The Briars, a lovely family home that is now a resort, where we stayed

I don’t think we could have made a better choice for our first weekend break out of Toronto than The Briars on Lake Simcoe – a beautiful, historical home in a glorious setting, offering fab food, memorable massages and the opportunity to do as much or as little as you feel like.

Lovely to stay somewhere that has belonged to a single family, the Sibbalds, since the nineteenth century.  It has also long been a resort in the classic North American tradition, with cottages and golf course.

Watching Canada win the Olympic hockey alongside staff and family members on a big screen in the great hall (and, on Sunday afternoon, we were the only remaining guests!) felt very personal and special. We were even treated to celebratory champagne alongside yet another excellent meal that evening.

Redolent with the family’s history, the Briars also has literary links. Both Stephen Leacock and Mazo de la Roche had cottages locally and both are buried at St George’s Anglican Church at Sibbald point – apparently the Briars is recognisable in some of de la Roche’s descriptions.

For us, arriving after heavy snow on Friday, it was truly wonder-full to walk (wade) along the woodland trails, finally experiencing a real taste of Canadian winter.

You can see the full collection of photos from out trip to Lake Simcoe and the Briars in the Sightseeing section of this site.