For four generations, the McBeth family has spent summer vacations here in Barrow Bay, first at the Sunrise Cottage on the South Shore, and since the 1950’s at the McBeth cottage on the North Shore. Its beautiful countryside, sparkling blue waters, and laid back atmosphere have provided a relaxing getaway for Odin and Leslie over the past 6 years, and now we are excited to be sharing this special place with all of you.

While you are planning your trip, consider staying for a few days and taking some time to explore the beautiful Bruce Peninsula. Below are some ideas for fun things to do in and around Barrow Bay, as well as a map with a few highlights.

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Hike the Bruce Trail. 

The Bruce Trail is an 885km trail that runs from Niagara Falls to Tobermory along the Niagara Escapment.  Some of the most beautiful parts of this trail are found on the Bruce Peninsula, and you can easily access the trail from Barrow Bay or Lion’s Head.

One of our favourite hikes goes through the Lion’s Head Nature Reserve, from Lion’s Head, out along the point to McKay’s Harbour, over to Gun Point, and then back along the cliffs to Barrow Bay.  It’s about 12km from end-to-end and takes about 5 hours if you stop for lunch along the way.  The trail offers spectacular views of Georgian Bay.

You can start hiking at either the end of Moore Street in Lion’s Head, or the end of McKague Road in Barrow Bay.  To follow the trail, look for the markers as shown in the photo to the left.  You always turn in the direction of the top rectangle (this image tells you to turn right).  See the map below for details, or ask Leslie and Odin for advice and directions.

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Swim In An Underwater Cave at the Grotto

Visit the Grotto at Bruce Peninsula National Park for a chance to swim in an underwater cave! After a nice (very easy) hike through the forest, you’ll come upon some beautiful shore line and a rocky coast line that is perfect for swimming. This is a great place to spend an afternoon, swimming in the grotto, or soaking up sun along the flat smooth rocks that make up the coast line.

To get to the Grotto, take Hwy 6 north towards Tobermory. About 40km north of Barrow Bay, you’ll see signs for Cyprus Lake Road and the Cyprus Lake Campground, part of the National Park. Turn right here. Entry for the park for the day is free, but it’s $11.70 to park your car. The visitor center provides maps of the various routes for hiking.

For more information, visit this website.

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Go Spelunking at Grieg’s Scenic Caves

Explore some of the most magnificent caves and rock formations on the Bruce. These 10 caves, located 300 feet above the shoreline, were carved into the underside of dolomite cliffs by an ancient lake. Approximately 400 million years ago, this area was covered by a shallow tropical sea teeming with life in the form of plant-like animals, crustaceans, living corals and mollusks. It would have looked much like the present-day Great Barrier Reef of Australia. When the sea began to dry up, the minerals dissolved in it became more and more concentrated. Magnesium in the water was absorbed into the limestone, which then became a harder, slightly different sort of rock, called dolomite. (Fun Fact – Leslie’s engagement ring contains a type of quartz crystal called a Herkimer Diamond, which is found in dolomite rock in Upstate New York).

The harder dolomite limestone forms much of the rock of the escarpment cliffs along Bruce Peninsula’s Georgian Bay shoreline. As at Niagara Falls, the dolomite “caprock” erodes more slowly than the rock below it, creating the sculptured cliffs for which the area is famous. The caves were formed by the wave action post­glacial Lake Algonquin over 7,000 years ago, as water levels in the region have undergone great changes. Softer limestone has been eroded away by water action, leaving magnificent overhanging cliffs at various points along the shore. Also inland, where erosion has cut more deeply, caves have been formed, such as Greig’s Caves, which are now located about 300 feet above Georgian Bay but were once at water level. For info, visit the Grieg’s Caves Website.

The entrance road to Greig’s Caves is 407 Scenic Cave Road on the North side, across from the corner of Tower Road, 4.82 kilometres from County Road 9.  See the map below for details.

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Visit a Historic Lighthouse

It’s a long drive down a dirt road along the shoreline to get to this little gem.  The shale rock covered beach provides great opportunities for building inukshuk, a traditional form of wayfinding for the indigenous people in this region.  Climb the steps of a historic lighthouse for beautiful views of the bay, and visit the museum to learn more about the area.

Perched 80 feet above Georgian Bay, on the beautiful Bruce Peninsula, the Cabot Head Lighthouse has guided ships for over 100 years. Named in honour of famous explorer, John Cabot, this site offers spectacular views of the Niagara Escarpment and Georgian Bay. In 1968, the original tower was demolished and replaced with an automated light. Fifteen years later, the Friends of Cabot Head completely restored the lightstation. Visitors are now encouraged to visit the lighthouse museum and walk the interpretive trails.

For more information, visit this website.

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Something for Everyone

For more ideas on fun things to do, ranging from rock climbing and canoeing to mountain biking, to laying on the beach or shopping for antiques, visit these websites:

• Explore the Bruce – a wealth of information on activities, attractions, and accommodations in the area.
• The Peninsula Bruce Trail Club and the Bruce Trail Conservancy have infomation about hiking and camping in the area.
• The Bruce Peninsula website has plenty of information on hiking, boating, eating, and staying in the Bruce.

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A map of fun things to see and do in the Bruce:

View Les and Odin’s Wedding – The Bruce Peninsula in a larger map