We have just gotten back from a fantastic camping trip at Bon Echo Provincial Park, spending a fun-filled three days with cousins. Although it’s less than a 90 minute drive from where I grew up, I’ve only been to Bon Echo once, when I camped there at about the age of 8. I had forgotten the beauty of the combination of trees, water and rock – a part of the Canadian Shield. My sister and I got lost on that childhood camping trip for what seemed like a long time. The joke was that we’d be fine to find our way now that we’re older. We weren’t completely – we got lost for just a bit all together and then I managed to get lost again on my own later! Other than that, all was good…
I often think about camping as kind of a paradox. A combination of relaxation and work. Wide, open spaces and togetherness in close quarters. A balance of rest and staying organized.
And it’s so many kinds of wonderful:).
There is always the classic camping kind of fun – long fallen trunks to walk on and new trails to follow but this time, there were also massive rocks rising 330 feet above us.
There were bike rides in a little valley that pull you down the hill so quickly that you didn’t need to pedal back up the other side. There were games. And camp food! And a hike up Mazinaw Rock that was absolutely beautiful.
Time spent joking and watching retro movies and comedy shows (yes, even when camping somehow, lol).
We had a boat ride around Upper Mazinaw Lake around the shoreline to see the cabins and historical cottages, one of which members of the Group of Seven stayed in on occasion, and circled around to Mazinaw Rock to see the rock up close as well as the historical Indigenous pictographs.
Everyone on the boat made a collective yell to create a good echo, a “Bon Echo.’ We quickly found out that the name “Tim” doesn’t work as well with the short “i” sound but “Scott” works very well with the short “o” sound:).
Click on the video in the space below to see if you can hear the echo.
Bits of rain, interspersed with bursts of sun and then rain again didn’t stop the many explorers of the lake, beach and rock, including professional rock climbers and even dogs:), as people waved at each other ( well, not the rock climbers!) from the boat, canoes, kayaks and the beach.
There were so many little crevices, tree routes, passages and paths that even older kids and adults enjoyed adventuring around. I love September in Ontario with the greens of summer just very slightly beginning to shift to oranges and yellows and reds.
You can’t beat the working together that inherently comes with camping. When we were just a wee bit confused about where we were, everyone put their heads together to figure it out and, of course, we found our way. Then there’s the other stuff that comes from spending time together like S bringing my bedding and pillow in while I was off the campsite so it was ready for me when I got back or nephew A offering me his campfire stick so that I could mark my trail back from the water (knowing that I’d already been lost once). Siblings and cousins just getting along so. darn. well. What a blessing.
My favourite part of the three days was the hike up Mazinaw Rock after being ferried over to the bottom of the trail and the enjoyment of my nephew, A, as he realized we were hiking part of the Canadian Shield, 100 metres (330 feet) above the water.
He was so interested in the route and when we, along with several other hikers, found ourselves at a point that we weren’t sure was the end of the offical trail or not, he was an involved part of the navigation.
He had a burst of interest in photography and took so many great pictures on top of of the rock trail that he is generously sharing here.
One of the most amazing things about camping is the inherent trust and comradery among campers. For the first time ever in our experience, there was a very unfortunate turn of events between two campers a few sites over, but it stood out because it seems like such a rarity. Where else do you sleep in relative proximity to strangers with nothing but a tent wall and zipper or thin trailer door between you? Where else do you leave games and books and bikes out in the open while going for a walk? Where else do people smile and good-naturedly greet each other as they trudge to the bathroom after an overnight thunderstorm?
Camping is not for everyone … I know. For us, though, what a wonderful time:).
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Wow, fabulous photos – thanks Angus!
Gran
Yes he does have a terrific eye! I love Bon Echo park and have hiked Mazinaw Rock as well. We never thought to try making an echo! Such beautiful spots there, especially getting into fall. Thanks very much for sharing.
What great pictures Angus! You have a terrific eye for shots!