Hi friends, we are here again with another summer blog post - this one featuring the Township of Madawaska Valley. This is the second time we have featured the Township of Madawaska Valley and was also created in collaboration with the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association. The first time was in the Township of Madawaska Valley fall itinerary, which can be found here.
Places to Stay
The Ash Grove Inn
Located in Barry’s Bay in the Ash Grove Inn. It features a motel and a restaurant, which is open year-round. This modern motel has 14 rooms, which include luxury suites and double rooms. The Ash Grove Inn is right across the street from a public beach and playground. This is perfect for families and is absolutely eligible for the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit. For more information on the Ash Grove Inn, check out their website here.
The Balmoral Hotel
Located in the heart of downtown Barry’s Bay is Balmoral Hotel. The Balmoral Hotel is a historic building as it was built in the 1890s. It has been recently taken over by new owners who already are receiving glowing reviews from their customers. This is. budget-friendly accommodation option and is within walking distance of many restaurants and shops. I should add that the Balmoral Hotel also has a restaurant on site. For more information, check out the website here.
Sunny Hill Resort
Also located in Barry’s Bay is Sunny Hill Resort. This is a waterfront resort that is located on Bark Lake. Sunny Hill Resort boasts not one, but two sandy beaches for their guests to enjoy. Amenities include acres of woodlands and walking trails; indoor pool and hot tub; boat, motor and canoe rentals; private boat launch; fishing pier with cleaning station; horseshoe pits; basketball courts; wifi internet; air-conditioned cottages; and laundry facilities. For more information on this resort, check out their website here.
Where to Eat
Taste of the Valley
One of the things that I missed during the various lockdowns was Taste of the Valley. Over the 10 years of the Taste of the Valley history, it has evolved into a food and arts & culture festival. It is a total sensory experience!
Vendor applications are still open, so if you would like to be involved in Taste the Valley, then you absolutely should submit an application! There are several categories of vendors, which include fresh produce, meat, food/beverage, artisan, personal products and others.
To say that I am excited about these events would be putting it mildly. Taste of the Valley encompasses so much of what I love about the Ottawa Valley. From the local food to showcasing the warmth of the people of the Ottawa Valley. These events are a great way to discover new local vendors and support old favourites.
This year there is six separate Taste of the Valley events. They are:
- Barry’s Bay - August 19, 2022
- Eganville - August 26, 2022
- Renfrew - September 24, 2022
- Deep River - October 1, 2022
- Arnprior - October 2, 2022
- Cobden - October 15, 2022
I will definitely be checking out most, if not all of these events. I love walking around festivals like this one and seeing people just live in the moment while making memories. For more information on Taste of the Valley, check out their website here.
Wilno Tavern Restaurant
The tavern is historic and a staple in the Ottawa Valley for over 100 years, yes for over 100 years. Located in the historic Polish settlement of Wilno, the tavern serves up Polish-Kashub cuisine. One of my favourite menu items is their massive pierogies – so big and so darn good. The tavern occasionally hosts live music, which pairs well with their massive pierogies. Fun fact about the Township of Wilno, it is the first and oldest Polish-Kashubian settlement in Canada. In 2012, the then Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, visited Wilno and toured the catholic cemetery. The original settlement was established in 1864, which is kind of neat to think that it is older than Canada.
Things to do
Polish Kashub Heritage Museum & Skansen
Located in Wilno is the Polish Kashub Heritage Museum & Skansen. It is open daily in July and August from 11:00 to 17:00. The museum includes many colourful displays that showcase the rich history of the Polish Kashub heritage within Canada. There is also a walk along a path of the Polish Kashub pioneers, which introduces visitors to the first Kashub settlers. The walk is a bit of an open-air museum and is absolutely worth a visit.
Madawaska Valley Artisan Festival
While this festival has already taken place, it is worth noting for next year. The Madawaska Valley Artisan Festival is normally scheduled around the second Saturday in July in Barry’s Bay at Railway Station Park. This year was the 36th edition of the festival and was a most excellent time. The goal of the festival is to showcase a broad spectrum of handmade work. All vendors that participate in the festival are chosen through a jury selection. I love attending festivals like this one because I know the vendors will have been thoughtfully curated by the selection panel. Being able to meet the artisans and hear them speak about their creations is pretty darn special. Then being able to support these artisans by purchasing some of their wares is just a cup-filling experience. For more information on this most excellent festival, check out the website here.
The most wonderful time of the year is during farmer’s market season. There are two farmer’s markets that take place in Madawaska Valley. There are weekly farmer’s markets in both Combermere and Barry’s Bay. Barry’s Bay farmer’s market takes place every Friday from 11:00 to 16:00 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 406, which is located at 250 John St at Stafford Street in Barry’s Bay. My mom actually brought me to the Barry’s Bay farmer’s market the first time I went. She was camping at a local campground and lots of her fellow campers were raving about the Barry’s Bay farmer’s market. Needless to say, we had to check it out! We were not disappointed and ended up picking up a few items for our dinner that night.
The Combermere Farmer’s Market is every Saturday from 8:00 to 11:30 until Thanksgiving weekend in October. This farmer’s market is located at 1007 Mill Street, which is located at the intersection of Mill Street and Highway 62. I have not been to this farmer’s market yet, but it is on my summer bucket list. This summer I want to hit up all of the farmer’s markets at least once because they all offer something different. Some vendors only participate in a farmer’s market in one township, so there is lots of variety and minimal duplication.
Farmer’s markets are excellent ways to purchase goods from local producers and makers. This includes everything from fresh vegetables, delicious baked goods, local meat, and a variety of handmade goods. I love how farmer’s markets are truly community-gathering events. Let’s be honest, I will never take for granted farmer’s markets again after missing them so severely during the time which shall not be named…if you know what I mean.
Madawaska Valley Studio Tour
Taking place in July is the summer edition of the Madawaska Valley Studio Tour. The tour features over 30 artists from Combermere to Eganville. It seems like every year there are more and more artisans that are added to the tour, which is extremely exciting. During studio tour weekends, the artisans open up their private studios to the public. This provides the opportunity for the public to see demonstrations of the artists in action. “Madawaska Valley Studio Tour creates opportunities for the public to experience a deeper understanding of the creative process and purchase high-quality, handmade products directly from the creators.” (Source: Madawaska Valley Studio Tour website) I love this event because it truly is a community event. It is about collaboration over competition. It is a shining example of the saying “high tides raise all boats.” Meaning when one of the artists succeeds, then everyone succeeds.
This is definitely a fun activity and the studio tour weekends only take place twice a year. There is something pretty magical about being able to see an artist in their creative space. The same space where they create literal works of art. It is like being in the presence of greatness. It should be noted though that some studios only accept cash. The drive along the Tour is absolutely stunning and some of my favourite country back roads. For more information about which artists are participating in the summer edition of the Madawaska Valley Studio Tour, check out their website here. I should also add that on their website they have a whole section on touring which has things to do and see in each of the Townships.
I should also add that the tour itself is FREE. This is an awesome opportunity to meet the makers that you know and to meet some that you may be less familiar with.
Bluebird Collective
Located in Barry\'s Bay at Sigrid Naturals, many of the artists who are featured on the studio tour, sell their wares & creations here. From time to time, there are special events that are hosted at the Bluebird Collective. These special events include fashion shows, poetry readings, music and art exhibits.
Hiking Thomas P. Murray Recreation Trails
This trail system is located in Barry\'s Bay and Combermere. The trails include Crooked Slide Trail, which is very pretty and very photo-worthy. Attached below is a map of all the trails in the trail system. Any of these trails are worthy of inclusion in your own itinerary. The trail system includes Drohan’s Trail, 4.5km of challenging trail with lots of variety in terrain; Gun Mountain Trail, 1.7km of varied terrain including a steep uphill; McGillivray Trail and lookout, 3.5km trail and is considered the most difficult trails in this system and also has one of the best lookouts; Red Pine Trail, 4.2km trail that is relatively easy; and Tom’s Trail, 2km along a scenic beaver pond.
Needless to say, there are lots of options in this trail system regardless of your hiking ability. I like that they are not super long trails, so there is the potential to hike more than one of these trails in a day. I want to hike McGillivray Trail just so I can confirm if it is indeed as difficult as it is advertised. We shall soon find out!
Crooked Slide Park
While I did mention Crooked Slide Trail above, it is also worth mentioning the park. If you have been reading Time in the Valley for a hot minute, you will know that I am always on the hunt for a prime picnic spot. Crooked Slide Park is a most excellent spot for a picnic. Whether we are travelling via the adventure bike or in the car, it doesn’t make a difference. We do not need to bring our own chairs as there are picnic tables located at this park. All we have to do is pack food.
One of my favourite aspects of this park is the running water. There is just something about the sound of running water that is so darn calming and grounding. It is the perfect spot to spend a Saturday afternoon with a good book. It is gems like this park that are what make the Ottawa Valley great. Gems like this one are a respectful nod to the outdoors and I seriously can’t get enough of it. I should also add that Crooked Slide Park is beautiful year-round. Even in the winter, it transforms and is absolutely stunning.
Up Next
What is on tap for the next blog post? Another collaboration between the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association and Time in the Valley! We will be doing a community spotlight on the Township of North Algona Wilberforce. This township is near and dear to my heart because it is home. Seeing the growth and progress of this township over the past four years since I moved here has been nothing short of remarkable. I know that there are lots of exciting things on the horizon for the Township of North Algona Wilberforce and I cannot wait to detail some of them in the upcoming blog post.
If you ever have any questions about anything in a blog post or would like more information, please do not hesitate to reach out to me here through the contact form. I always love hearing your thoughts on the blog post and engaging with my audience is one of my favourite things! Also, if you would like to join the email list where I share more stories, you can join the email list here.
Unit next time, friends!
Great overview of the area and things to do! Must say be to a couple of these place and look forward to new experiences. Thank you Sara another great article.
Thank you so much for your kind feedback!