Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/510262
DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2015 20 A TASTE OF COUNTRY LIVING Headwaters offers diverse dining opportu- nities from affordable entertainment for kids to gourmet fare in pleasant cafés, cosy pubs and quaint tearooms. At the Mono Cliffs Inn, a mecca for food and wine lovers in the area, chef Van de Hock is dedicated to the local food movement, cre- ating his menus based on season and availability of local products. In Orangeville, Forage, founded by a husband-and-wife team of French-trained chefs, specializes in seafood, vegetarian and gluten-free options and offers global menu selections. Family is also the focus at Landman Gardens and Bakery at the north end of Grand Valley, where a generational family farm includes a market, a bakery and a stone Blackhouse for hosting communal dinners. When spirits run high, it's time for cider at Spirit Tree Cidery in Caledon, which also houses a bakery, kitchen and farm store. Spirit Tree offers taste flights of cider, its unique dry- hopped cider, which tastes more like a shandy than a traditional cider, and to-die-for choco- late goat cheese, locally produced by the award-winning Woolwich Dairy. For local farm products, Caledon's Heatherlea Farm Market specializes in meats, delicious frozen prepared meals, baked goods and everyday staples while Downey's Farm Market promises family fun and food that includes Ontario-grown fruits and vegetables, U-pick and ready-pick strawberries and raspberries, and maple syrup as well as farm festivals, special events and its very own winery. The Head- waters region also hosts two annual culinary events—Taste of Maple (mid- March to the second week of April) and Taste of the Harvest (post-Thanksgiving to Remembrance Day). PUT YOUR FEET UP Following a host of outdoor adventures, relax at an award-winning inn, a charming bed and breakfast or get closer to nature at a campground. Nestled in a quaint hamlet, the Millcroft Inn & Spa is the definitive country inn retreat where tranquility, com- fort and heritage charm blend in rural serenity and sophisticated hospitality. Or consider the rustic experience at Peace Valley Ranch's B&B, a family-owned and operated cattle and horse ranch featuring private horseback riding adventures and an opportunity for guests to be involved in real ranch work such as sorting, pasture man- agement, fence checking and cattle drives. Whether you seek sophistication or youthful soft adventure, the Headwaters Region appeals to a wide range of visitors and connects you with the splendour of rural Ontario. RIGHT: Built on the banks of Shaw's Creek, the Alton Mill Arts Centre is home to 25 studio artists, galleries, a heritage museum, a café and unique shops. Alton Mill Arts Centre T R A V E L P L A N N E R To plan your country escape, visit headwaters.ca. DS