Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutNorth Huron Visitors' Guide, 1988-06-15, Page 3Visitors’ Guide NORTH HURON VISITORS' GUIDE PAGE 3. ■■ Bed and Breakfast gives true taste of Huron The Dunedin-on-Maitland is a spectacular old home, built in 1887, perched on the banks of the Maitland River in Brussels. Dennis Morello is a charming host and a talented artist: his work adorns every room of both public and private parts of his home. b. - country theatres. Accordingly, the board of direc­ tors, in conjunction with theatre administration staff, set out to remedy the situation, under the direction of Bly th’s Jim Lawrie, whowas then on the board. Jim and Janet Lawrie were the first to open their home to visitors, and it still remains a much-loved facility, less than a five-minute walk from the theatre. In addition, there are four other private homes in the village of Bly th that will take in overnight guests, as well as several just outside of Blyth, three more in Walton, one near Auburn, two near Brussels, and several more as faraway as Wingham, Clinton, Goderich and Seaforth that have metthe strict requirements impos­ ed by the joint administration­ director committee which monitors the program. All are registered with the theatre administration office, and all are inspected for the facilities each offers before being accepted, as well as being checked over at irregular intervals over the follow­ ing years. Most of those now listed have been registered for several years, and Jennifer Hill, Blyth Festival’s assistant general mana­ ger, says that more are always welcome to apply, although she can’t accept any more for this season. If other homeowners are interested, she says, they should apply to the theatre office by March 1,1989, in order to be put on the 1989 list. Once accepted each facility will be listed in a pamphlet that is available free of charge to any visitor whorequests it; Ms. Hill says that hundreds are mailed out Things to do for free Travelling, especially with a family, can bean expensive proposition. But if you know whereto look there are a lot of interesting things and places to visit in North Huron that will cost you nothing at all. In the following pages we present seven things you can do, somethat will only takeacouple of moments, some that can use up a whole afternoon, all of which cost you absolutely nothing. 103 year old bridge offers wrought iron beauty An old hospitality concept that has fairly recently cropped up again as a new way to make visitors feel welcome, north Huron County’s Bed ’n Breakfast esta­ blishments are winning accolades from all who know them. The only commercial ventures in the immediate area are the ‘ ‘ Dune­ din on the Maitland” on William Street in Brussels, the Kildonan Inn on Kirk Street in Clinton, and Holmsted House in the country just outside of Seaforth. All of them are well worth seeing, even if you can’t make reservations to stay for a night or longer. All three are grand old homes built before the turn of the century, with luxurious bedrooms or suites that offer all the comforts of a friendly family home, plus a few state-of-the-art amenities: the master suite at Kildonan Inn, for examples, offers a spacious mo­ dern bathroom with a whirlpool. All offer sumptuous home-style country breakfasts served in a variety of ways, and all are set in spacious grounds which guests are welcome to enjoy. In addition to the above, a network of more than 20 private homes offering bed and breakfast to north Huron visitors, most notably to the people who come from afar to attend the Blyth Festival each season, has been established in and around Blyth. The idea was conceived some eight years ago by the Festival’s board of directors, in response to a common protest of theatre-goers that there was nowhere to stay near the theatre - and it’s true: although both Clinton and Wingham have a motel, and there are many such facilities on the Bluewater High­ way along Lake Huron, most of these are either too far away or not “special” enough to meet the needsofthevery special people who flock to one of Canada’s top Continued on page 4 Modelled after Dunedin Castle in England, the interior of the mansion has been restored to its original grandeur. Ken and Judy Shortreed are the hosts at this lovely home, which has been in the family since it was built in 1873. This is a working farm, and overnight guests may be invited for a ride in a horse-drawn wagon, pulled by a team of Belgians, like Bess and Taffy, above. Once prominent throughout the countryside, wrought iron bridges are now nearly as rare as covered bridges. One of the last active iron bridges in Huron County has become a landmark south of Auburn. Ball’s Bridge is a favourite with families on Sunday drives and painters and fishermen, even if it is something less than popular with local farmers and truckers who can’t travel over the narrow bridge with its weight limits. Built in 1885, Ball’s Bridge carries traffic over the Maitland River west of County Road 8. It’s a favourite route for visitors as it winds up through the countryside, past the “Little Lakes” then on to Benmiller and into Goderich through Saltford and the scenic Maitland Valley. To satisfy the demands of modern traffic, Huron County is this summer building a new Ball’s Bridge a mile or so down stream with a new road along which traffic can whiz along. But for those who prefer the slower, more scenic route, the future of the old Ball’s Bridge is secure at least for the short term. The county has agreed to keep up the old bridge for several years unless some major expenses are needed to keep it safe. TogettoBall’sBridge, turn south offCounty Road 25 at Auburn onto County Road 8 and drive about four kilometressouth. You’ll passa beautiful fieldstone house high on a hill and at the bottom of the hill on the curve the road right will lead to Bali’s Bridge and on to Little Lakes.