From the Dufferin Highlands our route follow country roads to the villages of Fergus and Elora, both characterized by stone architecture crafted by Scottish settlers. Before Europeans arrived, Elora was a mystical and sacred place to First Nation inhabitants because of its caves and famous gorge. The village is built on the banks of the river at the point where the Grand plunges into the spectacular Elora gorge. A unique mill made of limestone is still powered by the Grand.
North of Kitchener-Waterloo, we pass through a farming area settled by Mennonites who followed "The Trail of the Black Walnut" as they travelled north from Pennsylvania in search of religious freedom. Mennonites who run farms with no electric power and travel by horse-drawn buggies are still a common sight. The towns of Kitchener (before 1916 it was known as Berlin) and Waterloo were centres of commerce for German settlers. The German influence is evident in the crafts, food and architecture of the region.
As we wind our way along the banks of the Grand we'll see marshy wetlands that once were severely polluted by industries that used the river's water power. Today, nature is regaining control, thanks to local preservation efforts that began in the 1930s.
A long section of the river flows through the Six Nations reserve. The village of Ohsweken on the reserve is the birthplace of poet, author, performer and journalist Pauline Johnson, whose Mohawk name was Tekahionwake. Johnson grew up at the''Indian Mansion," now known as Chiefswood. She wrote her most famous poems, including The Song My Paddle Sings, from this place on the banks of the Grand. The home now is a museum. The reserve is a vibrant community with an abundance of local industry.
Downriver from the Six Nations reserve, we follow the Grand through farmland and cottage country to where the river empties into Lake Erie. We stay overnight at Port Colborne, the southern entrance to the Welland Canal. This is the waterway that allows ships to bypass the Niagara River between Lakes Erie and Ontario. Then it's on to a spectaular ending at Niagara Falls.
And if that's not enough there is an optional 40 km (25 mi) sidetrip to Niagara on the Lake on final day.
