Gull Cottage Rentals
Showcasing our cottage on Gull Lake near Minden, Ontario
"Willowdale Pines"
Comments and FAQ's
(this page is ammended as issues arise)
How about directions and cottage instructions?
Once the booking process is completed, the holding deposit, balance payment and security/damage deposit are all cleared (usually within 15 days of rental start) you will be emailed the driving directions and cottage instructions which detail cottage operations. You will be given a unique access code which will open the key lock box on the garage door.
Do you have life jackets?
Yes indeed. We have about twenty life jackets of various sizes and types. The majority are sized for adults and teenagers. There are a few for smaller children and a couple for XL adults. You are free to use any of these however please ensure that everyone is fitted with lifejackets that are appropriate for their size and weight. It may be best to bring your own lifejackets, especially for the children.
Is there any booking fee?
No
What are the rental terms?
Once the booking process has started you will be emailed a document detailing the complete rental terms. You will have time to go over it and to ask any questions before returning it signed with the holding deposit of 40%. The balance is due 1 month before your arrival date.
Is a motor boat provided?
No. You will have the use of a fiberglass canoe, paddleboat, aluminum rowboat and three kayaks. The kayaks are stored in the Boathouse on wooden brackets. Please have two adults unload and reload the kayaks from the boathouse as well as carry them to the water so that they are not damaged. The rowboat can take a small motor on the stern but you would have to provide that yourself (insurance requirement). There is a local marina (none on Gull) where you can rent a motor boat for cruising the lake. We have water tubes for towing behind a motor boat. There is so much fun to be had on Gull Lake but only if done safely. You must have proper life jackets, safety kits (already provided for our watercraft), experience and knowledge of the lake. Beware, there are a couple of spots on the lake where the water can be dangerously shallow for motorboats (especially when the lake is low) but the vast majority of the lake is quiet safe for motorboats.
What about campfires?
Cottaging is so much more fun with campfires and mashmallow roasts. We have a small fire pit by the water's edge for this purpose. You can only have a fire if the regional conditions permit open campfires (billboard on the road into Minden). Even then campfires must be small, contained in the pit, attended constantly by an adult and doused when done. All food garbage around the fire pit must be picked up and taken to the garbage otherwise those nocternal critters will be visiting and that is never good.
What do we do for garbage?
Garbage has to be removed by the renter. There is a municipal dump nearby (schedule and directions in rental documents) Garbage CANNOT be left outside and must be cleaned up diligently otherwise there WILL be unwanted visitors. There is a garbage shed under the garage by the woodpile with locking garbage cans and recycling containers. The shed is a convenient way to keep the garbage organised for transfer to the dump. Keep this garbage shed door closed and locked. All garbage has to be placed in the clear plastic garbage bags provided in order for the dump to accept them. A dump permit card will be posted on the fridge in a clear plastic sheet holder. Please keep it in the sheet and on the fridge when it is not being used otherwise these cards tend to be impossible to find when you need them most.
Where can we get groceries and shop?
The town of Minden is a 10-15 minute drive away. You can purchase groceries at one of two, well supplied grocery stores both on Highway 35. Home Hardware has an outlet in Minden as well. There are a couple of roadside markets that have fresh local produce. In Minden you can find a drug store, post office, library, boutiques, convenience stores, video rentals and the ever popular LCBO and liquor store all within a 1/4 mile radius of the old river bridge. Of course, no trip to town would be complete without a side trip to Kawartha dairy on Highway 35 for the best ice cream in Ontario, nor without a stop at Tim Horton's to satisfy your caffiene addiction - also on Highway 35.
More extensive shopping can be found in Haliburton (25 minutes) and even greater selection is available in Lindsay(40 minutes).
What restaurants are there?
We have tried many places in Minden and Haliburton Highlands region and we have found many pleasant surprises. In Minden, the Dominion Hotel puts on a wonderful buffet. There is a tiny Thai restaurant on the river that has a deservedly long waiting list so book early. Subway Sandwiches is on Highway 35. The Red Umbrella on 12 Mile lake. Domain of Killien, the Restaurant at Sir Sams, McKeck's in Haliburton are all great in their own ways. Tell them the Tobins on Gull lake recommended you to their place and hopefully they won't treat you any worse!
What about cleaning?
Not everyone has the same idea of what cleaning a cottage entails yet everyone has expectations of how clean a cottage should be when they arrive. Thus, in order to maintain a cleanliness standard and avoid confrontations and possible adjustment fees for what may not have been done we have found that using a compulsory cleaning service (local cleaning service) at the end of each rental is the fairest policy. If you rent for longer than a week then interim cleanings would be recommended. The cleaning will be done in the 4-5 hour interval between rentals. This is not a licence to be filthy. Quite the contary, light cleaning is required (keep floor, countertop, stovetop and tables free of spills and crumbs) otherwise mother nature tends to intervene.
How about footware in the cottage?
We ask that you bring an extra pair of shoes/slippers to wear exclusively inside the cottage. This is a precautionary measure since dirt and small stones tracked into the cottage can readily scar the wood floors. This is especially a concern in rainy weather. Watershoes are a good idea at the shoreline, walking in shallow water and when using watercraft because our toes and soft city feet are magnets to stones and rocks.
What is the next question?
What is the next answer.
Feedback from our Renters..
" There was no better way to experience a Canadian Family Day Winter Weekend
than the one that we enjoyed at Willowdale Pines in February 2011. The cottage
provided the perfect cozy refuge any vacation home should, and after several
fun, but tiring, days of trekking through the wilderness, it was such a wonderful
thing to come back to a cozy, warm, and welcoming atmosphere. We had a blast,
and because Willowdale Pines is located in the heart of Nature's PlayGround,
we did not have far to go to enjoy the hiking/skiing and snowshoeing trails
in the area. To anyone thinking of renting this beautiful place, I would say-
You won't be dissappointed!"
K.H. February 2011
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