You may invite anyone to visit or even stay over but must advise us in advance. The house is spacious enough for large groups, but we would want assurances that you will treat it with respect.

Only your personal items and consumables (food, drinks, toilet paper and kleenex, laundry soap, clothing, toiletries). Anything you plan to use up should be brought along. We provide all necessary linens, towels, kitchenware, etc. and also provide firewood, propane, hand soaps, cleaning supplies and garbage bags plus a full range of herbs and spices.

We supply bedding, towels and dishwashing cloths and the beds are freshly made up for you with clean, allergen and bug free bedding. We have enough of everything, including extra bedding and mattresses, for even very large family groups and prefer you do not bring your own to avoid any confusion. For groups that use a large amount of extra bedding or those that bring their own (excluding sleeping bags), a small surcharge may apply. Groups that plan to use their own bedding must advise us in advance. Mattress and bedbug protectors may not be removed except temporarily for washing. Please note that using your own linens does not save us time or expense since beds will usually need to be remade anyway.

We do not have an air conditioner but have found that it is rarely necessary up here. Our >1000ft elevation, good breezes and pleasant nights provide cooler, drier summers than those found in the GTA, Southern Ontario or along the lakeshores. Our passive-solar, well-insulated R50 house keeps the cool in during the day as long as you don't leave doors open, etc. After a warm day, open things up in the evening to replenish the cooling. We have an HRV system which circulates fresh air that helps too, and the semi-concrete floors act as a heat sink to draw heat out of the air during the day.

The kitchen is large, designed to accommodate multiple cooks, and well-equipped. There is a 4-element glass cooktop, two large wall ovens, refrigerators, freezer, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, toaster-oven, waffle maker, electric kettle, Cuisinart, hand blender, juicer, mixer, coffee grinder, slow cookers, rice steamer, pasta maker. ice-cream maker, scales and coffee makers (large and small). You are welcome to use any of the many herbs and spices, or help yourself to our selection of teas.

Breathe Easy is in a region of many lakes and rivers. There is a small river (the Styx) beside the property and many access points to the Saugeen River System in the area. Breathe Easy is not directly on water but, as a result, provides privacy, safety and pristine surroundings, uncluttered and free of the heavy traffic and noise typical of a waterfront rental.
A path, marked with pink ribbons, runs from the yard down and west to a right-of-way access to the river where a dock and picnic table provide a nice spot to relax by the water.
We are close enough to many beaches, large and small, that it is easy to make a trip out to let the kids enjoy playing in the sand and water, but adults and children alike will enjoy wandering our 140 acres of pristine woods and fields, playing volleyball, sitting under the stars around our firepit, discovering our secret garden, or playing in our large yard – all in complete privacy with no worries about disturbing the neighbours.
We offer the space and privacy, indoors and out, for a truly relaxing time away from the busyness of daily life. So bring family and friends together to kick back and take it easy at Breathe Easy Cottage. The water is just a pleasant country drive away.

The Durham Conservation Area (a fifteen minute drive) has two roped off swimming areas for kids, playground equipment, waterfalls, parkland, trails and picnic spots. It is an easy walk to get an ice cream downtown. There is also a very good indoor pool in Hanover, complete with water slide, climbing wall, kiddie pool and more. There are also many rivers and smaller lakes near Breathe Easy which offer unique swimming opportunities. Examples include Wilder's Lake (25 minutes) Townsend Lake (10 minutes), Bell Lake (15 minutes), Eugenia Lake (20 minutes) and at various river "swimming holes" closer by. At the base of our property is the Styx River which is good for fishing or wading in spots. (We do not recommend it for small children.) Several of these places are described in our information binder at the cottage.
The larger beaches on Georgian Bay and Lake Huron are 30-45 minutes away, a pleasant drive for longer outings on a hot day. Kelso Beach is in Owen Sound and there are large sandy beaches at Southampton (Saugeen Shores), Port Elgin and Sauble Beach on Lake Huron.

Breathe Easy is very private. It sits on 140 acres of private heaven, atop a hill overlooking miles and miles of field and forest, but it is not visible to others, except from a great distance. We are well off the road and have no close neighbours.

Yes, but bring your own laundry detergent.

We expect that you will leave the house and property in good condition and tidied up (sweep clean, garbage in garage), and that you will treat it with respect during your stay. If there is excessive cleaning required, or removal of outdoor litter, broken glass, etc. or moving of large furniture and other tasks normally not required, we will deduct our extra costs from the deposit.(Please see our policies and Rental Agreement on the Bookings page for more details.)

Yes, if they are house trained and can be trusted not to damage the house and its contents. Pets are not allowed on furniture or beds, and must be strictly kept out of the lower level to minimize allergens for others. In special cases, we will allow a pet to be in a particular bedroom if warranted and prior approval is granted. Please advise us in advance if you are bringing any pets.

We welcome children and try to provide a friendly atmosphere for them, expecting, of course, that you will give them appropriate supervision. We have one highchair but no crib. We also have a baby monitor, blanket, folding playpen and booster seat. This is a safe place for kids as we are not near water or the road, and have a large grassy play area beside the cottage.

We have toys for young children, a games cupboard, ping-pong, volleyball court, swing set and slide, sandbox, kiddie pool, balls and frisbees and lots of space, indoor and out, for running and playing. There is also television, a DVD player and VCR (with some children's videos), CD players and arts and crafts materials. Our library contains a few children's books.

We are wheelchair accessible in so far as there is a ramp into the house and a chairlift between floors. We do not have many grab bars but the main bathroom has a handicap toilet and the bathtub is set in a flat platform to allow for easy entry to the tub. The large shower stall is fully accessible with bars. The house has smooth floors for easy wheelchair operation, and wide doorways and halls in most areas. Although the lower level is not fully accessible, most doors are wide enough for wheelchairs. The bathroom shower is not accessible but a chair can fit through the door to the toilet. There is also a spare wheelchair downstairs so that there is no need to transport a wheelchair between levels. Outside, we have ramps joining the decks and gazebo.

Our well water is perfectly safe to drink, although you may detect a slight iron taste. Unfiltered well water is available from a separate tap in the kitchen and contains calcium and some iron. The water supply throughout the house is softened and has some sodium in it but is also fine for drinking. We have a Reverse Osmosis filtration unit in the laundry room for top quality drinking and cooking water. All of our water is better for you than heavily chlorinated city water, but we give you a range of choices.

You are welcome to use the phones, and there is highspeed wireless internet throughout the cottage with no password required. (However, we recommend that you leave your work behind and relax during your stay!)

The closest beer and liquor stores are in Durham (about 16 kilometers), which has a grocery store and a great organic store/cafe, Chicory Common. You will find larger grocery stores, delis and movie stores in Hanover, about 28 kilometers). In summer there are farmers' markets and stands and there is a sizeable organic farming community in the area.

There is plenty to see and do in the region, whether you are interested in recreation and sports, arts and crafts, music, theatre, museums, tours or seeing the sights.

We are about 145km (90mi) northwest of Toronto and Hamilton. The trip takes from 2.5 to 3 hours by car from the GTA, depending on traffic or 2 hours from the highway 401-410 interchange. Our area is about 30km south of Owen Sound in Grey County, Ontario. The distance from London and Sarnia is under 3 hours driving.