Waterfront cottage close to Bayfield, with private beach, barrel bunkie

Perfect for taking a break from the world... we'd love to welcome you to our comfortable and airy cottage with its large deck looking out over the magnificent Great Lake Huron. It is one of only a few cottages perched right on the nose of the cliff and was built by our family in the sixties.

The sound of the waves is beautiful. You have immediate access to the lake (down about 80 stairs) and can use our own private beach.

The property is on a dead-end road. Being here is like sitting by the ocean... kick back, listen to the waves and enjoy. On the porch, you feel as if you are on the prow of a ship, as the cottage sits on the nose of the bluff.

Our beach is located in a small cove. Collect driftwood on the beach to roast hot dogs or marshmallows over a bonfire. Make art work with found objects from sticks and stones. Rent a paddle board or kayak. Swim. Launch yourself into a spectacular sunset. Play games, find fossils in stones, bike, hike and explore, or simply read books you have been meaning to read for a long time. The beach is much wider than in the past few years. There is also the option of using a nice beach within a 5 minute walk from the cottage, just around Rocky Point, or any of the public beaches in Grand Bend, The Pinery, St. Josephs, Bayfield and Goderich.

About 80 stairs lead you to the beach. There is a protected patio area with a sand bank at mid-level and a bench to rest on when you come up or go down. New in 2024 is a seawall at the toe of the bluff, which should make for a nice beach, currently 50 feet.

On photos you will notice the barrel bunkie. Inside it has a king size sleeping area and a small pull-out table with 2 benches. In the past couple of years the bunkie and the porch have weathered to natural wood.

The kitchen is well equipped and there is a new propane gas grill (barbecue) outside.

We keep the property as free of pesticides as possible to make it a safe space for people and their animals to enjoy.

If you are curious about exploring the immediate shoreline:
The historic, beautiful village of Bayfield with its fine dining, beautiful stores, marina and library is about 10 minutes away. The larger town of Goderich, which boasts a large under-sea salt mine, an octagonal town square with shops ringing it, is a 20 minute drive. It has a large port, a movie theater, golf courses, a beautiful Provincial Park, a great Celtic Music Festival and so much more. Grand Bend with all its fun and excitement is 15 minutes to the South of the cottage. You can go skydiving and waterskiing, hire a boat to take you out fishing or a dinner cruise. The Pinery is to the south of Grand Bend.

You will find a farmers market (Friday afternoon in Bayfield) and fresh produce stands as well as food stores that sell fresh fruit and vegetables from the farms all around. A Mennonite store down the road has very special pies and other homemade foods. There are plenty of antique stores and flea markets to discover. Masse's farm stand in St. Joseph has great fruit and vegetables as well as great local meat products.

The Ausable Conservation Authority lists many local preserves and nature trails for hiking or fishing. Goderich is the beginning of the G2G trail, leading to Guelph. You can ride your bike along this former railroad track.

In the area there are 10 golf courses, mini golf, guided fishing tours, libraries with lovely programmes, books and great internet connectivity and much more.

On rainy days (or any other day) you can go bowling, be challenged by an Escape Room adventure, go to the Board Game Cafe and discover board games you know or have never heard of. If you have a bmx rider or skater in the family, "All In" Skateboard park might be just the thing. You can go to "Little Bowl" in Goderich, visit "Icesculpture" in Hensall where immense ice sculptures are made year round and shipped all over the world, or visit the blossoming craft breweries and vineyards that have sprung up in the last few years.

Come in the fall to enjoy the quiet, see the leaves changing, explore the hiking trails and all the beauty and serenity that Huron County, Bluewater and the Lake Huron shoreline have to offer.

London is an hour, Stratford 45 minutes and the city of Toronto about 2 1/2 hours away.

A few festivals and events to visit: Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the Blyth Summer Theatre, The Huron Summer Playhouse in Grand Bend or the Goderich Celtic Festival. Movie screenings: The Starlight Drive-In Theatre is close to Grand Bend, Goderich has the Park Theatre, Pioneer Park in Bayfield has summer movie screenings as well as other events, the Town Hall in Bayfield organizes concerts. Libraries in Bayfield, Goderich, Grand Bend and Zurich (a great resource for anything local), all with Wi-Fi access.

We do ask that you provide your own linens and towels, as we have no washing machine at the cottage.

The cottage is a place for retreat and peace from the everyday noise and bustle, and for people to connect deeply, there is no internet or TV connection. There is a DVD player and a screen. If you truly need connectivity, creating a hotspot with your phone will usually work.