Haunted Muskoka

There are a number of ghostly spirits said to haunt locations across Muskoka. With Hallowe’en just around the corner, we thought we’d introduce you to some of them.

Strange things happen at Muskoka Heritage Place, Huntsville’s Pioneer Village. In the Hill House, ghostly footsteps echo upstairs, the bed looks as though someone had been sitting in it (despite being blocked from public access) and there are reports of people feeling that they were being watched. It’s thought that Reverend and Mrs. Hill still preside over their home despite both being long dead. Reverend Hill’s original homestead was on the shores of Peninsula Lake in Hillside which is, ahem, where Colonial Bay is. (No ghosts here, we promise.)

The Inn at the Falls in Bracebridge boasts several spirits, including Judge William C. Mahaffy and a trio of ghosts affectionately known as Charlie (who haunts the kitchen), Sarah (who occasionally inhabits the Carriage Room), and Bob (who frequents the upstairs corridors).

The RMS Segwun, a steamship on Lake Muskoka, is purported to have at least one ghost aboard.

The Bala Bay Inn’s original owner, E.B. Sutton, has been haunting the building for almost 95 years. Some people have reported seeing him staring out from the upper windows of the Inn.

You can learn more about Muskoka’s ghosts in the book Cottage Country Ghosts by local authors Maria da Silva and Andrew Hind.

We’re gearing up for the winter season. Are you planning to join us for some snowy fun? We hope so! You can view our availability here. Stay tuned for information on winter adventures in Muskoka.

The Howell Family

Muskoka Brews

A good brew is part of the Muskoka experience. In your world that may bring to mind a cold beer on a sunny dock or a steaming coffee in the morning mist. Either way, there are home-grown Muskoka options that offer some of the best brews around.

Two coffee roasters call Muskoka home: the Muskoka Roastery Coffee Company in Huntsville and Diesel House Coffee Roasters in Bracebridge. Both are staunch supporters of our community and have delicious soul-warming flavours to boot. From Diesel House, you can enjoy 11 varieties including fair-trade organic blends with names like Crazy Goat, Restless Monk Espresso and Viva Libre Decaf. The Muskoka Roastery offers eight 100% Rainforest Alliance certified coffee blends including Howling Wolf, Muskoka Maple, and Loon Call Breakfast Blend, plus a variety of flavoured coffees including a cranberry-vanilla combo. Sounds like a great way to start the day, doesn’t it?

And while the weather is getting cooler, two local craft breweries offer seasonal autumn- and winter-inspired beers. Muskoka Brewery in Bracebridge has a Harvest Ale which is “dry hopped and brewed using a selection of premium local ingredients and has a rich malt backbone and a subtle grassy character reminiscent of the freshly cut harvest. It’s our way of celebrating another prosperous growing season.” Lake of Bays Brewing Company in Baysville offers a new Mocha Porter just for the winter. “A brewer, a coffee roaster and a craft beer snob walk into a bar in Muskoka. The result: a rich winter beer, full of coffee, chocolate and roasted barley. Perfect with a hearty meal on a cold winter's night.”

All of these Muskoka brews are available from retailers across Ontario, or remember to pick some up the next time you visit Colonial Bay. Ski and snowmobile season is right around the corner. (We know, we know…it’s too early to be thinking about that, right? But we like winter.) If you’ve never experienced Colonial Bay in the winter, what are you waiting for? You can view our availability here.

We look forward to seeing you soon!
The Howell Family

All Aboard!

If you’ve ever visited Muskoka Heritage Place, you’ve probably taken a ride on the Portage Flyer but you may not know that this little train originally carried passengers from our very own Pen Lake over to Lake of Bays.

Completed in 1904, the track traveled a mere 1 1/8 mile but what a trip it was. Passengers from the steamship Algonquin got off at the northeastern edge of Pen Lake and boarded the Portage Flyer for a hair-raising ride.

Lake of Bays stands 170 feet higher than Peninsula Lake and the area between is a mix of steep bluffs and rolling hills. From Pen Lake, the little train had to first traverse a steep switchback, followed by a 120 foot climb to the summit in only ¾ mile. The trip down the other side was no better: after following a narrow pass through the hills, the Portage Flyer had to navigate around steep bluffs and a hairpin bend along the shore of Osborne Lake.

When the Flyer arrived at Lake of Bays, passengers then boarded another steamship, the Iroquois, headed for the grand resorts of the lake: the Britannia Inn, the Wa Wa Hotel and Bigwin Inn.

The Portage Flyer transported more than just people. In addition to its two passenger coaches, which were converted, open-side streetcars, the train also had two box cars and three flat cars to carry freight, mail, lumber and tanbark.

With increased use of cars and trucks, the Portage Flyer ceased operations in 1959. But thanks to the efforts of local volunteers and train enthusiasts, you can still experience the Portage Flyer on a scenic ¾ mile route along the Muskoka River to where it empties into Fairy Lake. The train runs from mid-May through mid-October (contact Muskoka Heritage Place for rates and schedule). The Portage Flyer also does a special night-time run in December, carrying children to the end of the line to meet Santa.

Fall is a fantastic time to stay in our waterfront Muskoka cottages . You can see our availability and make reservations on the Colonial Bay website. Imagine if you had to travel by steamship and train to visit us. We still think it would be worth the trip, don’t you?

We hope to see you soon!
The Howell Family

Thanksgiving in Muskoka: A Feast for the Eyes and the Belly

There’s nothing quite like Thanksgiving in Muskoka. Crisp air, gorgeous foliage, and the aroma of a roasting turkey all combine to create show-stopping, mouth-watering goodness. And two of the foods most associated with a Thanksgiving feast, turkey and cranberries, thrive right here in Muskoka.

Wild turkeys are plentiful in Muskoka thanks to efforts by the MNR to re-establish them in Ontario. Although they were eradicated from the province early in the 20th century, it’s estimated that the birds now number close to 100,000. And most surprisingly, they are abundant in Muskoka and parts north, an area outside of their historical range. It’s not uncommon to see them strutting down the side of the road, but it would probably be wise for them to hide out this time of year.

Muskoka is also home to two commercial cranberry marshes (and any number of others hidden away on private properties). Both Iroquois Cranberry Growers and Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh are near Bala and every October, on the weekend after Thanksgiving, the town of Bala celebrates all things cranberry at the Bala Cranberry Festival. You can sample cranberry products and take tours of the marshes. (You can also visit the marshes at throughout October and watch the cranberries being harvested.)

If you’re planning to visit Colonial Bay in October, why not make a trip to Bala, Muskoka’s Cranberry Capital, part of your adventure? And watch out for those turkeys!

We still have some availability at our waterfront Muskoka cottages for Thanksgiving weekend and beyond. You can see our availability and make reservations on the Colonial Bay website.

Happy Thanksgiving and we hope to see you soon!
The Howell Family