Back on the Trail

 Sunday May 24th and Lady and I set off round the outskirts of Newmarket...

 

Riding across Holland Marsh to the west of Newmarket....

 This is a reclaimed wetland area along the Holland river that was drained between 1925-1930.  Settled in part by Dutch families skilled in farming, the fertile organic soil now supports a flourishing market gardening industry producing a variety of vegetable crops such as onions, carrots, leafy greens, celery and potatoes.

 

Lady checks out a fisherman on a drainage canal from the top of a dyke protecting the polderland...

As evening set in, I was directed up a long drive lined with trees to a house where I was reliably informed they kept horses. This turned out to be the spacious cedarwood home of Honey Craig and husband Bruce, respectively a retired teacher and financier, who took Lady in without question and gave me a warm welcome.  Once again I was invited in for supper and my sleeping bag remained packed up when I was shown into a luxurious bedroom where I had a sound night's sleep.  Thank you both.

 

Monday May 25th  and we join the Trans Canada Trail again near Tottenham.  It seems like an old friend now...

 

 A quick check to see if we are in the right circle...

At the entrance to the OLC Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park, which is bang on the trail.  An existing facility was completely renovated at a cost of around $6.8million in time to host the equestrian events at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am games. New facilities include a 4000 seat arena.

 

An amusingly chatty notice, but I hope it doesn't apply to us!.....

In fact on well kept sections of the trail such as this, I always kick Lady's unsolicited additions to the side of the path.
 Hopefully Lady is taking note of this rather more serious warning......

 

Home made aubergine lasagne and coffee at the Trailside Café in Caledon, which as the name suggests, is right on the trail..
 
Recommended if you are travelling this way, and there is even somewhere to park your horse within sight!

Riding up to a neat barn in Inglewood to find a place for the night, I was welcomed with open arms by Sue Graham, who runs an organic farm enterprise Riverdale Farm and Forest with husband Owen Goltz.  Among other animals, they keep two working Haflinger ponies - one shown below. 

 Both Lady and I received five star treatment, and after another hot sweaty day a shower, snooze and moose steak and asparagus supper washed down with a glass of home-made wine was bliss.