Elora is a jewel cleaved out of limestone and wrapped in a gushing river that hugs its winding banks below. The 19th Century architecture of the village, from which we hypnotically gaze at the plunging falls, is the starting point of our adventure. From rocky cliffs to swells and rapids we’re carried down river to endless trails and possibilities.
Elora Mill is the perfect perch from which to appreciate the panorama of power and serenity that flows from the Elora Gorge Falls. The vista in which we sit to admire the Tooth of Time and this beautiful force of nature is simply and calmly awesome. Warm, congenial service is matched by wholesome farm-to-table flavours that showcase the local environment, season, and delicate touch of the kitchen.
Warm bread arrives. Baked with sweet corn and molasses, its pillowy texture, layered with a whipped butter infused with honey, and a sprinkling of Maldon salt for a little crunch, is a satisfying palate opener. Our amuse bouche is a delicate macaron with a light duck liver parfait and a sweet and tart cherry compote. Auspicious beginnings.
When we trust the kitchen and the ingredients, as we do, knowing it’s all farm-fresh and direct from source, it’s hard not to feel a sense of FOMO: as much as we’ll enjoy one dish, we’ll miss out on another. The steak tartare sings of the season with high quality Wellington County beef tenderloin, bejewelled with crispy capers, dollops of golden egg yolk, pickled shallots, and nasturtiums. The accompanying Danish rye, packed full of seeds and grains, is chock full of nutrition. The combination of textures is simply luxurious.
White Fish Tempura is a light crunch enveloping a succulent pickerel enlivened with a piquant house-made kimchi and garlic cream with a splash of lemon. This elevates fish and chips to a whole ‘nother level.
I am sucker for soup, and endlessly captivated by a table-side pour over. The Sweet Corn Soup is a thick, velvety confluence of rich corn accented by the citrus of tomato chutney, mild nutty notes of aged gouda, and a herbaceous flare from the herb oil for lush spoonfuls of seduction.
Pan Roasted Trout is a beautiful rose-coloured portion of Rainbow Trout, lovingly brushed with a golden lemony Bearnaise sauce, resting on cute little new potatoes and garnished with wilted micro-greens that taste like they were freshly plucked from the ground. This kitchen does not cut corners. Located in the heart of Southwestern Ontario’s farm country, the chef starts by selecting the best ingredients, from source, and respects each one. The flavour quotient is so high, because so too is the quality.
Wellington County is fast becoming recognized for its extremely high-quality beef, so when a restaurant of this caliber, in the heart of the county, offers a Grass-Fed Beef Burger, there really is no hesitation. This burger is so tender and juicy, with a light crunch of caramelization, it can stand on its own. Add the house-made toasty buns, savoury bacon jam, creamy stracchino cheese, and crisp lettuce and tomato, and there we have a decadent classic. Devour-able hand-cut fries and vibrant garden greens are like icing on the cake. It doesn’t get better than this.
With such warm hospitality, we could spend the whole afternoon lingering over our espresso and chocolate profiterole with hazelnut crunch, but we are set to extend our relaxing stay over to a mindfulness workshop in the Elora Mill Spa.
The Elora Mill Spa is like an oasis. It makes us feel transported somewhere far away. The outdoor Jacuzzi is perfectly situated for all-season immersion in the vistas of the gorge, and inside is the meditative ambience and eucalyptus aroma of a patient respite where it’s okay to let go and unwind.
Today’s wellness workshop enables us to reconnect through breathing. Lying on comfy mats and yoga pillows, we are guided through a prolonged cycle of deep breathing, holding and releasing that rejigs our nervous systems to recalibrate from having gone so off-course in our daily lives. Soon, this becomes an emotional journey for me. My whole body is vibrating, awakened from slumber, loosened from knots. It’s incredible. I feel vulnerable, but totally reactivated.
Revitalized, it’s time for adventure with ONE AXE Pursuits. This is the main event for me and my son. Seeking unique experiences in Ontario, we need look no further than the climbing, zip-lining, mountaineering and rappelling right here in Elora. We begin at church.
Urban Rappelling is thrilling, if only for its unusual setting. Our anticipation mounts as we climb the stairs and ladder to the top of the church bell tower. The skyline view of Elora is reminiscent of an ancient village in Europe. Strapped into a harness and gear, it’s time to stand on the window ledge and jump! Bouncing down the outside wall of a church feels insanely gratifying. It’s an exhilaration for me, for my son, and a perfectly unique family bonding experience. We race back up, only to jump out of the tower window again. ONE AXE Pursuits has made a church-goer out of me. I can never look at one the same way again.
But our One Axe Pursuit is not yet done. A few minutes-walk leads us to Victoria Park where we strap into a different set of gear, clip on to a cable anchored to a tree, and then rappel down the cliff. The episodic contrast from urban to nature, and the clean, fresh air amidst the sounds of the rushing water below, feels beautiful and fun. With ONE AXE Pursuits, just when we think the experience is winding down, a new thrill is thrown into the mix. As we’re rappelling toward the river, we swing into a cave in the cliff wall and stop for a picnic of nibbles and sparkling water. This is a remarkably unique opportunity to appreciate nature, to exercises our thrills and skills, and to discover a totally out-of-the-box, unique experience.
It’s another moment in our day in which to pause and reflect on where in the world we are—because it really feels like we’ve gone through a portal to some exotic place. At our leisure, we continue down the cliff, unbuckle from the harness and head to the river for our kayak adventure with Elora Rapids.
In summer, Elora Rapids is the go-to provider for visitors who want to laze away an afternoon by floating downriver in seated or doughnut-hole tubes. It’s the ultimate refreshment from the heat, and the best way to immerse into the spectacular nature of the region, from the towering cliffs above to the rapids below that bounce us like pinballs along the meandering river.
Our choice today is a sunset kayak that begins at the Elora Falls within the basin of 60-foot rock walls. The river is ours. The rapids slingshot us forward through the river’s corridor. From laid-back calm we’re sucked into a vortex and soaked as we pass through to the next stage. At one turn we reach a natural rock platform on which to rest and appreciate the quiet, the beauty, the ease and good fortune that we have this in our own backyard of Ontario.
This is the ultimate time-out for families, friends, romance and adventure. My son’s aim is to push me off the rock and into the river. Eventually, I happily oblige him before we settle back into our kayaks to paddle into the sunset as that big wobbly red disk crests over the countryside of the valley and sinks into dusk.
Elora is a four-season destination, pristine in each one–from spring and summer-blooming to fall colours to winter’s snowy wonderland–and each glorious visit inspires another.
For more information or to plan your own trip to Elora, go to: Elora & Fergus Tourism
