North Gower - Featured Attractions

This page offers some well-deserved praise to some of our local attractions.

See separate listings for recreation facilities.

North Gower Cheese Factory

The North Gower Cheese Factory opened in 1995. It is already well-known in the area for its cheddar and curds. The cheeses and yogurt are made from farm fresh milk. The North Gower Cheese Factory is located on the Bollinger Farm, 2515 Pollock Road, telephone (613)489-3805.

You can reach Pollock Road from either 4th Line Road (which is Main Street in the village of North Gower), or McCordick Road (which runs south from Eagleson, through the heart of Rideau Township).

While you are at the Bollinger Farm, take a moment to admire their beautiful Brown Swiss cattle and the handsome Belgian draft horses.

Fresh curd is available from noon on Fridays until Sunday.

Fresh Swiss bread is available on weekends.

The North Gower Cheese Factory is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all days except Mondays. Summer hours are 10:00 to 6:00 daily. Closed Mondays. Open holiday Mondays.

New winter hours: starting in November, open Saturday and Sunday only, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

An inside look at the Cheese Factory

North Gower Antique Shoppe

The Antique Shoppe, located on Main Street in North Gower, features an excellent collection of heritage furniture and collectibles. Visit the Antique Shoppe on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at the new expanded location at the previous site of the Royal Bank. It's easy to spot -- look for the outdoor displays (weather permitting) of excellent furniture and other interesting items. They have antique glassware, lighting, and even reproductions of farm tractors that we have our eye on. We can't list all of what there is there; you'll have to explore on your own.

For further information, contact the proprietors at 489-0451 (Business) or 226-3571 (Residence).

A look inside the Antique Shoppe

Strathmere House

  • Strathmere House is one of the Ottawa Valley's finest historic homes, with circular staircase, carriage house, living and dining room facilities, and thirteen comfortable guest rooms. The house can accommodate up to 70 guests.
  • Strathmere Annex is a turn of the century schoolhouse. It can accommodate 17 people, single occupancy, and 22, double occupancy.
  • Strathmere Lodge, built in 1875, has two large lofts overlooking the 200 acre estate, a spacious dining room with a beautiful 8-foot stone fireplace, a 1000 square foot sunroom, a full kitchen, and an attractive outdoor garden that has been used for many wedding photos. The lodge can accommodate up to 210 guests, with separate meeting rooms for smaller groups.
Strathmere House has been operating as a country retreat since 1979. They offer
  • facilities for meetings, workshops, conferences and special events
  • Strathmere Management Centre, offering management development programs
  • Speakers' Bureau, policy and management issues
  • Fully catered facilities for weddings and special events

Strathmere House is located just north of North Gower on Regional Road 73.

For information: Strathmere, R.R. 3, North Gower K0A 2T0, phone: (613) 489-2409; fax (613) 489-2630. Strathmere's Home Page

North Gower Farmers' Market

 

In only a few years, the North Gower Farmers' Market has become a feature of the North Gower community on Saturday mornings from June to October.

Visit the Farmers' market every Saturday morning in the summer and early autumn for fresh local produce, craft items, activities and a visit with your neighbours in a friendly local atmosphere. In addition there are special event days, free parking, free weekly draws and lunch fare.

The North Gower Farmers' Market is open from June 10 to October 7, 2000. New vendors are always welcome-daily and seasonal space is available. For more information contact Helen at 489-3572 or Joanna at 489-3049 or email at ngfarmersmarket@yahoo.co.uk .  

The Farmers' Market is located at the Seabrook farm on Roger Stevens Drive, just east of the Main Street intersection in North Gower.
A visit to the Farmers' Market

Shar-Way Berry Farm

Not the right season, but wait until summer: look for the Shar-Way Berry Farm on your approach to North Gower from the north on Regional Road 73. It's hard to miss, especially in berry season when there is so much activity. Shar-Way has fresh strawberries and raspberries in season, and pumpkins in the fall. You can buy the berries pre-picked, but it's more fun to pick your own, and it's surprisingly fast.
 

Marlborough Forest

The Marlborough Forest is located a few kilometers west of North Gower along Roger Stevens Drive. It is the largest piece of protected property in the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. It is a vast resource, consisting of 7,226 hectares owned by the Region, and 469 acres of Crown land. Over 2,000 hectares is wetland, including areas drained by Stevens Creek and Brassils Creek.
 
 

Rideau Trail

The Rideau Trail extends from Kingston to Ottawa. It is the second longest trail of its kind in Ontario, stretching 300 kilometers. (Second to the Bruce Trail, that is.) Most of the land covered by the trail is either Crown property or road allowance s. Only a small percentage passes through private property.