Addington Highlands

Denbigh and Denbigh Lake

Addington Highlands is a township of about 2,500 people (2021) in Quinte-Northumberland.

Understand

This article covers a broad, sparsely-populated rural area in the "Land O Lakes" region of southeastern Ontario.

Addington Highlands includes the tiny villages Denbigh, Flinton, Kaladar, and Northbrook and part of the village of Cloyne. The remainder of Cloyne is in North Frontenac (pop 2000), which is just as rural (with a few tiny villages such as Plevna and Ompah).

This area was first settled by Europeans following the construction of the Addington Road in 1857.

Get in

Highway 7 travels east-west through Kaladar. This portion of Highway 7 is part of a branch of the Trans-Canada Highway that passes through the area, traveling between Sudbury and Kanata (near Ottawa) on Highway 69 and 400, then Highway 12, then Highway 7, then Highway 417.

Highway 41, running north to south between Pembroke and Napanee, is the main road to and from the township.

Get around

Driving is easiest and only way to get around. Roads in the area during the winter can be treacherous.

See

• 1 Cloyne Pioneer Museum and Archives, 14232 Hwy 41, Cloyne, ☏ +1 613-336-8011.  

Astronomy is a popular reason to stay out after dark in the highlands. The township's rural landscape and distance from cities and major development provide some of the darkest skies in southern Ontario, and the adjacent township, North Frontenac, was the first municipality in Canada to be declared a "dark sky preserve". Two viewing areas are open to the public:

• 2 Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area, 7980 Hwy 41, Erinsville (South side of the Sheffield Conservation Area). A concrete pad provides space to setup equipment. Free laser-guided "tours" take place throughout the year. Washrooms available in summer. (updated Mar 2023)
• 3 North Frontenac Star Gazing Pad and Observatory, 5816 Road 506. Along with the telescope operated by local astronomers, the stargazing pad is publicly available, with tables and electrical hookups. The amateur astronomy club organizes events and workshops. (updated Mar 2023)

Do

• The old Canadian Pacific Railway bed passing through the town near Kaladar has become part of the 1 Trans Canada Trail. The trail connect to Perth to the east, or Tweed to the west.

• 2 Bon Echo Provincial Park, Hwy 41, north of Cloyne. A provincial park with several lakes and Indigenous pictographs that can be seen on Mazinaw Rock from the lake. Rock climbing, camping, hiking, boating and swimming are some of the activities to do in the park. Boat launch, canoe and kayak rentals are available.  

Buy

• 1 Finnegan's General Store, 14222 Hwy 41 (Cloyne), ☏ +1 613-336-2500. Tu-Sa 9AM-6PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Pizza, ice cream, groceries. (updated Jul 2018)

Eat

• 1 Hungry Moose, 1005 Marble Lake Rd (Marble Lake Lodge, in Cloyne), ☏ +1 613-336-0117. Summer: 11AM-8PM (takeout until 11PM, F Sa); May, Jun, Sept Oct : F 11AM-8PM Sa Su 10AM-8PM. Fresh stone-baked pizza. Burgers, wraps, etc. The restaurant is fully licensed and has live music most weekends. (updated Mar 2023)

Sleep

• 1 Mazinaw Residence Inn, 14276 Hwy 41, Cloyne, ☏ +1 613-336-9054. Hotel with restaurant and sports bar. $75/double, +$10 per extra person. 
• 2 Marble Lake Lodge, 1005 Marble Lake Rd (Cloyne), ☏ +1 613-336-0117, info@marblelakelodge.com. RV and tent camping, and 2- and 3-bedroom cottages overlooking the lake sleep 4-6 adults. All have a two piece bath, a fully equipped kitchen, screen porches or decks overlooking the water. With hook-up for RV/trailer: $50/night, $350/week; no hook-up for RV/trailer: $40/night, $250/week; tenting sites (1-2 tents): $30/night, $200/week; cottages $100-150/night, $550-750/week. (updated Mar 2023)

Connect

• The Addington Highlands Public Library provides free Wi-Fi during branch hours in Flinton (3641 Flinton Rd, +1 613-336-1091) and Denbigh (Addington Highlands Community Centre, 31 Central St, +1 613-333-1426).
• The Kingston Frontenac Public Library provides free Wi-Fi during branch hours in Cloyne (1011 Little Pond Rd, +1 613-336-8744).

Go next

• Bancroft — a cottage country town on the way to Algonquin Park. The town calls itself Canada's "mineral capital".
• Calabogie — the Ottawa Valley's ski, motorsport and golf resort village.
• Perth — east along the Trans Canada Highway, Perth is a historic town of well-preserved stone buildings, with a connection to the Rideau Canal.
• Trenton — the southern terminus of the Trent-Severn Waterway, and a popular spot for fishing on the Trent River and Bay of Quinte.

Routes through Addington Highlands

Peterborough ← Tweed ←	W  E	→ Perth → Ottawa
Peterborough ← Bancroft ←	W  E	→ ENDS at
END ← Pembroke ←	N  S	→ becomes → Napanee → END