Warkworth - a Hidden Gem!
Nestled amongst the rolling hills of Northumberland, Ontario, lies the village of Warkworth - a hidden gem which we had only heard about by word of mouth. Though quite small, there is so much to see and do here that you could spend 3 hours, just browsing through every shop - each with its own selection of merchandise, and each with its own decor. Being a Sunday, we were surprised - and pleased - that many of the stores were open and every single server went out of their way to make us feel welcome.
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| The Cheeky Bee Gallery |
I particularly liked this item which depicts a hot-air balloon with an unusual character as a passenger!  |
| Fairy Doors - made by our friends, Alan and Sarah |
We were thrilled to see a display of fairy doors there as the people who make them are our friends, Alan and Sarah. Alan was interviewed on Garden Gate last year.
Another really interesting shop we stopped in was the Frantic Farms Clay & Glass & Gallery.  |
| An interesting staircase - with an even more interesting story behind it! |
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| Monica Johnson |
It was here that we met Monica, who is skilled in pottery and produces the amazing crockery that was on display.
Her husband, Paulus, is a glass blower and his creations were phenomenal. The following pictures of the products of these talented people give an idea of the excellence and uniqueness of what they provide.
We were fortunate to have visited today as next weekend is the Maple Syrup Festival - and the area will be packed with visitors and tourists who have already discovered this remarkable place. We'll probably be a part of that throng and will be happy to take the bus to the Sugar Bush demo. However, it was good for us to be able to spend time chatting with the boutique owners and servers so that we could get to know the area and history a little better - an opportunity which probably won't be so readily available next weekend!
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| Our Lucky Stars |
We stopped in at Our Lucky Stars for a hot drink. It seemed to be quite popular, even though the village was relatively quiet.
Once again, we were struck by the architecture and one-of-a-kind elements and styles that we saw in the buildings throughout the village.
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| Memorial Community Hall |
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| St. Jerome's R.C. Church |
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| The Town Hall |
When we left the farm, the weather didn't look too promising. That being said, we have a tradition that, unless the weather is totally crazy, we won't be put off by lack of sunshine - we'll just go and see what happens. (This is a tradition that I learned through osmosis after spending many such days with Jess and Dave, my sister and brother-in-law in the U.K. I couldn't count how many times we had our picnic in the car while it showered outside! Who cares - let's have fun! That was their motto, and I'll always be grateful to them for imbuing me with the same attitude!)
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| Sign for the Millenium Lilac Trail |
True to form, the clouds cleared and we were left with beautiful sunshine with blue skies and puffy clouds, so we took advantage of this and went for a short walk along the Millenium Lilac Trail. I can only imagine what it would be like at the end of May when they hold their annual Lilac Festival! Even in the snow, we enjoyed our stroll.
We were told that a well-known hairdresser, who had a salon in Toronto (frequented by anybody who is a 'somebody'), lives in the village in an old renovated Anglican Church. It certainly looks interesting from the outside and, apparently, it used to be on the garden tour a few years ago.
I loved the village clock which stands proudly, half way down Main Street.
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| The Town Clock |
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| Cell phones are consigning these to history! |
... and just HAD to take a pic of something which, I'm afraid, is becoming a dying breed...!!
We can thoroughly recommend a visit to this hidden gem - you won't regret it!
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| Main Street |
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You might also enjoy:
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| Visit to Lakefield |
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| The Ice Caves - Apostle Islands, Michigan |
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