Sudbury Trip October 2026

What a week of great travel weather!  After mid-October almost anything can happen, especially the farther north one goes in Ontario.  It was sunny almost the entire time, and quite mild for the time of month.  We left last Tuesday, the 20th, and returned on Monday the 26th.  Driving north we took two days, but coming home we drove it in a single epic day.  We left for the trip north early Tuesday morning, stopping for gas at a Native reserve station before continuing.  We stopped for mead at Munro's, pressing on to a new place en route, Neustadt Springs Brewery.  We sampled the beer but found it quite cheerless, despite the spring water used and the beautiful old building in which the brewery resides.  Once in Collingwood we returned to three of our favourite places: Side Launch Brewing Company, Northwinds Brewhouse and Ends Well Brewery, the latter also home to Later Pizza.  It was darts night at Ends Well, and the place was packed to the rafters by the time we left and walked over to our nearby hotel.  The day had been a grand one, and the leaves were showing colours really well. 

 

Neustadt, ON. 

 

Neustadt ON. 

 

We arrived around 4:30 to Endswell Brewery, well before darts night officially began.  They have cask ale in the British tradition, and it's quite good.  

 

Neustadt tap list.
 

 

It would be a chilly night in Collingwood, and the doors would close well before sunset.  We sat at a semi-circular table just inside the small doorway.  Our hotel was a one minute walk away. 

 

Leaving Collingwood on a cool but sunny morning.  The day's adventure awaited.  

 

Our first stop was Coldwater, a likeable village with a walkable downtown.  

Deb bought herself a "bookcase" model kit.  More on that later. 

 

We stopped for nuts at a nut roastery in Coldwater.  A few nuts had got loose and 

were wandering around town. 

 

We stopped in Parry Sound briefly. 

 

Wednesday dawned cool and clear.  We enjoyed a perfect drive towards the 400 highway that would eventually take us all the way into Sudbury.  We stopped in Coldwater, a favourite small town of ours, before continuing on to Parry Sound and then on to Sudbury.  We arrived in town for coffee at 2:30 pm, made a few ale stops (take out only) afterwards and headed for the family home.

 

Thursday was a local day, with afternoon visits to the vegan corner of Sudbury.  There is a vegan Mexican restaurant, a vegan cafe/bakery and a vegan ice cream shop (closed for the season).  It is a funky area with an art gallery, record shop, old camera shop and a vintage clothing store.  It is about a 15 minute walk from the house, and we tend to visit nearly every day.

 

The CN tracks behind our house serve mining needs on a branch line. 

 

The CN tracks climb over a locally famous trestle.  The foreground tracks are a CP line that is also a mining branch line. 

 

This is the CPR mainline, with routes from Montreal to Vancouver.  We have to cross 4 tracks 

altogether to get to our cafe, and then 4 back.  Getting stuck here by a train can be very 

time consuming, as they are usually about 2 km long. 

 

Friday was a big day!  We hiked to a summit lookout in the La Cloche Mountains southwest of Sudbury.  We have never been up here before in autumn.  Deb and I have had two canoe trip adventures in the La Cloche/Killarney wilderness.  Five of us were on the expedition, with a drive each way lasting about 80 minutes.  The climb is short but steep from the parking area.  The views are among the best in the world. 

 

Five adventurers set out.  Will they all return? 

 

Summit selfie.  L to R: Me, Deb, Lynne, Steve, Emma-Lee.  We are way up there! 

 

The highway sits far below us, on its way to Manitoulin Island and, in the distance, Georgian Bay. 

 

View from the top, looking out towards the wilderness where Deb and I undertook 

 two canoe trips many years ago.  

 

Another beautiful view from the top.  The summit is a large area and once held a 

fire lookout tower. 

  

Steve phones our mother back in Sudbury to tell her we made it to the top.  

The fire tower foundation remains are still there, but not the tower. 

 

Lynn and Emma Lee begin the downward trek. 

 

Back in Sudbury there was time to have a quick bite before four of the climbers headed back out.  The Sudbury Arena was hosting the hometown Wolves ice hockey team.  They were playing their main rivals, the North Bay Battalion.  The boys are of late high school age, and several are picked to go right into the NHL after each season.  It's the same arena I grew up with in Sudbury and it was fun to return after so many years.  They are building a new one across the street, so I am glad I got to see the old one again before it's torn down. Deb stayed home with Mom while we entered the circus that is a modern sports event.  Though the home team ended up losing, a good time was had by all.  It's a noisy and colourful event, especially when the home team scores a goal, which they did 3 times.  But it wasn't enough to win.  Lynne and Emma Lee have season tickets and go there every week.  I worry about their ears.  Everything is shockingly loud.  Close to 4,000 people were in attendance.

 

Saturday and Sunday were days spend close to home.  The weather was mostly delightful the entire time, though nights were cold.  The long drive home was uneventful, which is probably the best drive one could hope for on a day-long journey.  Today it was back to the piano.  I have had four interruptions to my newest pieces from travel so far this year.  So far....

 

Mapman Mike