Snow Day! The possibilities for winter fun in our region are endless – skating, skiing, snowmobiling and hot cocoa to warm you up afterwards. Thanks to its awesome ski runs, outdoor hockey and the ice fishing on the Bay, Quinte West is a premier winter destination. And when you’ve had your fill of outdoor fun you can spend the afternoon inside a Second World War bomber or enjoy some local music and a wood-fired pizza.
BATAWA SKI HILL
99 Ski Club Lane, Batawa
Featured on Ski Canada’s “Best of…” list, the Batawa Ski Hill boasts an impressive nine runs and offers night skiing and snowshoeing. Refuel at the Batawa Chalet with its rooftop patio and bistro.
BATAWA LIONS CLUB
81 Plant Street, Batawa
The Batawa Lions Club offers free skating on its outdoor rink from December 15 to March 15. The rink is also home to the CFB Trenton Pond Hockey Classic – a fundraiser tournament in support of Trenton Memorial Hospital and Wounded Warriors.
BLEASDELL BOULDER
Bleasdell Boulder Conservation Area,
Access from Highway 33
Put on your snowshoes and take a short hike to the Bleasdell Boulder. Named after William Bleasdell, the boulder is 2.3 billion-years-old and 6.7 metres high. The Bleasdell Boulder Conservation Area also offers EarthCache, a popular form of geocaching.
SNOWMOBILING
If you prefer an adventure through evergreens and across frozen fields, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs has created an interactive trail guide. ofsc.on.ca (district3ofsc.ca for local trail addresses and conditions).
WANNAMAKER’S HOME SWEET HOME BAKERY
391 Dundas Street West, Trenton
Warm up with a hot cocoa and try one of the bakery’s oversized cinnamon buns or their jam-laden “whoopie pies” or strawberry cronuts.
ICE FISHING
The Bay of Quinte is world-famous for its year-round walleye fishing. Locals say the best fishing is where the Trent River meets the Bay, and a little west near the Murray Canal. Plan your trip with the Fish ONLine site: geohub.lio.gov.on.ca/datasets/fish-on-line or let a local guide set you up in one of the many colourful huts that dot the Bay of Quinte.
NATIONAL AIR FORCE MUSEUM
220 RCAF Road, 8 Wing/CFB Trenton
Explore Canadian aviation history inside the National Air Force Museum of Canada at CFB Trenton. The Museum is also home to the Second World War Halifax Bomber (the only one of its kind in the world).
THE OLD CHURCH THEATRE
940 Bonisteel Road, Trenton
The 1876 Methodist church was saved from demolition and converted into a community centre and performance space that continues Roy Bonisteel’s legacy by hosting live musical performances featuring Canadian music icons, alongside local talent. If that wasn’t enough, they now serve wood-fired pizzas!
Story by:
Micol Marotti
Illustration by:
Charles Bongers
