This tour was inspired by Bob Morphew’s past leadership, and before he passed away, he generously shared his meticulously crafted gpx files with me. Drawing from his routes, I aimed to maintain manageable daily driving times of under 5 hours.
I led the initial group, accompanied by Dick Sorrentino, while Gary Kornstein guided the second group. We embarked eastward along picturesque routes, pausing for our first break an hour later at Minden Wild Water Preserve on the Gull River. This stop is renowned for its scenic rapids where paddlers hone their skills.
After navigating several captivating and winding roads, we stopped for lunch at McKeck’s in Haliburton, before heading toward Bancroft via a sweeping S-shaped route, arriving around 5:30 pm at The Sword Inn. A brief walk led us to a local brew pub for dinner.
The following morning, we embarked on a figure-eight route designed for about 4.5 hours of driving pleasure, featuring beloved roads like the 5XX series and the renowned Letterkenney Road. En route, charming general stores provided refreshing bio breaks. That evening, we enjoyed drinks, dinner, and camaraderie at an Italian restaurant opposite The Sword.
On Day 3, we departed from The Sword and headed north, pausing briefly at Eagle’s Nest Lookout for a panoramic view of northern Bancroft. Our westward journey on South Baptist Road unexpectedly turned to gravel, prompting a scenic detour to our first bio break of the day. We continued through Haliburton, pausing briefly at Skyline Park Lookout before enjoying lunch at Maple Avenue Tap & Grill in town. A few of the group members decided to continue as a small group and take a shorter route back to their homes.
Post-lunch, we navigated Harburn Road’s thrilling twists and the rollercoaster-like Kushog Lake Road, relishing numerous scenic byways. Some members bid farewell at the foot of Kushog Lake Road, with our tour concluding at a new Shell/Tim Hortons complex in Rama, just northeast of Orillia.
Rick Vender
LINK TO BANCROFT 2024 TOUR
