A Beautiful eastern Lake Ontario Sunset
What is it about camping that makes (some of) us willing to pack up and travel extraordinary distances just to sleep outside under the stars? I know for me, it’s that romantic idea: road trip with friends, adventuring, and being one with nature. And so we piled into a friend’s small Ford Focus, left the Big City with sleeping bags, tents, food, and other camping essentials, and headed for Sandbanks Provincial Park up near Belleville in Prince Edward County. I hadn’t heard much about Sandbanks in the past, but its convenient location 2 or 3 hours outside of the GTA was perfect for a weekend getaway.
Things I learned from this trip: Be one with the 401 east traffic and it may move briskly for you. Also, tensor bandages and string are key when your tent unexpectedly and unmistakenably leans to one side, as a result of faulty poles. Lastly, being that it is called Sandbanks, anticipate lots of sand in your tent. A mini broom and pan wouldn’t be too bad of an investment.
Things I enjoyed most: The beaches are lovely and we had a gorgeous sunset to gawk at. We chose to hike a small trail (the Cedar Point Trail), which was easy and where I got my first glance at a monarch butterfly caterpillar perched on its characteristic spot – milkweed. We also couldn’t help but notice the Father-Daughter team designing quite the epic sandcastle. When we returned for a night walk on the beach, the sandcastle was further equiped with a moat and spires.
Summer is coming to a close and this camping trip was an excellent way to celebrate its end.
