This article was contributed by Jim Byers of Jim Byers Travel as part of a partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas.
My wife and I recently spent five days on the Trent-Severn in a 42-foot craft from Le Boat. As much as we loved the scenery along the way, it was hard to relax during the day and still look out for channel markers and other boats.
That’s why we cherished our early mornings and late afternoons and evenings on the boat, drinking our coffee or evening wine and admiring the peace and beauty all around us.
The folks at Le Boat were kind enough to stock our larder with all sorts of goodies; chicken kebabs, locally made burgers, crackers, great Peterborough beers from Publican House (try the Square Nail Pale Ale), goodies from The Chocolate Rabbit in Lakefield, and more. There was a flat-top barbeque on the ship, so we were able to do most of our cooking outside in the fresh air.
We also took some time to shop at several great Peterborough spots before we clambered on board the ship at Del Mastro Horseshoe Bay Resort Marina.
Taking stock of amazing local ingredients
Our first stop was at a fine gourmet shop called Chasing the Cheese, where they have dozens of offerings from around the world, as well as olives, jalapeno jelly, and more. We bought some Five Brothers smoked cheese from Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese in southern Ontario, as well as Le Mont-Jacob cheese from Quebec, and some Le Riopelle de l’Isle from Quebec. Sure, you can buy cheddar or gouda, but the idea at this place is to give people exposure to some new flavours, so that’s what we tried to do. The young woman behind the counter was very helpful, and the cheese were wonderful.
From there it was over to The Food Shop in downtown Peterborough, a small place with a coffee shop and bakery (lovely muffins) out front and a back room that’s filled with all sorts of goodies, including local gourmet tortilla chips from La Hacienda (splendid), locally made pasta, wonderful Sam’s Granola, fresh produce, kombucha, maple syrup, spicy kimchi, local honey and more.
The shop features more than 20 local suppliers who grow lettuce or mushrooms and other produce, and provide everything from meat and flour to fresh-roasted coffee. It’s a great concept that allows people to shop locally throughout the year.
We then checked into our hotel for the night, the Holiday Inn Peterborough-Waterfront on the Otonabee River. We had a fine room that featured a balcony overlooking a pretty park with a deep green lawn and shady trees. Our room was sizeable, and there was also a mini-fridge, a sofa, a bathtub, lots of outlets and plugs for our devices, and nice art work over the top of the bed.
Incredible Meals to Fuel the Journey
Prior to dinner at One Fine Food, we stopped at their beautiful, incredibly well-stocked market and admired some tremendous offerings, including charcuterie, home-made lasagna, butter chicken, pasta sauces and fresh produce. They also have cakes, pastries and, of course, butter tarts. We were headed to dinner, so we stuck with things that didn’t need refrigerating, including some tasty maple bacon popcorn.
Photo by Jim Byers
The One Fine Food restaurant features a lively bar and a covered, screened-in patio, as well as interior seating. We had an excellent glass of rose for just $11, and enjoyed a meal that included a marvelous salad with arugula, goat cheese pomegranate seeds, shaved fennel and pumpkin seeds for a nice crunch. The ravioli with sausage was very good, and came in a rich tomato-basil sauce. The excellent bucatini with seafood was served with at least a dozen plump, juicy mussels, decent scallops and good, meaty shrimp. Our server was super friendly and professional.
The next morning we grabbed very good coffee and outstanding quiche from Hard Winter Bakery, which is on lovely Hunter Street East, just a couple blocks from Peterborough Lift Lock 21. They also make perfectly flaky, oozing-with-butter croissants that would make a Parisian baker beam with joy.
After touring The Canadian Canoe Museum (see below), we had a nice lunch at The Railyard Café and Tap House in Peterborough, enjoying pulled pork tacos, tomato soup, and a nice salad with chicken and toasted tortilla strips.
As well as eating on our ship, we had a chance to try a dinner one night in Lakefield on our Le Boat adventure. The Loon is just a two-minute walk from the marina and features a variety of tasty offerings. The Shaved Brussels salad with thinly shaved Brussels Sprouts, lake, red onion, apple, pomegranate seeds, goats cheese and crispy lentil was fabulous, and we also enjoyed the butternut squash ravioli and short rib rigatoni. You can dine inside but we chose the patio on a nice night in late spring.
A trip on the Trent-Severn with Le Boat is an outstanding way to spend a few days in the Peterborough area. Just don’t miss a chance to stock up on local goodies before you go.
And Don’t Miss the New Canadian Canoe Museum
The new Canadian Canoe Museum is housed in a bright, modern, five-acre facility on the shores of Little Lake, just a short drive from downtown Peterborough in the Beavermead Park area. It’s a magnificent facility with beautiful canoes hanging overhead and wonderful displays.
I was told it’s the largest collection of watercraft in one building in the world, and that’s really saying something.
“We follow the canoe wherever it leads, and all around the world,” said curator Jeremy Ward.
The museum has gorgeous canoes (not all of them look like your traditional canoe) from Canada, Africa, Thailand, Samoa and other exotic locales. Some are painted with fierce faces or intricate interpretations of mythical animals, while others look perfect for a jaunt on the Otonabee River. One section I noted had a canoe that kids could climb into and prepare a pretend lunch, which one young girl was doing as we toured about.
Photo by: James Ton, Culinary Tourism Alliance
The museum, which cost $45 million to build, has canoes belonging to famous Canadians, including Farley Mowat and Gordon Lightfoot.
In addition to touring the museum, you can take canoe or kayak lessons on Little Lake and even go out in a voyageur canoe. There’s also wheelchair access out to the dock, and mechanisms so folks in a chair can get into a boat.
They even have camps for kids.
“It’s a great place to spend time both inside and out,” Ward told me.
The main building has workshop space for people to learn about making canoe paddles and other craft, and they plan to have canoe makers in residence.
There’s even space for weddings, and there’s a nice café and a fine-looking gift shop.
Don’t miss it.
Other Great Things to See and Do in the Area
On previous visits to Peterborough, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Petroglyphs Provincial Park, where you’ll find astonishing rock carvings by local Indigenous people. I also highly recommend Warsaw Caves Conservation Area for great hiking. One of the top places to stay is Elmhirst’s Resort on Rice Lake. Foodies should definitely take a visit to Doo Doo’s Bakery in Millbrook for award-winning butter tarts. I also love The Pastry Peddler in Millbrook and Rolling Grape Vineyards. The Publican House in Peterborough has great beer, but also good food and a nice patio. Be sure to also stop at the Whetung Ojibwa Centre on the Curve Lake First Nation Reserve for everything from moccasins and jewelry to fruit jams and beautiful artwork.
Want more inspiration for exploring Peterborough and the Kawarthas? Check out our recent blog!
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