London to Port Stanley via Sparta

by Tony
(London, Ontario, Canada)

When we feel like a Sunday drive out with our family, we like to leave home in north London and head south along Highbury Avenue toward St Thomas, crossing highway 401 and going south.

At the end of Highbury Avenue, which becomes highway 3, we turn right and drive to Briwood Farm Market, opposite the Royal Bank, in St Thomas, where we buy our apples and peaches in season, as well as local meat and produce.

When we continue our journey we turn right out of the parking lot, heading east along Talbot Street and go past the airport and as far as New Sarum where you have to turn left off highway 3 onto highway 74 and make a quick right turn to get to the New Sarum Diner – this place is really nice and if we haven't had breakfast, this is a great place to stop to eat.

When we leave there we continue on heading east and then turn south on Rogers Road just before you get to Aylmer, and if you go down that road you'll come to the Pinecroft Pottery & Green Frog Tea Room on your left ... if you didn't stop to eat earlier, you can stop now!

There is some really nice pottery made there which you might like, if not, continue south and you'll come to John Wise Line and you should turn right and drive to Quaker Line and turn south there.

Before you get to the village of Sparta you could turn right along Fruit Ridge Line and visit the Quai du Vin Estate Winery on the left – they have events happening all summer long, as well as delicious wines.

Turn around and go back to Quaker Road and that will take you down to Sparta – you'll pass the Quaker Meeting House, the Sparta House Restaurant on the corner, and opposite there is Sparta Candles, as well as the Peter Robson Gallery up the road to your right about 50 metres.

Once you've had a stroll around this quaint village you could head south towards Port Bruce and at Dexter Line you can either turn left to go to Port Bruce where there is good fishing off the pier and a couple of places to eat or get a cold drink, or you could turn right and head into Port Stanley.

When we go to Port Stanley we often take a look at the beach and have some french fries at Mackie's on the beach, or dinner at The Buccaneer, and we always go to the sweet little Antique shop – Little Beach Port Stanley at 181 Main Street, Port Stanley.

The Little Beach Shop sells one-of-a-kind antiques and collectibles and also has a full range of Fusion Mineral Paints that I use when I am painting old furniture, it is wonderful and I love the results!