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Countryside Tour

You will meet your step-on guide in Elmira and your tour will take you through an area where most of the farms are owned by Old Order Mennonites. Many use horses to do their farm work, and it is possible to see a 5-horse hitch with a man walking behind ploughing in the fields. The tour passes through some of Woolwich's district communities and at various points along the Conestogo River your guide will point out the Mennonite buggy bridges used as shortcuts by horse-drawn vehicles.

Your guide will explain the history of the area, and of the Mennonite religion. You will see the plain church buildings used by the Old Order Mennonites and learn about their Sunday services - why they have five entrance doors, how a minister is chosen, seating arrangements and when the building is used.

You will learn all about the every day lifestyle of the Old Order Mennonite, their courtship and weddings. You will pass one-room parochial schools and learn about the education of the children. You will discover how the Old Order Mennonite people are able to maintain their numbers and keep their young people from leaving this way of life.

In West Montrose you will get off the coach and have the opportunity to walk across the "Kissing Bridge". The Kissing Bridge has a 198' span across the Grand River, and was built in 1881.

Take a guided tour through Elmira, Floradale, West Montrose and other settlements while learning about the community's rich and diverse culture. To schedule a Countryside Tour, contact the Township of Woolwich Visitor Information Centre at 519-669-6000.