Village Squire, 1977-06, Page 38E
DAY TRIPPING.
To Bayfield
and back
For more than a century it's been a part
of summer to travel from the town of
Clinton southwestward to the lakeshore
village of Bayfield. Our day -trip this month
followed that long-established trend,
though it takes the roundabout route.
We start in Clinton, at the crossroads of
two of the busiest highways in the area:
highway four heading north from London
and Highway 8, west from Stratford to
Goderich. The meeting of these two roads
like the spokes of a wheel has given the
town the name Hub of Huron Country.
There are several small interesting
shops in Clinton these days as well as the
regular variety of small-town stores. In
addition there are weekend attractions
such as the new Farmers Market and the
Sunday afternoon horseraces which will
begin soon.
We start at the main intersection and
head • south. Just past the corner on
Highway 4 is a large radar antenna,
marking the fact that Clinton long was
home to an air force base which trained
men in the use of electronic skills such as
the use of radar. It was at the Clinton base
during the Second World War that much of
the research into the use of radar took
place, research that went a long way
WA; .rd helping turn the tide against the
German forces.
Just past the big antenna a sign points
the way to Bayfield. Turn right, then left
again on Bayfield Rd.
The road curves to the right and crosses
the railway tracks just where the old CNR
station once stood. The station was torn
down a couple of years back after
passenger travel on the railway was
stopped. Just across the street from where
the station used to sit (on your left before
A forest of masts dominates the harbour at Bayfield.
you cross the tracks) is an imposing frame
building. Today it's an apartment building
but it was originally one of the many hotels
in Clinton and later served as a school of
commerce.
The county road which you're travelling
on forms the boundary between Goderich
township on your right and Stanley
township on your left. It's a pretty piece of
road as it leaves Clinton past several
beautiful big homes, crosses under the
narrow railway bridge, and flows over hills
and around curves westward toward the
lake. About five miles from Clinton you'll
see the sign for the junction of County road
31 and the arrow pointing toward Varna.
Take the left hand turn toward Varna.
Here's a beautiful view of the valley from
one of the highest points of land in the
area. Several people have built homes in
the area in the past few years to take
advantage of that view.
Take your first turn on the right and
you're headed toward Bayfield again. You
may get a glimpse on your left down the
road a couple of miles of the manmade lake
built by Stewart Middleton. In most.
sections of the country this far inland thel
land is flat but -here it's rolling giving many:
interesting views. Many people are.
building new houses along this road.
because of the beautiful setting.
As you travel on, you may see still some
upturned trees and others with chopped -off
tops, scars from a twister that went
through the area in 1970 causing
considerable damage. Farther still, you'll
see the beautiful man-made lake of Mr.
and Mrs. Frank DeJong on your right and
their impressive farming operation spread
out around the lake.
As you draw closer to Bayfield the road
enters a forested area, then curves to the
36, VILLAGE SQUIRE/JUNE 1977.