Discovering Pickering’s Altona Forest
The 53-hectare Pickering’s Altona Forest, is a richly varied, mature woodland and home to an abundance of wildlife - everything from wood frogs to white-tailed deer. With a network of roughly five kilometres of hiking trails, the forest with many towering white pines offers a taste of wilderness to those lucky enough to discover it. Walk through a hemlock grove, listen to the woodpeckers and admire the fall colours.
Altona Forest
www.altonaforest.org
Apples and a taste of autumn at Watson Farms
Watson Farms’ new market building is well stocked with a wide variety of apples, but you can also pick your own in their orchard where Macs, Galas, Cortlands, Empires, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Northern Spy, Ida Red and Mutsu are all grown. If you prefer your fruit ready-cooked, take home one of the market pies baked by Kings Court Catering: apple, apple-cranberry, apple-crumble and plenty of pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving.
Watson Farms
2287 Regional Hwy. 2, Bowmanville
905-623-9109
www.watsonfarms.ca
Discover Whitby’s Heritage
A former shop on Whitby’s Brock Street seems like an unlikely location for a museum, but inside this small space the Whitby Historical Society’s dedicated volunteers have done an admirable job of preserving the town’s heritage. Housing some 9,000 artifacts, this compact museum has plenty to show its visitors, from stained glass windows to the Perry family stamp. But the best part is hearing the stories that bring these objects to life. The historical society stages several special events throughout the year.
The Whitby Historical Society
123 Brock St. S., Whitby
905-556-9822
www.whitbyhistoricalsociety.com
Highfields Spa
Set high on the Oak Ridges Moraine near Zephyr, Highfields Country Inn and Spa’s 175acres of fields and forests beg to be explored. To date, Highfields is the only spa in Ontario to offer the lava shell massage, an eco-friendly therapy similar to hot stone massage. The Lava Shell Massage can be booked on its own or as part of a three-hour detoxifying package. The quality treatments and comfortable setting at Highfields Spa has earned this establishment a loyal following.
Highfields Country Inn and Spa
11568-70 Concession 3, Zephyr
905-473-6132
www.highfields.com
