The Date Almanac
A day for two around Collingwood
The orchard market and Thornberry pie at Goldsmith's, an escarpment lookout, and sunset on Georgian Bay
A slow day for two through the Blue Mountains, west of Collingwood. Start at Goldsmith's, the orchard market outside Thornbury, for cider and a slice of their Thornberry pie. Climb the Bruce Trail through Petun Conservation Area to the lookout over the valley, about an hour up, then drop down to the Georgian Bay shore at Craigleith for the sunset over the water. Three unhurried stops, none more than 20 km apart.
- 1
Pie and cider · Thornbury
Goldsmith’s Orchard Market
An on-farm grocery that grew out of a 1960s roadside fruit stand, stocking fruit and vegetables from its own 200-acre farm plus local meat and cheese and an in-house bakery known for its Thornberry pie.
- 2
Climb to the lookout
Petun Conservation Area
Niagara Escarpment land above the Blue Mountains, named for the Petun people who farmed this country, with the Bruce Trail running through it. The main trail climbs through forest to a lookout over the valley, roughly an hour up, with the full loop closer to two. The lot is small and runs about $15 a vehicle through the HotSpot app, so go early.
- 3
Sunset on the bay
Craigleith Provincial Park
A short stretch of Georgian Bay shore where flat brown shale plates hold trilobites and other fossils 455 million years old; you can hunt and photograph them at the water's edge but collecting is not allowed.
Before you go
- Goldsmith's market and bakery are open seven days, 9 to 6; the Thornberry pie sells out, so go early or call to set one aside.
- Petun charges about $15 a vehicle through the HotSpot app and the lot is small, so go early and wear real shoes for the climb.
- Craigleith faces northwest over Georgian Bay, so it is the right place to end on a clear evening. Check the sunset time and bring a layer.
- The shale shore at Craigleith holds fossils; look and photograph, but collecting is not allowed in the park.
- Pack water and a picnic, since the lookout and the shore have no concessions.
A free day out from the Home Almanac. Every stop is a verified place; days change with the season, so print it the week you go. Data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, openstreetmap.org/copyright.