A Journey to Ansnorveldt

Last week I went on another long walk through the northern GTA. Though I started and ended at familiar points (Newmarket and Bradford, respectively), I spent most of the time discovering new rural areas. Unfortunately, I covered relatively little territory by my standards (about 17 km); it was my first long walk since the beginning of September and I felt a bit out of shape.

I begin my trip at Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket, only slightly disconcerted by the subzero temperature. I begin walking west along Highway 9, a four-lane arterial roadway that extends west through Orangeville all the way to Kincardine on the shore of Lake Huron. This sparsely-populated segment of Newmarket features a new housing development to the north and a golf course to the south. Unfortunately, the sidewalk ends at Crossland Gate, and I’m forced to walk on the snowy highway shoulder for a few hundred meters until I reach Bathurst. I turn north and continue along a sparse (though surprisingly wide, well-maintained) segment of Bathurst. Farms and forests surround the road.

Eventually, I reach Miller’s Sdrd, a desolate country road that lies in an uninhabited section of the King township. The road is very busy a few kilometers to the east (“Green Lane”), as it features the northern terminus of Highway 404 in the southern periphery of East Gwillimbury; however, out here, traffic is minimal. The narrow road is only paved for the first few hundred meters and quickly turns into a bumpy, muddy dirt track. There are bare trees on either side of the road; everything is caked in a light layer of snow. The terrain has a few peaks and valleys, making the walk a bit tiring.

I turn onto Dufferin Street and head north towards Ansnorveldt, a small community located in the fertile Holland Marsh. A plaque in town states that Ansnorveldt was founded in the 1930s by Dutch immigrants. The community grew as the flat, fertile land and artificial drainage system turned the marsh into one of Ontario’s most productive agricultural areas. The village, located just 6 kilometers from downtown Bradford, feels much more remote and isolated than it actually is due to its highly agricultural, “small town” atmosphere. Indeed, there are virtually no stores or businesses in town, unless one is looking for a travel tourism business (operated from somebody’s house) or an art store (scheduled to open soon). Surprisingly, there isn’t even a grocery or convenience store in the area, necessitating a drive to Bradford or Newmarket to get food.

The town centre is located at Dufferin & Bernhardt. The area features a church, a Christian private school, and a park. Dufferin remains a narrow, two-lane street, and is still surrounded by sparse woods. A small library, the size of a house, is located a bit farther up the road. I’m surprised that the community has a library, but no general stores. In fact, it seems like a misuse of taxpayers’ money to have a library in such a small village. If the residents are apparently willing to drive to Bradford or Newmarket for food, clothes and gasoline, why should taxpayers subsidize a convenient library?

Although the village is localized along Dufferin Street, there are a few sideroads extending west. I turn onto King Street, which runs alongside an irrigation canal. The scenery probably would have been pleasant during the summer, but now the farms and stream are frozen over and are covered in a blanket of snow. King appears to be an important road as it provides the most direct access to the rest of the Holland Marsh, which extends as far west as Weston Road. I probably would have taken time to explore King Street during the summer; however, I turn back because I see a rather bland site: white fields and farm equipment extending into the distance.

Continuing north, I exit Ansnorveldt and eventually reach Graham Sideroad. I walk to downtown Bradford along Pumphouse Road, re-tracing my steps from a trip I took earlier in the summer. Pumphouse, which runs south from Bradford along a canal, was quite pleasant during the summer. However, now the walk is wearisome as everything on both sides of the road is covered in snow, providing a rather bland view. Once I arrive in Bradford, I decide not to explore it further and instead wait for the Go bus. I’m too cold to journey further, and, besides I already covered the town thoroughly earlier in the summer.

My first rural winter walk was a pleasant though uneventful experience. Next time, however, I’ll try to find a route that offers a bit more variety in terms of scenery. Also, I’ll wear warmer socks.