Heading North on 21, we came into the village of Allenford, which
is located on the banks of the Sauble River. Originally known by the Indian
name Driftwood Crossing, its name today is a combination of the name of the
first settler, James Allen, and "ford" which was added because this
was the place where the river was the most easily forded. In 1851 the Indians
had surrendered a narrow strip of land across the base of the peninsula to
accommodate a road between two Indian Reserves. The parcel of land, known as
the Half Mile Strip, contained farm lots as well as a trail which would later
become a road. This road was chopped and cleared in 1865, graveled the
following year, hence known as the North Gravel Road and remained unpaved until
1940. In 1854, a serious dispute arose from differing interpretations of the
1854 Saugeen Treaty. Lord Bury and the Indian Delegation met at Driftwood
Crossing (known as Allenford, now) for a pow-wow. The parties sat, ate, danced
in the traditional manner and eventually smoked a "pipe of peace".
Today, a Historical Plaque, placed on the banks of the Sauble, commemorates
this event.
We drove through the township of Georgian Bluffs. Georgian
Bluffs is a collection of communities stretching north from Chatsworth to just
south of Wiarton. The Georgian Bay is often referred to as the sixth Great
Lake, it features more than 30,000 islands and 1,200 miles of shoreline.
Georgian Bay's beauty is serene. Windswept pines, majestic towering cliffs,
endless beaches and clear blue water. The Georgian Bay Coastal Route presents the best that
Georgian Bay has to offer. Copper Kettle, Cobble Beach, Slough of Despond, Big
Bay, Oxenden, Balmy Beach, these are just some of the names that paint a
picture of the Georgian Bluffs canvas along the Georgian Bay Coastal
Route. Discover the rich marine heritage
and lighthouses that dot the coastline, relax on a beach, explore the great
outdoors or cruise the best roads on your adventure. You can hear the
waterfalls roar in the spring as winter snow melts, feel the cool breeze off
Georgian Bay on a hot summer's night, smell the crisp fall winds and taste the
cold winter air as snowflakes drift down. The Georgian Bay Coastal Route is a
15 day - 805 mile adventure around the Georgian Bay coast line, including a
ferry ride.
Several popular waterfalls spill from the rocky Niagara
Escarpment near Owen Sound, rushing into nearby rivers and streams. Three of
the waterfalls – Jones, Inglis and Weaver’s Creek – are linked by the Bruce
Trail and other pathways, offering many look-out points along the way. Weavers
Creek Falls is an intimate, hidden gem at the end of a short boardwalk through
hardwood forest. It is a miniature plunge and cascade waterfalls. In summer,
it’s a cool, shaded oasis along the spring-fed Weavers Creek. In fall, the autumn leaves of the surrounding
woods are bursting with color. Weavers Creek flows from the falls through
Harrison Park to meet up with the Sydenham River. From mid-September to
Thanksgiving you’ll find Chinook Salmon swimming in the river, making their way
upstream to spawn near the base of Inglis Falls. Inglis Falls is a 60-foot high cascade waterfall just south
of Owen Sound, where the Sydenham River meets the Niagara Escarpment. This
waterfall is a must-see in every season with spectacular ice formations visible
during the winter. The Jones Falls plunges 40-foot over the Niagara Escarpment on
the Pottawatomi River. The short hike from
the parking area carries you through various tree types and flora and fauna to
the top of the falls, with a view of the surrounding lowlands. In spring, you will find lots of trilliums,
columbine and a powerful spring runoff cascading over the escarpment.
In early August of 2015, The 153rd Anniversary of
the Emancipation Festival was held in Harrison Park. This is an opportunity to celebrate the journey of our
ancestors within the Underground Railroad’s most northerly safe haven. Individuals interested in history, family,
culture and community have been congregating every August 1st weekend since
1862 in Owen Sound. It is the longest continuous running Emancipation picnic in
North America. Descendants of blacks, who came via the Underground Railroad to
settle in freedom, gather to reminisce and enjoy a time of fellowship. John
“Daddy” Hall, Owen Sound’s First Black Settler and Town crier’s life is
celebrated at this festival. Celebrating cultural history, art, and music; community
collaboration and integration; multiculturalism and heritage
Along Route 26, you can see the Blue Mountains in the
distance. The Blue Mountains are a visually prominent section of the Niagara
Escarpment rising to heights of over 1,000 feet above the area and Georgian Bay.
When you first see them in the distance, they do have a blue hue. But that is
not where the name comes from. Blue Mountain's name comes from the unusually
blue clay that can be found around the mountain.
We turned off Route 26 and easily found our way to Craigleith Carefree RV Resort.
