By Kerri Sass
As unlikely combinations go, Crokicurl is way up there — the strategy of a board game mixed with the precision and skill of curling. Only in Canada.
When Christine and Ed Chaplin invited me to visit them at their property — Springwood Cottage Resort — in Arden, Ontario, I had no idea what to expect. I knew that they had 17 cottages nestled along the Kennebec Lake and that the resort is located about one kilometer off Highway 7, about 2.5 hours northeast of Toronto.
What I didn’t expect was that Crokicurl would figured heavily into the weekend.
Ed and Christine are board game fanatics, and their resort features a huge library of over 1,000 curated board games, including Crokinole — a game many of you may recognize. But when combined with curling on an octagonal rink, the much-loved game morphs into Crokicurl. Oddly enough, the game comes from my hometown of Winnipeg.
When I arrived at the resort, we immediately joined some regular guests for a game. Ed acted as referee and showed me the rules, while Christine and I played a few rounds sliding the stones across the ice, laughing and sharing a bottle of bubbly in the snow. Being outdoors, playing in the snow under clear, starry skies brought me back to my childhood of outdoor skating in Winnipeg.
Afterwards, I joined Christine and Ed in town at their local pub for some wings and a sampling of local craft beer from Kick & Push Brewing Company, a microbrewery in the heart of the Frontenacs in Sharbot Lake, Ontario. The brewery aims to bring people of all walks of life together in a relaxed setting. Who knew that this first taste of place would set the tone for my weekend at Springwood Cottage Resort?
The next morning, coffee in hand, I went for a walk to explore the property. I discovered the Springwood Trail, which Christine and Ed cut and opened for the community to enjoy. The path leads to a magnificent vista where I can see and hear the roaring Salmon River — something that truly surprises and delights me. I had no idea they are located right on the Canadian Shield along this wild, glorious river.
I also had the opportunity to skate on the lake in the sunshine and soak in the hot tub on my deck while enjoying my morning coffee. Watching goldfinches and chickadees visit the feeder from the hot tub may be one of the highlights of my visit. As I close my eyes, feeling the sun on my face, watching the light stream through the branches and light snow fall softly around me, I think: this feels like heaven. So peaceful, so serene — such a wonderful way to come back to myself and just be.
“You can be as social or introverted as you want here,” Christine says.
And that’s the thing about Springwood that I find truly compelling: a beautiful outdoor lifestyle balanced with time to regain energy, connect with nature, and have some fun outside too.
Come experience this for yourself – connect with Ed and Christine at Springwood Cottage Resort.