Length of stay: 2 days
Visited: October 2020
Cases have been rising here in Ontario over the past few weeks and we were advised to not get together with family or friends for Thanksgiving. As with most holidays this year, we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving a little differently. Instead of doing our usual family gatherings, we headed up to the cabin for a couple of days. What better way to social distance than by being alone in the middle of the forest?
The weather for the weekend was looking promising and today it was supposed to reach a high of 23°C. On the drive up Saturday morning, we stopped at Ferris Provincial Park to go for a hike and enjoy the warm weather and fall foliage. From Ferris it’s about an hour and a half drive to the cabin, but we had to stop at a shop along the way to pick up a set of keys that K’s dad dropped in the parking lot the weekend before. By the time we arrived at the cabin it was around 1p.m so we heated up some soup on the wood stove for lunch.
Since it was unusually warm outside, we figured this would be a good opportunity to scavenge through the forest and chop some dry wood for the winter.
Later in the afternoon we went for a walk around the property. We followed an old road that leads to an old farm. You could still see the foundation from where one of the buildings stood along with some of the old tools and equipment.
On the walk back, it started to lightly sprinkle. When we returned to the cabin, we got the fire going in the wood stove again and made dinner. We also heated up a pumpkin pie for dessert. It is Thanksgiving after all.
We left the cabin shortly after breakfast on Sunday and stopped to go for a hike at the Vanderwater Conservation Area on the drive back to Toronto. While this wasn’t the Thanksgiving we had hoped for, we were so thankful that we had the cabin to escape to for a change of scenery. We’ve also been extremely grateful to live in Ontario and have access to an abundance of provincial parks and conservation areas. I can’t imagine what this year would have been like if these green spaces didn’t exist.
L
Seems like you had a really good time at the cabin L! Nice captures 🙂
We sure did. While it would have been nice to spend Thanksgiving with family, I’m glad we were able to escape to the cabin and spend some time outdoors enjoying the lovely fall colours and weather.
Great opportunity to have a cabin for a get away. October in the forest is a good Thanksgiving and the fall colours look great. Thanks for sharing. Allan
While this wasn’t the most ideal Thanksgiving, I’m glad we made the most of it and had the cabin as a back-up plan. It also helped that we had such fabulous weather and were able to spend some time outdoors. Fall at the cabin is always very scenic.
My biggest dream is to live simply in a wooden cabin with a wood stove…out in nature of course 🙂 Beautiful autumn colours!
The cabin has been such such a blessing this past year during the pandemic. It’s just been great to be able to escape the city and spend time in nature. It makes me appreciate the simple things in life. It’s all very peaceful. And it’s especially beautiful in the Fall when the leaves are changing colour.
That’s a cool thing to do for Thanksgiving to go to a cabin! The foliage looks absolutely beautiful! 🙂 🙂
Visiting the cabin was a nice alternative to celebrate Thanksgiving. The Fall is also my favourite time of the year to go hiking and spend time at the cabin. The fall colours are beautiful and there are no bugs! Plus it’s always so much cozier to have the wood stove going.
Sounds absolutely lovely! I’m happy for you that you found a way to thoroughly enjoy a holiday during a pandemic 😊
For sure. We’re thinking of returning to the cabin for New Years since it’s not as if we’d have other plans. All of Ontario is supposed to go under lockdown on December 24th.
I heard about that! Good luck to you on that! 🤞
How fun to “rough it” a bit while enjoying the luxury surroundings of trees, leaves, and pathways. Happy holidays to you and yours.
While there is no running water or electricity at the cabin, it sure beat sleeping in a tent! While it would have been nice to spend time with family for Thanksgiving, I’m glad we were able to go to the cabin and enjoy the fall foliage, which has been outstanding this year.
Roughing it can make memories!
Hahaha, that’s right! Some of my favourite memories are in the backcountry. It usually requires more planning and work to get to, but that’s all part of the experience!
A cozy escape! The foreest colors are lovely.
For sure. We don’t have much use for the wood stove during the summer, but in the fall and winter, we try to keep it going non-stop. It makes the place feel so cozy. It’s the perfect place to just enjoy nature and the beautiful fall colours.
Those beautiful fall photos! Yes, I think that in Canada we have been fortunate to have so much space and opportunity for distanced activities. And yes, not least, all the parks. 🙂
Thanks, we had such a marvelous Fall this year. And agreed, we’re lucky that we have so much wilderness in Canada. I couldn’t imagine what this year would have been like if we didn’t have any access to parks or conservation areas.
What a beautiful place! Looks cozy! I love the colours on the trees!
The cabin is the perfect place to social distance as there are no neighbours around for a few kilometres. It’s just so peaceful and relaxing. The Fall is my favourite time to visit as the fall colours are outstanding. And there are no bugs!
That sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving weekend to me. You are so blessed to have such a wonderful getaway. Love all the photos, too.
We’ve certainly made good use of the cabin this year. There is no running water or electricity though, so we usually only stay for 2 to 3 days at a time. It’s too bad we couldn’t work from home here instead of in Toronto. But, I feel very fortunate that we have this place to escape to and not have to worry about being too close to others. It was a nice alternative option to celebrate Thanksgiving.
You are fortunate indeed. Enjoy!
I remember, we’ve been so lucky and grateful to have a sunny and warm Thanksgiving long weekend this year🙂 Amazing colours!
p.s. I’m sure you have surpassed your annual quota of hiking this year xoxo
Yes, we had such lovely weather over the Thanksgiving long weekend, and just the Fall in general. The fall foliage was also just outstanding this year. It’s my favourite time to go hiking (no bugs!!) so we had no issues completing our 52 Hike Challenge. The only issue is just writing them all up now!
I love that cabin and love the stove! And those lovely bright fall colours seem like a lifetime ago. I do remember how warm that weekend was!
The cabin is quite rustic, there is no running water or electricity. But, it sure beats sleeping in a tent!! Once you get the wood stove going it feels very warm and cozy inside. We chopped a bunch of wood over the summer and are preparing to spend more time at the cabin this winter. There are a few provincial parks that are somewhat nearby that are reputed to have some good snowshoeing trails (Frontenac, Silent Lake, Murphy’s Point). And yes, those warm fall days seem like they happened forever ago.
The cabin life sounds like an absolutely wonderful weekend getaway!
For sure. We’re planning on spending New Years at the cabin. I’m still not sure whether provincial parks will be closed starting Dec 26th when Ontario goes under strict lockdown, but fingers crossed they stay open.
That sounds fun! And yah better check. You don’t wanna get stuck up in the cabin for 28 days. 🤣 Have a great time. What a wonderful place to ring in the new year.
Haha, I don’t think our marriage could survive being cooped up in that cabin for 28 days! Especially with no running water! Enjoy the holidays. Hope your Ma is recovering.
Nice little refuge, I am happy for you to have this quiet retreat not too far from Toronto.
We’ve visited the cabin more times this year than in the last five years combined. It’s been great being able to leave the city and spend time in nature. It’s funny because ever since the pandemic started, we’ve been trying to spend more time outside the city than inside it.
Beautiful👍🏻
The cabin is one of my favourite places to visit to just enjoy nature. It’s so incredibly peaceful and relaxing. It’s especially beautiful in the fall with all the leaves changing colour. Thanks for reading and commenting.
My pleasure…🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Such a perfect little cabin to escape the madness of the current pandemic! The pace of modern life often keeps us so busy that we have no time for the little things that bring us the most joy and I am glad to see that you have a place where you can enjoy silence and be alone with nature. Aiva 🙂
Me too. We feel so incredibly blessed that we have the cabin to escape to every once in a while. It’s been tough living in a big city like Toronto with so many people around. We always assumed we’d live in the city while we’re still working, but we’ve actually started to look for a house outside of the city now that teleworking looks like it’ll be here to stay. Take care.
Beautiful fall colors!
We had such a beautiful fall in terms of the foliage and weather. It’s my favourite time of the year and glad we made the most of it. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Fall was also our favorite season in the U.S. when we were working there.
Beautiful
We are very fortunate that we have the cabin to escape to, especially during the pandemic. It’s just nice to get away and be surrounded by wilderness. The cabin is especially beautiful in the fall when all the leaves are changing colour.
Sounds amazing