While spring flowers, warm temperatures and trees budding out are sure signs of Spring in Canada, cottage country often uses another bench mark. When the ice is off the waterways and the rivers are flowing freely we consider it safe to say the season of new growth has arrived. That date varies from lake to lake in Muskoka , but here at Tuktawayin on the shore of Gull Lake in Gravenhurst the lake was ice free for as far as we could see on March 23rd, 2012.
Ruffled Grouse displaying its courting plumage
Outdoor enthusiasts who head off road for a spring hike won’t be surprised to hear the sound of partridge and grouse pounding their chests. This past weekend I had the good fortune to come upon a male Ruffled Grouse displaying his plumage and doing his very best mating dance…all to attract the attention of a very bored looking hen that turned her back and walked away.
Other sure signs include…
Fishing boats….I saw the first one on Gull Lake on March 24th. I’m sure if they ventured around the entire shore of the lake they would have discovered bits of ice still clinging to the shoreline in shady bays, nooks and crannies. The shoreline opposite Tuktawayin B&B is the side of the lake that loses the ice first and we often see a fishing boat cruising along while we still have our docks securely tethered by ice.
Canada Geese….are usually heard here before they are seen and this year was no exception. I heard them on March 14th but didn’t see them until March 25th, but then I don’t go looking for them. We have a pair that return annually to nest in the cranberry bog on the other side of Gull Lake and by late May or June there always seem to be at least 2 sets of parents with young cruising around the lake.
Low spring flow levels on cottage country secret waterfall
Waterfalls flowing freely….while some of the Muskoka waterfalls flow to a certain extent throughout the winter months we have a small fall in the forest on the other side of the lake which does freeze over. There have been years when I could stand on the frozen waterfall where I can clearly see the ice is a couple of feet deep and then peer down to see a trickle of water still flowing underneath.
Amorous Animals….stepping outside on any early spring morning around here, like in any rural area, provides the listener with a choir of birdsong. At first you only hear a few calls here and there but as the temperatures warm you can hear it all; Robins, Blue Jays, Sparrows, Doves, Gulls and Cardinals just to mention the easily recognized ones.
This little Garter Snake was very aggressive as I stepped over it so I suspect it is protecting a Spring nest.
Animals protecting nests…after leaving the falls this past weekend on my first spring hike I suddenly came upon a small Garter Snake. I suspect it had a nest nearby as it raised its head and lunged at me, all of 6” because it was a small one but it was the first time I had encountered a Garter Snake acting in this manner so I suspected there was a nest of eggs nearby.
What comes next?
Summer of course, and here in Muskoka that means fun-filled days on the water and lazy afternoons on the porch. Tourists always enjoy cruising on the RMS Segwun or the Wenonah II. History buffs love to take the tour at the Bethune Memorial House or Grace and Speed Museum. Outdoor enthusiasts can try waterskiing or wakeboarding, paddle boarding, canoeing or kayaking, cycling or mountain biking. Foodies enjoy sampling the variety of offerings at our restaurants on the main street and at Muskoka Wharf not to mention the Farmer’s Market every Wednesday at the Wharf.
Every long weekend in the summer there seems to be another festival event such as the Antique and Classic Car show in June, Antique and Classic Boat Show at Muskoka Wharf in July, Ribfest or the Dockside Festival later in the summer. These festival dates are linked by an ongoing supply of great theatre and music offerings throughout Muskoka.
Planning Your Summer Holiday?
Contact us here at Tuktawayin B&B. We’ll answer your questions and guide you to the resource that will best help you plan your Muskoka holiday in cottage country.
Snow calligraphy in space.
Have you ever wondered what Ontario cottage country is like in the winter? Is gliding on skis across a frozen landscape or waterway something you have always wanted to try? Have you often wondered what it would be like to snowshoe through a silent forest after a fresh snowfall?
Come on up to Muskoka in the winter and find out.
You can actually head right out across Gull Lake from here at Tuktawayin B&B, or we can take you on a guided tour to places only the locals know about. After all, one of the many bonuses of staying at a bed and breakfast is that you get to hang out with someone who lives there and knows the nooks and crannies of the community.
If you are interested in winter in Muskoka then Tuktawayin is the place for you to stay? Why? Because we enjoy winter. One of your hosts is an avid snowshoer and backcountry skier.
Snowshoe heaven on a blanket of freshly fallen snow.
If you want to head out to local groomed trails we can point you in the right direction. If you want to discover the local forests we can take you there…and bring you back home.
Your Muskoka winter escape weekend could go something like this….
- Arrive Friday night about 8 and relax in the Great Room.
- Enjoy a leisurely breakfast on Saturday with a glorious winter view over Gull Lake.
- Head out for a ski or snowshoe with a bagged lunch and thermos of hot chocolate…and a guide if you choose.
- Enjoy all that a Muskoka winter can provide until mid afternoon.
- Head back to Tuktawayin for a nice hot shower before heading out to dinner.
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This comfy recliner by the fire awaits our winter guests.
Relax by the fire at Tuktawayin after dinner or
- Play cards or games in the Muskoka room or
- Curl up with a good book wherever you like.
- On Sunday morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast followed by another Muskoka winter walk on snowshoes or another ski before heading home.
Here you can actually discover what all those “tug at your heartstrings” romantic images of winter in Muskoka feel like in reality.
Sun bleached upended tree root is frozen in Muskoka backcountry wetland
This past weekend was family day weekend in Ontario and I took advantage of the gorgeous winter temperatures and sunshine by snowshoeing for hours in a nearby forest that is largely inaccessible in the summer. When the leaves fall from the trees in the autumn and the winter temperatures freeze the swamps solid thousands of acres of wetland become perfect snowshoe territory.
As a B&B host and an avid outdoor enthusiast I will gladly take our Muskoka bed and breakfast guests for a winter walk. The only equipment required is snowshoes and they don’t have to be fancy.
This beaver chewed tree near Gravenhurst, Muskoka still stands, complete with fungus and lichen.
There is an area of forest and swamps about a 5 minute drive from Tuktawayin. It is a safe place for exploration as it is bordered by three lakes. It is easy to wander for hours exploring the special spot on the outskirts of Gravenhurst. While there is a trail that runs through the area it is not highly used. One might hear the occasional snowmobile or see a person in the distance skiing on the trail or a lake but it is just as likely that you won’t see anyone.
These sunny winter days are the perfect opportunities to slip away from the more commercial areas to get a taste of the Muskoka backcountry. Take a lunch or a snack and thermos of something warm to drink. At some point in your wandering find a sunny spot to relax and just sit and take in the silence and the beauty. Since a lot of the backcountry is dotted with connecting lowlands that aren’t accessible in the other three seasons winter is the perfect time to go exploring.
Don’t forget your camera. This is a nature photographer’s paradise!
Muskoka Bed & Breakfast Winter Beauty
Muskoka in winter is magnificent. As I write this we are enjoying glorious sunshine, great temperatures and the sky is what I like to refer to as Muskoka blue.
It is a perfect day for a ski or a snowshoe, a walk around town or even to curl up in the Muskoka room overlooking the now frozen lake and read a great book with a cup of something warm.
Many people think we roll up the sidewalks here in Muskoka when the snow hits but that just isn’t true. While it is quieter and there aren’t any crowds most businesses are open as usual. A few restaurants close for a brief holiday period while the owners take a much needed rest during the off season.
While the steamships aren’t running due to frozen waterways, the snowmobile trails will soon be open and groomed. Ice fishing huts are popping up here on Gull Lake in Gravenhurst. The cross country ski and snowshoe trails at Bracebridge Resource Management Centre are now groomed. I have been out snowshoeing in my favourite forested corners of Gravenhurst at least a dozen times already this season.
Muskoka Snowshoe Path to Peace
If a weekend of relaxing and reading overlooking the lake or in front of the fire is your thing give us a call @ 705-687-4354. Or maybe you are an outdoor enthusiast like me. Call us here at Robbins’ Tuktawayin B&B or email us at tuktawayinbb@gmail.com. I, (Elaine) would be delighted to take you to my favourite snowshoe and cross country ski haunts where we are likely to have the whole forest to ourselves.
Winter at Robbins Tuktawayin BB - A Muskoka Winter Wonderland
Everyone has an image in their mind of the quintessential Christmas season. For most people there is snow in the picture. Not the kind you have to shovel of course. The kind you get to play in and photograph. If you’ve got the time we can probably make it happen.
Here in Ontario cottage country it is usually picture perfect. Of course we can’t control the weather gods and whatever their plan is but we’ve never had a green Christmas here yet. Sometimes we have lots of snow for snowshoeing, skiing, tobogganing and those with a photography hobby. Sometimes we have just enough to say it was a white Christmas. But no matter what it’s doing outside it’s pretty magical inside this Muskoka B&B.
So imagine this. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are behind you. All the family obligations have been met. The clean-up is complete. The leftovers in the fridge are staring at you every time you open the door. The house is very quiet and you have some time on your hands. There is no snow in the city but you hear on the Weather Network that Muskoka just received a big dump of the white stuff. You’ve always wondered what it would be like at this summertime Mecca in the winter. Come on up! We’d love to share it with you.
If snow conditions permit outdoor enthusiasts can try…
Entering the silent snowy forest
- Cross country skiing, downhill skiing
- Snowboarding, snow tubing
- Or snowshoeing in the Muskoka woods
If the snowmobile trails are open and groomed, sledders with permits can head out to explore.
Shoppers can take advantage of post Christmas sales and find some new haunts, other than the mall you are used to. Small town shops are very quaint and unique. And no, we don’t roll up the sidewalks in winter. Most commercial stores are open for business as usual.
Nostalgia fans who favour the indoors can curl up in a cozy chair by the fire, or perhaps overlooking the lake, and…
- Watch the snow gently falling over the frozen lake while the Christmas music fills the room.
- Finish the book that’s been on your nightstand for months.
- Enjoy a hot chocolate while you flip lazily through a magazine.
- Play a game of cards or a board game.
You will get the true feeling of a Muskoka cottage here at Robbins’ Tuktawayin B&B, pine lined, private, on the water, Muskoka stone fireplace, big front porch, open concept cottage style living rooms.
Start the New Year relaxed and renewed after a few days here in this Muskoka winter wonderland.
Contact us by phone at 705-687-4354 or email us at tuktawayinbb@gmail.com
This small ice draped crevasse in the Muskoka forest near Gravenhurst is bordered by granite walls and connects two wetlands. All easily navigated with snowshoes on the frozen landscape.
- Sleep In – Isn’t it true that we all dread the alarm every weekday morning and dream longingly of the weekend mornings when we don’t have to hear that sound? Most B&B’s serve breakfast early because many guests want to get up and get going and make the most of their day. That’s true. In the summer we served breakfast a little later than most, trying to find that happy medium. And in the winter we will serve it even later, about 10 a.m.
- Eat a leisurely breakfast – All week long we get up really early to go to work, go to the gym or meet whatever commitments we may have. Now is your chance to not only sleep late but eat a leisurely, full breakfast. You can enjoy that extra cup of tea or coffee by the fire or in the Muskoka room overlooking the lake, adjacent to the Breakfast room. No rushing, no cooking, no cleaning. Just what you dreamed of.
- Read/relax/play games – Curl up in the recliner by the fire or sprawl on the big, comfy chairs in the Muskoka room. Flip through magazines you haven’t had time to look at. Play a game. Watch the snow fall outside on the frozen lake.
- Go outside to snowshoe or ski – If you haven’t tried snowshoeing you might want to take this opportunity to give it a go. You can rent snowshoes locally or Elaine and Dave at Tuktawayin might have a pair they can loan you. Check before you come. And they will gladly take you on a guided hike in a local Muskoka forest…maybe to the hidden waterfall in the forest on the other side of Gull Lake.
- Enjoy a relaxing dinner out – This may be the perfect opportunity to try a new restaurant. You might like North, located on the main street, or if you venture down to the Wharf you might like Regatta or The Blue Willow Tea Shop. North is owned by a chef who has worked around the world and Regatta and The Blue Willow have prime locations with views out over the lake…which will be frozen.
Segwun Steamship and Rower by Bev McMullen
The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), with the goal of inspiring world travelers to explore Canada, have recently dubbed the Muskoka Steamships and the cruises they provide as a unique Canadian experience.
Cruising aboard the RMS Segwun or Wenonah II has been added to the CTC’s “Signature Collection” of high quality tourism experiences, bringing the current total of benchmark attractions across Canada to 115. Within Ontario 16 have been selected including the likes of the CN Tower, Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls, Stratford Festival, Helicopter Tours in Niagara’s Wine Region. The Steamship Cruises are the only Muskoka attraction to be named to the Signature Collection. The next closest one geographically is the Voyageur Quest Algonquin Log Cabin and Canoe experience.
The Commission will be sending out promotional marketing material on these attractions to 11 countries including Europe, China, Japan, Australia and England.
Robbins’ Tuktawayin B&B has the good fortune to be in Gravenhurst, Muskoka, home port of the Muskoka steamship fleet.
Tuktawayin waterfront view from the breakfast room
So if you want to start your day on the water (we are a waterfront bed and breakfast), spend your day cruising the big lake (that’s Muskoka) and end your day on the dock at Tuktawayin before heading out for a wonderful dinner, plan on making us your summer home away from home for your next Muskoka vacation.
First thing in the morning on November 17 - about 5 cm of snow
By 5pm there was 24cm on the ground!
Still snowing - but all around us, Orillia, Bracebridge, Walker's Point, has no snow. The forecast is for rain tomorrow afternoon - and it will all change again.
Burning Bush in all its glory in November
Red rose stands alone in Muskoka B&B garden in November
Still standing tall under cold cap on November 11
Snow melted and more winter planters are created November 13
Heavier winter coat arrives November 17
Squall centre at 2pm November 17 weighs down evergreen boughs
Burning bush shows off colour after surprise Remembrance Day snowfall
The stately Yucca plant stands tall in first November snow.
There is something about the first snowfall that is magical. We awoke on the morning of November 11 to see a light dusting of snow covering everything, turning this part of Ontario cottage country, Muskoka, into a winter wonderland.
Sun bathes Muskoka cottage country during first snow of the season
About us
Your Hosts: Dave and Elaine
Once Discovered, Never Forgotten
While this is the slogan for the District of Muskoka and should be attributed to it, we couldn't find a better way of saying the same thing.
