Tweed and the Land 'o Lakes region of Ontario cover a large, primarily-rural area north of Napanee-Belleville in Quinte-Northumberland. This is a sparsely-populated area with multiple small villages, farms, lakes for fishing and snowmobile/ATV trails.
Understand
This page covers multiple small villages including Madoc, Marmora and Tweed. See also Stirling and Shannonville in Belleville's article.
Tweed is a village with a population of 1,700 in 2016 is near the junction of the Black River and the Moira River. The Ontario Powder Company made dynamite locally (with sometimes disastrous results) until a takeover by the Canadian Explosives Company in 1910; only ruins of the original factory remain. A Canadian Pacific rail line (built 1880s, removed 1987) once led to Smiths Falls; the Bay of Quinte Railway line was removed in the early 1940s.
Stoco Lake, on the Moira River directly north of Sugar Island, is popular among sport fishers for muskellunge (Muskie, esox masquinongy), trout, pike, walleye, large mouth and small mouth bass, as well as ice fishing in winter. The Moira River (and fisheries management zone 18) ends at Lake Ontario in Belleville.
Get in
By car
Tweed is on Ontario Highway 37, just south of Highway 7, a southern alternate branch of the Trans-Canada Highway. Highway 37 leads from Actinolite and Tweed south to Belleville (Ontario). The portion of Highway 7 near Tweed is part of a branch of the Trans-Canada Highway that passes through the area, traveling between Sudbury and Kanata (near Ottawa) on Highway 69 and 400, then Highway 12, then Highway 7, then Highway 417.
From the main Montréal-Toronto freeway, Highway 401, Highway 37 or Shannonville Road (which ends at Hwy 37) lead north from Belleville or Shannonville (respectively).
From Pembroke and the Trans-Canada Highway 17 mainline, take Highway 41 (toward Napanee) and exit at Kaladar.
By bus
- Rider Express. Service from Toronto, Peterborough, and Ottawa. 2022-11-25
Get around
A vehicle is a necessity, preferably a good, solid truck to pull a fishing boat trailer (in summer) and a snowmobile trailer (in winter). There is no local subway or LRT.
There are taxis in the village: 9's Taxi +1 613-921-9999 , A1 Taxi +1 613-919-0007 or Pete's Taxi +1 613-967-7575 .
See
- Marble Arts Centre, 13 Bridgewater Rd, Actinolite, 44.5432°, -77.3250°, +1 613-478-2747. Gallery, studio, exhibition space for artists and occasional wedding venue in 125-seat former Marble Church of Bridgewater (1864-2004), possibly the only white marble church built in Canada.
- Tweed & Area Heritage Centre, 40 Victoria St. N, Tweed, 44.4753°, -77.3108°, +1 613-478-3989. M-Sa 9AM-noon, 1-5PM. Victorian-era Houston House (1897) and annex includes local arts and crafts galleries, an information bureau, museum, reference room and archives. $3
Do
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- Bon Echo Provincial Park, 16151 Hwy. 41, Cloyne, 44.915°, -77.260°, +1 613-336-2228. Hiking trails, canoeing, boat tours on Mazinaw Lake, RV and car camping, backcountry, and roofed accommodations.
- O'Hara Sugar Maples, 871 Harts Road, Madoc, 44.559°, -77.448°, +1 613-473-6780. Sugar house, maple butter and maple candy store, sugar bush.
- Palmateer Farms Maple Sugar Bush, 1477 Crookston Rd, Tweed, 44.4615°, -77.3881°, +1 613-478-5407. Seasonal maple sugar cabin, annual pancake breakfast in April, horse wagon rides.
- Poplars Golf Club, 189 East Hungerford Rd, Tweed, 44.4603°, -77.2624°, +1 613-478-2038. 18 holes, pro shop, club house with licensed restaurant.
- Tweed Memorial Park, 45 Victoria St. S, Tweed, 44.4734°, -77.3083°, +1 613-478-2535. On west shoreline of Stoco Lake. Public boat launch, picnic shelter and pavilion, playground, ball diamond and beach.
- Tyendinaga Cavern and Caves, 2623 Harmony Road, Tyendinaga (west of Shannonville Road), 44.2811°, -77.2759°, +1 613-478-5708. Daily 10AM-5PM (July 1-early Sep). Cave and cavern tour, average temperature 10°C (50°F), sensible shoes required, flashlight recommended. Picnic area and toilets, school tours. Open weekends from late May-early Sep, daily in high season. $12 cash (incl. tax)
Events
- Tweed Agricultural Fair, 27 Louisa St, Tweed, +1 613-478-3903. Annual Tweed-Hungerford Agricultural Society exposition, amusement rides, demolition derby and live entertainment, first or second weekend in July.
- Tweed Stampede, Trudeau Park, +1 613-478-5511. First weekend in August.
- Tweed & Area Studio Tour. Last weekend in September.
- Tweed Tribute to Elvis Festival, +1 613-478-1691. Late August.
Buy
- Earth Haven Farm, 1619 Vanderwater Road, Thomasburg, 44.4100°, -77.2504°, +1 613-478-3876. Off-the-grid organic farm between Tweed and Belleville, does not offer agrotourism but does sell eggs at the farm gate and organic fruits, vegetables or herbs for market in season. Opportunities to work on the farm may be offered, but living conditions are primitive due to the need to conserve water and energy.
- Quinn's of Tweed, 345 Victoria St. N, Tweed, 44.4788°, -77.3142°, +1 613-478-0000. May-Dec: daily 10AM-5PM. Fine art gallery.
- Signed by Barb, 151 Queen St, Marlbank and 17 Market Square, Napanee, 44.439°, -77.097°, +1 613-921-8835. Custom-printed mugs, T-shirts and sweatshirts.
- Unconventional Moose, 108575 Hwy 7, Actinolite (west of Hwy 37), 44.549°, -77.3295°, +1-613-478-2562. Former Mohawk trading post, kayak and boat rentals on west bank of Skootamatta River, accommodations, native crafts.
- Tweedy's Classic Scoops and Gifts, 7200 Hwy 37, Tweed, 44.4870°, -77.3185°. 2018-06-30
- Explorer's Eco-Emporium 41 (Christine Johnston on Facebook), 12047 Hwy 41 Northbrook, explorerseco41@gmail.com. 11:30AM–3PM. Gifts, household, clothing for adults & children. 2022-03-28
Eat
- Gateway Restaurant, 327 Victoria St. N, Tweed, 44.4782°, -77.3136°, +1 613-478-2530. 6AM-8PM daily. Fully licensed, private banquet room seats 30.
- Pizza Latina, 244 Victoria St N, Tweed, 44.4774°, -77.3130°, +1 613-478-2222. 2018-06-30
Drink
Sleep
- Beachwood Hollow Resort, 275 Victoria St. S., 44.4692°, -77.3078°, +1 613-478-5353. Cottage rentals on Stoco Lake, boat rentals, sandy swimming beach, play area, docks, beach and lounge chairs, lake water slide, rafts, wi-fi.
- Bishop Lake Outdoor Centre, 13621 Hwy 41, Kaladar, 44.6475°, -77.1197°, +1 613-336-2311. Outdoor sports store, propane, recreation centre on 96 acres on Bishop Lake. Four room motel and 75 trailer sites with laundry, toilets, showers. 2017-10-13
- Black River Retreat, 107939A Hwy #7, Actinolite, 44.5407°, -77.3680°, +1 613-243-7711. Private couples resort.
- Bridgewater Retreat, Retreat Rd, Actinolite, 44.5458°, -77.3257°, +1 613-478-6116. Historic log house and sixteen cabins on Skootamata River for $90-300, adults-only, non-smoking, former artists colony suitable for groups.
- Holiday House Bed & Breakfast, 42 St. Edmunds Rd, RR#4 Tweed, 44.4562°, -77.2785°, +1 613-478-5025. Three-room B&B, $20 deposit on reservation, no kids under five. $65-75
- Park Place Motel, 43 Victoria St. S., 44.4740°, -77.3087°, +1 613-478-3134. 32" flatscreen TV, fridge and microwave in-room, wi-fi.
- Stoco Lake Lodge (Trudeau Park), 15 Trudeau Ln, 44.473°, -77.277°, +1 613-478-5511. Campground. Event and banquet centre, ten room + three suite inn overlooking Stoco Lake.
Connect
- Tweed Public Library, 230 Metcalf St, Tweed, 44.4763°, -77.3137°, +1 613-478-1066. Open Tu-Sa, wi-fi and Internet computers.