I had heard about the Mill of Kintail but had not expected it to be such a multi-use space! There is a short, accessible walk to the Mill which gives on to a large area, open for summer camps and parties with half a basketball court and a play structure. A friend told me that it was where she got married, and it must have been lovely with the well-maintained grounds, the beautiful stone mill and the ivy-covered open chapel. The Mill is a museum and offers tea on the lawn in July and August on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4 pm: all good reasons to return after the pandemic when these activities re-open. A little farther, there is an educational panel of the various creatures that live in the water, and it's also a nice spot for a dip: a family had settled there for the day and the children seemed to have a delightful time!
I crossed the bridge to the trails. There again, more surprises! There is a wide trail open to hikers and cyclists which leads to the Fred Lossing Observatory where Star Parties are organised for amateur astronomers (check in with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada before setting up). I continued on my exploration by taking the Forest Loop. It is a very well marked, easy 2,5 km hike through the conservation area, looping around the forest of leafy trees and firs, crossing through a meadow full of wild flowers and butterflies, and traveling along the Indian River where I sat on a stone watching the dragonflies, damselflies and water striders. There are shorter trails and shortcuts for those who would rather spend time near the mill.
After that fantastic tour, I stopped in Almonte for lunch at Equator Café where I had a scrumptious falafel wrap and a mocha milkshake - I'm not particularly drawn to milkshakes, but vanilla or chocolate ice-cream with a shot of real espresso is out of this world! The milkshake is also available at the Almonte Ice-Cream Shop in the heart of the village along with other delightful flavours. Since I was in the neighbourhood, I walked to Hummingbird Chocolate where I stocked up on all my favourites, especially the Mayan spicy chocolate... I almost regretted the milkshake because I noticed their chocolate-dipped ice-creams, FroCho, were out for the summer. There sure are a lot of reasons to do this tour again!
Note: There is a $6 parking fee at the entrance of the conservation area.
