow hallway connecting to the "side" door. On the other side of the hallway is the great room with the propane fireplace, sitting area, dining area, and kitchen. The kitchen is small, but has everything you'd expect a kitchen to have. There's a full-sized fridge with freezer, a four-burner stove with oven, a sink, a microwave, an electric kettle, and a coffee maker. No dishes or cookware are provided, but all the appliances are there.

The "front" of the cottage contains a lovely sitting area plus a breakfast nook. It's full of windows that can be opened to better enjoy the sound of the waves on the shore. And the coffee table is furnishes with magazines full of information about the park and the local area.

Outside, there's a small deck with a propane barbecue. And to the side of the cottage, there's a firepit with a cooking grate.

The cottage itself is built almost impossibly close to the water. Closer, I think, than you'd be allowed to build today, but it was constructed in the 1930s and went by different rules. From the deck, there's only about 2-3m of pebble beach separating you from the water. It really is quite incredible.

The fireplace, while not designed to actually heat the cottage, does seem like it would give a lovely ambiance. Unfortunately we couldn't get it going while we were there. They did leave an instruction sheet on the bench beside the fire and my brother took a couple goes at getting it lit, but nothing seemed to work. I'm not sure if it was user error or if there was something wrong with it.

As with all roofed accommodations in provincial parks, they provide the beds (with mattresses), but do not provide any bedding/linnens. So plan on bringing sleeping bags or bed linnens from home. Likewise, there are no towels or hand towels in the bathroom. And no dishcloths in the kitchen. (Although there was a sponge.) They do provide soap in both the bathroom and the kitchen. Just bring your own linnens!

The bathroom appeared to have been retrofitted to make it more accessible. There was a barrier-free, walk-in shower with grab bars. None of us felt the need to use it during our short stay, but it was nice to know it was there.

In addition to all the other amenities, the cottage also has hot and cold running water and wifi. (I figured the kitchen sink and bathroom were a give-away that there was at least indoor plumbing available, but hot water isn't necessarily a given, so I felt it was worth mentioning.) I have to admit, I don't generally expect to have access to the internet when camping. Even in roofed accommodations. Maybe at the visitor centre, but not elsewhere in the park. So the wifi was a pleasant surprise. The password is posted on a board in the kitchen.

The cottage is relatively expensive and difficult to book but, having stayed there now, I can understand why it's so popular! It's comfortable, beautiful, private, and very well-appointed. The three bedrooms (with a double, two twins, and a queen bed respectively) mean that it can sleep qute a few people depending on who's willing to share a room and/or bed. And between the kitchen, barbecue, and firepit, you have a lot of options for how you want to cook your meals. And you really can't beat the location! It's just amazing. Definitely somewhere I'd like to revisit if I get the chance. The cottage would be lovely if I could get it, but I think it'd also be a lot of fun to stay in one of the explorer tents too.

The Pinery -- Riverside

I've been meaning to -- and trying to! -- check out the Pinery for ages. It is an incredibly popular park. Apparently second only to Algonquin in Ontario! And I've heard very good things about it. On top of that, it's only a two-hour drive each way for me, making it one of the easier parks to get to. But somehow we just never quite made it out that way.

Last year (2020) was a complete write-off and I didn't even try to do any camping. And, looking back at 2019, it was honestly pretty jam-packed! We were at Rondeau for the Shoreline clean-up in September. In August we camped at Bronte Creek, Grundy Lake, Killbear, and Bass Lake. July didn't involve any camping because the Kidlet and I went on a trip to Bermuda with Grammie instead. June featured a trip to Rouge. And, in May, we managed to snag a yurt in Algonquin! And further back than that I was sticking to more fair-weather camping and the summers were spent either hosting friends or finding my camping groove. So, I guess it's not totally unreasonable that we didn't make it to the Pinery until now.

The Park

The Pinery is kind of incredible. We only explored a tiny portion of it and it was still pretty amazing. The diversity is pretty astounding!
We hiked the Bittersweet Trail and found ourselves walking through oak savannah, full of oak, pine, hickory, and all sorts of smaller shrubs and bits of vegetation. Later, we went down to the shore to watch the waves and explore the delicate dune ecosystem with its juniper and sedges and evergreens covering loose sand that doesn't seem like it should be able to support nearly so much life. Then, a short walk along the Sassafrass Trail took us through a completely different type of forest! It looked more Carolinian and was completely different from either of the other two areas we'd already visited. I still find it kind of amazing that there can be so many different habitats and types of environment packed into such a small area!

The weather wasn't the best for our trip, but we still had a lovely time. There wasn't much wildlife out and about due to the cold temperatures and high winds, but we still saw lots of fascinating fungus and vegetation. And we learned a lot too!

Bittersweet Trail has a really great interpretive guide available for sale in the gift shop. It talks about some of the creatures you can find in the Pinery, many of which I either knew very little about or didn't even realize we got in Canada!

I learned a tonne about the star-nosed mole (which apparently swims and can retract its little nose tentacles when not in use). And I even discovered new things about the coyote and white-tailed deer that I hadn't known before. Also, did you know that there are flying squirrels in the Pinery?! Because I sure didn't! I didn't even know they were native to Canada. Go figure!

Aside from the trails (only two of which we managed to hike during our brief stay), there's also a small, but very interesting visitor centre which features a tiny gift shop. (This gift shop is completely separate from the Park Store which is in a different location.) Sadly the visitor centre and gift shop are only open on the weekends during the off-season. Luckily we arrived early enough on Sunday that we were able to visit both before they closed for the day.

If you would like detailed trail maps, they are available for sale in the gift shop. As is a seasonal bird list that is specific to the park. There are also many park-specific buttons and badges for sale as well as more generic decor and clothing items, plus a selection of books and nature guides.

The Park Store was closed for the season, so I can't comment on exact what they sell. It looks like bike and boat rentals happen through the Park Store. They also sell ice cream and official Ontario Parks merchandise (like the park stickers and crests, park passports, etc.). I would expect to find a small selection of basic camping supplies there as well.

Bikes are a very popular and useful way to get around the Pinery. It's a fairly large park and if you don't want to be piling into the car and driving to all the trail heads, beach, etc., then a bike is going to be your best friend. There is a dedicated bike lane on the main park road (much of it wide enough to ride two or three abreast). And Savannah trail is also bike-friendly and offers a convenient connection between many points in the park. We didn't have our bikes with us this time, but I would absolutely bring (or rent) a bike next time. Especially if we end up there in warmer weather!

The Campground

We were in Riverside campground this time. It's the furthest inland. Burley and Dunes are both quite close to the beach and sit between Lake Huron and the Old Ausable Channel. Riverside is on the far side of the channel. I've been told that Burley features the best campsites. Unfortunately, as far as I know, Burley isn't bookable in the off-season. I believe that Riverside is the only campground that stays open year-round. It's optimized for trailers. It's also where all the yurts and cabins are!

I really don't have any complaints about Riverside. Sure, it might be nice to be closer to the beach in the summer, but I'm not too pushed about that in November. The sites might be a little more private in Burley, but I still felt like Riverside had enough (if not copious) trees.

The comfort station was heated (which was very welcome in the cold, blustery weather we were having) and features multi-stall gendered bathrooms as well as an accessible gender-neutral "family" bathroom/wet room, showers, and a laundry room. There's also a drinking water spigot accessible from outside the comfort station that stays on year-round.

The gendered bathrooms seemed to be pretty standard public bathroom fare: a few sinks and soap dispensers, hand dryers, a few small stalls, and one larger accessible stall. I did appreciate that they provided a step-stool by the sinks so that younger children would be able to reach to wash their hands.

I didn't peek at the showers, but I expect they were pretty standard too. Probably a shower head, a soap tray, some hooks, and maybe some sort of seat.
The family bathroom was quite nice. The whole room was tiled with relatively small tiles with a drain in the centre. (Lots of grout for grip so the floor shouldn't be too slippery when wet.) Toilet in one corner. Sink and soap dispenser in the other. The other side of the room features several grab bars and a seat/bench that can be folded down to sit on while showering. The showerhead itself is a wand style so that it can be moved around to more easily shower while seated. The only thing it's missing is a way to dry off your hands. For some reason there's neither air hand dryer or a paper towel dispenser in this washroom. Everything else is great though!

The laundry room features coin-operated washers and dryers as well as a laundry tub (with hot and cold water) and countertops that you can use for sorting, folding, whathaveyou. The machines only appear to take loonies and quarters, so be sure to come prepared.

The Campsite

We were in yurt 477. This is one of the newer style yurts. Rather than being constructed from an octagonal, aluminum frame, it's a round, wooden lattice frame. It has a front and a back door with glass windows and vinyl curtains. There's also a small, full-height window beside the front door. The peak of the roof features a domed skylight that can be opened in warmer weather.

Outside there's a large wooden deck (which connects to both the front and back doors). The deck can be accessed by either stairs or a ramp.

There are two picnic tables. One down by the fire pit and another up on the deck near the propane barbecue. (The propane is provided. The cookware and utensils are not.)

Inside the yurt, there are two bunk beds with mattresses. The beds are all double sized (including the top bunks). There's a nice wooden table and four wooden chairs, plus two more folding chairs. There are hooks by both doors for hanging your hats and coats. There's also a boot tray and a small bench near the front door. Over to one side is a small work top/kitchen island with a wash basin and drying rack. You also get a broom, mop, bucket, and fire extinguisher. And the whole thing is heated by a lovely, thermostatically controlled, propane fireplace.

There are two duplex electrical recepticles in the yurt. Although one of the outlets is used by the fireplace. That still gives you three outlets for charging your devices or plugging in nightlights or whatever else you might need!

I found it VERY challenging to get the door unlocked upon arrival. The whole handle was wobbling out of place, but the lock just wouldn't disengage. Once we finally got it unlocked, I had trouble getting to door to relinquish the key and I was somewhat reluctant to lock the door again after that. The doors on the older style aluminum-framed yurts seem much easier to operate.

The fireplace could be a bit loud when the circulation fan was going, but it wasn't too bad. If you're very sensitive to noise, you might want to bring some ear plugs though.

Overall I was really happy with our site. It was cozy and comfy. It stayed nice and warm despite the howling wind and sub-zero overnight temperatures. The mattresses, while certainly not deluxe, were pretty comfortable. Everything was neat and clean. The table was big enough for eating and playing board games on. It allowed for a very easy camping trip in what would have otherwise been very unforgiving conditions. I really like it as a way to extend the camping season into the cooler weather.

Cheaper and Easier SPAM Mac & Cheese

I've already written up instructions for a Kraft Dinner based version of this. Using a freeze-dried backpacker's meal is easier as you just need to add hot water, but it's also relatively expensive. I think my new preferred middle-ground solution is to use Knorr Sidekicks and some fresh kale. Unlike Kraft Dinner, you don't need to cook the noodles separately or worry about draining them. And you can always mix up the flavours of Sidekicks if you feel like a change.

SPAM Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 pat of butter (optional)
• 1/2 can of SPAM, cubed
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 package broccoli and cheese flavoured Sidekicks
• black pepper, to taste
• 4 Tbsp. powdered milk
• 2 large kale leaves, chopped
• 1/4 c. cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Melt the butter (if using) and add the SPAM. Cook until SPAM is a bit brown and crispy.
2. Add water, Sidekicks, pepper, powdered milk, and kale and cook covered, stirring occasionally, until noodles are done.
3. Stir in cheese (if using).

This is a variation on the Kidlet's favourite overnight oatmeal. I usually make this hot version when camping, but you could also do it as an overnight soak and just stir in the applesauce and milk powder in the morning if you wanted to avoid busting out the stove for breakfast.

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2/3 c. quick oats
• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp. dried currants
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 4 Tbsp. powdered milk
• 1 c. boiling water
• 1 pot unsweetened applesauce
• 1-2 tsp. sugar or brown sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Combine oats, walnuts, currants, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves before you go.
2. To prepare oatmeal, add the boiling water to the oat mixture and stir.
3. Stir in powdered milk and applesauce.
4. Top with a bit of sugar if desired.

Ready-to-Eat-Curry

This isn't really a recipe at all. You literally just heat up the curries in the packages and then eat them. But, as these "bag curries" have become one of my camping staples, I feel like I should at least mention them.

There are a few different brands available. I usually like to take a Gits vegetable pulao and then top it with one or two other curries (usually either Gits or MTR). I find that one pulao + one main/curry is about right for two people. One rice + two mains is about right for three.

If you want something a little bit extra for the meal, bring some tortillas, roti, or naan to serve as an extra starch component/side.

Ready-Made Camping Desserts

I usually prioritize meals and snacks when camping, but sometimes it's nice to have a bit of a sweet treat after dinner. S'mores are, of course, a classic. And I have a few other things that I've made at various points. Often, though, I find I don't really feel like cooking another thing after already cooking dinner. Usually that means I just skip dessert. Other times I'll go for something ready-made that doesn't require any prep. There are, of course, lots of options for such things. This is just a short list of some of my go-tos.

Camping Desserts

• 2-bite brownies
• candy bars (I like Wunderbar)
• Oreos
• fresh fruit
• ice cream (from a local shop)

Bronte Creek -- Prairie

We had an awesome time at Bronte Creek. It's a great park and there's tonnes of stuff to see and do. It's a bit different than the other provincial parks I've been to and I was initially dubious, but it was great! I just wish we'd had another day to see a bit more of the park. The only real drawback is that there's no way to get between the day use and campground areas without leaving the park. It's one contiguous area, but there's a ravine running through the middle, so it takes a quick jaunt on the 403/QEW to get between the two halves of the park. This made getting back and forth between our campsite and the various other parts of the park a bit tedious, but it was still a great trip overall. I think, in the future, I'd actually prefer doing Bronte Creek as a day trip rather than an overnight camping destination.

Day Use Area

There's a lot to do in the day use area! We started with the Victorian farmhouse and worked our way through the park from there.

Spruce Lane Farmhouse

The farmhouse was a lot of fun to tour. The rooms are filled with all the furnishings that would've been typical of an 1899 household and there are information panels throughout to tell you about what you're seeing and why it's there. Most of the house is set up as a look-but-don't-touch exhibit to protect the many antiques from damage. There are, however, several clearly marked hands-on displays and activities. I especially liked the dumb waiter that you could send between the kitchen and the cellar. And the Kidlet loved getting the chance to try out some of the toys.

The farmhouse is also populated by several volunteers dressed in period clothing. They're on hand to answer any questions visitors have or direct them to things they might've missed. They'll also often be working on various period crafts (embroidery, sewing, woodworking, etc.). It's also these fine Victorian folks who lead many of the children's programs held at Spruce Lane Farm. TF and the Kidlet did the farm tour and got to meet most of the animals and hear about what their roles would've been on the farm and how they would've been cared for.

Nature Centre

The Nature Centre was our next stop along the way. It wasn't as large as some of the other nature centres we've visited, but it was very well done. There were lots of activities for kids to try out. The Kidlet especially liked learning about ladybug life cycles. And the salamander tank was pretty excellent as well. I also really liked the native fish tank. The staff were also incredibly enthusiastic and helpful. The Kidlet was working on the junior ranger program and the wardens were great at encouraging her and suggesting ways she could advance her progress.

Playbarn

This was probably the biggest hit with the Kidlet. It's an old barn that's been converted into a big, multi-level indoor play space. There are slides and ladders and bridges and jumping pits... And it's nice to have a play space for kids to burn off some energy that's out of the sun. There's a section on the lower level that's just for little kids (ages 1-5). The upper level is for big kids only (5-10). There are a couple benches near the entrance where parents can sit while their kids play. Adults aren't allowed in the upper level of the barn, but you can see everything pretty well from below.

There's also an outdoor playground just a few metres from the playbarn if your kids prefer playing outside. And the bird coops (chickens and a peacock), rabbit hutch, and cow pasture are within a few steps of the play areas as well.

Picnic Shelters

Normally I wouldn't bother writing about picnic shelters. Lots of parks have picnic shelters. It's a nice option to have if you want a place to eat that's out of the sun and/or rain, but I wouldn't feel the need to say too much about them. Bronte's picnic shelters are special though. They're not just your standard open-sided shelter that gives you a small roof over a picnic bench or two. Bronte Creek takes their picnic shelters seriously!

Their picnic shelters are very large and sturdy. And, while they're not completely enclosed, they're not completely open either. But, more importantly (and impressively), they're actually equipped for cooking as well as eating. The ones I saw had stainless steel work surfaces, a sink, and what appeared to be a brick oven! Now I understand why you need to reserve the shelters in advance. All the ones we saw while we were there were reserved and being used to host everything from sweet sixteen birthday parties to family reunions.

Pool

The pool was one of the things we didn't have time to check out during our visit. I'm sure it would've been a lot of fun if we'd gone though. Bronte Creek has a huge pool: 1.8 acres! It ranges from a few centimetres deep around the edges to ~2m deep in the centre. Hopefully if we head out that way again we'll get a chance to go for a swim.

Trails

We didn't get a chance to hike all the day use trails, but we did a couple of them. I really enjoyed the scenery and flora. And we saw a tonne of caterpillars along the way. I think the biggest disappointment for me was that there were no interpretive guides at the trail heads. TF managed to find an mp3 audio guide for one of the trails and I really enjoyed listening to the info about the area. But, I think, on the whole, I prefer the written guides.

Half Moon Valley Trail

This was a pretty little 2km trail with sections of boardwalk (always a hit with the Kidlet). The trailhead is just a short walk from the farmhouse so, although we didn't do it this way, it would make for an easy add-on after the tour. The Trillium Trail also picks up here. We didn't do that one, but it looks like it'd be a good choice if you want something a little shorter and easier than Half Moon Valley. It's a 1km loop and the website says it's wheelchair and stroller friendly.

The Half Moon Valley Trail also hooks up with the Ravine Lookout Trail, so if you're feeling up for a longer walk, you can combine the two (which is what we did). I remember one of the two including a very steep climb and I think it was Half Moon. It took some doing to get to the top and you definitely needed hand holds for parts of it, but it was actually pretty fun. There were also stairs along the way. So, definitely not wheelchair or stroller friendly. Fun if you're looking for something to shake things up a bit though.

Ravine Lookout Trail

As the name implies, this trail gives you some cool views and the creek and the ravine. I was a little disappointed that the lookout didn't include telescopes like some of the other park lookouts we've visited, but it was still a very pretty view. This is a linear trail, so you'll either want to be prepared to walk it in both directions or have someone who's willing to bring the car around to pick you up at the other end. (Thanks, TF!) It's ~2.7km each way.

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Campgrounds

The campgrounds are across the ravine from the day use area. There are no bridges or paths across the ravine in the park, so you can only get from one to the other by exiting the park and driving around to the opposite side. This involves a quick trip on the 403 and usually takes 10-15 minutes by car. There campsites are arranged in four loops: Ravine, Woodland, Savannah, and Prairie. We stayed in the Prairie loop which is the one nearest the entrance to the park.

Field and Forest Trail

This is a nice 3.5km loop over relatively level terrain and easily accessed from the campgrounds. The field section was full of pretty wildflowers and a huge number of swallows swooping busily about. And the forest section was pleasantly cool and shady and full of interesting trees and fungus. I think I preferred the day use trails overall, but it's nice to have the option of a trail that can be used without having to leave the campground side of the park.

Prairie Loop

Most of the Prairie loop seemed to be fairly open with fewer trees and less shade than I generally prefer. Luckily we managed to nab one of the pleasingly well-treed and reasonably shady sites. There's a mini comfort station (featuring two gender neutral flush toilets) in the centre of the loop. And they have a playground located between the Prairie and Savannah loops. Bronte Creek does have yurts, but none of them are on the Paririe loop.

The Campsite -- 121

This turned out to be a great site. One side gets shade in the morning, the other gets shade in the afternoon. There's a water spigot right at the entrance to the site. And there's a path straight to the comfort station going off one side. It's also reasonably well-treed and private. I was quite happy with it.

As is pretty standard for most parks I've visited, the site included a picnic table and a fire pit. The fire pit on this site had a metal ring with a hinged grate than could be swung across to cover ~1/2 the top. Pretty standard campsite stuff. Only worth noting because I've stay at some campsites that have been frustratingly lacking in the firepit/fire ring department. So I like to make note of the specifics offered.