Silver Springs Retreat — Flesherton, Canada
A spring-fed private retreat on 140 acres near Flesherton, Ontario
Water is the reason Silver Springs exists. In 1860, Scottish settlers built a farmhouse near Flesherton, Ontario, drawn by the fresh springs that rise on the land. More than 165 years later, those springs still supply the swimming ponds, the river, and the water that comes out of every tap in the house.
The retreat grew by accretion, one caretaker at a time. The pages credit an expert water feature designer in the 1960s, a master woodworker in the 1980s and a retreat visionary in the 1990s, each leaving a mark on the property. The result is a place shaped by craftsmanship as much as by landscape.
The setting is 140 private acres backing onto 1,100 acres of protected wetlands, at about 1,500 feet of elevation, near the highest point in Ontario. Private trails serve hikers in summer and snowshoers in winter. Guests can kayak or canoe the spring-fed river, swim from the docks, light the 35-person firepit, or make pizza in the wood-fire oven.
The Main House is built on the original renovated 1860s stone farmhouse. It has ten bedrooms, five fireplaces, a split-level great room, a screened nature room, and a steam room fed by spring water. A separate renovated 1880s Farmhouse, divided into upper and lower self-contained sections, sits steps from a swimming pond. The whole property sleeps 36 and is offered for exclusive use.
Corporate teams, wedding parties and families come for the privacy. Days can include indoor or outdoor yoga, a mindfulness session by the pond, muscle and joint pain relief classes and massage. Meals come from Chef Terry, who trained at the Pearson School of Culinary Arts and cooks with locally sourced ingredients.
Traditions: Yoga, Mindfulness, Massage, Muscle and Joint Pain Relief
Programs: Corporate Retreats, Weddings, Family Vacations, Indoor/Outdoor Yoga, Guided Hike and Mindfulness Session, Muscle & Joint Pain Self-Healing Session, Snowshoeing and Hiking Trails, Wood Fire Pizza Making