Black Rapids Retreat | Waterfront Cozy Cottage

Kick back and relax in this calm, stylish space on Red Horse Lake. My cottage is the perfect year-round getaway for couples, solo adventurers, and families (4-legged members included)! A 5 min drive to Charleston Lake, and 25 mins to Gananoque - trails for hiking, or x-country skiing. Great outdoor space right on the water with a private dock (with rope swing!) and camp fire pit. Indoors, the refreshed cottage has all the comforts you need for an enjoyable stay. Come make some memories!

Welcome to my cottage! I hope you find the place as relaxing as I do. I'm located on Red Horse Lake, very close to Charleston Lake and The 1000 Islands! Enjoy waterfront views with a mix of sun and shade provided by the mature oak and maple trees that line the waters edge. Located in the narrows on the lake enjoy a gorgeous backdrop with minimal neighbours.

Step onto the deck and enjoy BBQ meals (propane provided) on patio furniture covered by a cantilever umbrella with views of the water. Take the stairs down to the waters edge and step onto the large dock where you can jump into weedless water or swing off the rope swing! The grassy sideyard has the fire pit and bunkie (up and running summer 2023!). Our outdoor fire pit is the perfect place to enjoy some yummy s'mores. Firewood is available at the Home Hardware in Lyndhurst.

You will feel right at home in the modest open concept eat in kitchen and cozy living room with windows that overlook the water and let in lots of natural light. Prepare meals in the fully stocked kitchen with a custom island. I also provide many staples in the kitchen (e.g. tea, coffee, condiments, food wrap, tinfoil etc.) so you will feel at home. The dining table has seating for 4 with a leaf and is the perfect place to have a family dinner followed by a games night. The living room contains a couch to sink into to watch Netflix or read a book while enjoying cottage life.

Recently refreshed, the cottage is very fresh and welcoming. The second floor of the cottage features 2 bedrooms and the bathroom with a tub/shower combo. The principal bedroom features wrap around windows and a private balcony with seating to wake up to the view of the lake. Or pull closed the blackout curtains and sink into the queen bed for a relaxing nights sleep. The second bedroom also contains a queen bed and has a dresser to store your belongings. If you need extra sleeping space, the couch in the living room pulls out into a double bed.

My 4-season cottage can be enjoyed year-round! Bring your own boat or watercraft to enjoy the water. What better holiday than to while away the time with a fishing line hanging from your boat as you explore Red Horse Lake and surrounding waterways. Head to Charleston Lake where bass, pickerel, pike, and perch can be caught. We have a private waterfront area where you can jump in and swim in the calm waters. The lake gets deep fairly quickly and is great for swimming. Just down the road you can find the Charleston Provincial Park which has some great walking and bike trails. The proximity to Gananoque and the 1000 Islands is great draw for sightseeing including the iconic 1000 Islands Boat Cruise and Helicopter Tours. In the winter, you can enjoy time ice-fishing, building a snow-fort, or exploring The 1000 Islands area with many trails while snowshoeing, cross country skiing or snow-mobiling.

Included:
Household Supplies
Linens
Furnishings
Wifi
Netflix
Fire Pit

You will have access to the entire cottage and listed amenities, which includes the 2 bedrooms, 1 bathrooms, the kitchen, living room and dining room, all for your use. Feel free to use the laundry machines and there is space for parking for up to 2 cars. The only area inaccessible to guests is the shed and the bunkie (until 2023!).

I work in Toronto but my co-host Kylie or I are only a quick message or phone call away to help you with anything you might need! Most of the time we will not be available to meet with guests but don't hesitate to contact us.

My cottage is located on Black Rapids Rd with road access year-round. The neighbourhood is quiet and peaceful. There are some other locals along the street, but once you're on the property you'll feel very private as property line between the easterly neighbour is cedar tree-lined and a wooded area sits to the west.

The cottage is situated on calm waters of the Red Horse Lake. We're only 5 minutes from Charleston Lake.

Nearby you can visit Gananoque for a bite to eat at the local restaurants, as well as get some ice cream! You can also spend the day and take the infamous 1000 Islands Boat Cruise or head on over to the golf course. The Playhouse is a great place to catch a show, or spend time antiquing and shopping the town strip. Head to the Shoreline Casino for some fun. Just a 25 min drive away, Gananoque is home to some larger amenities such as Home Hardware, Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons, Metro, and Shoppers Drug Mart. Kingston is a quick 45 min drive away for major amenities, such as Walmart, Home Depot, Pet Value, and Starbucks.

Once you book with us, I will send you a detailed Welcome guide with all my insider recommendations!

You will have to drive to get to any desired destination. The cottage is a 3 hour drive from Toronto or a 1.5 hr drive from Ottawa (but well worth it!). Then we are within a 10-30 min drive to nearby attractions and amenities.

Nearby Amenities:
Home Hardware: 6 min drive
LCBO: 13 min drive
Metro: 12 min drive
Charleston Lake Provincial Park: 6 min
Thousand Island Boat Cruise: 28 min drive
Shoreline Casino Thousand Islands: 23 min drive

Trip Duration:
Gananoque: 25 min drive
Kingston: 40 min drive
Toronto: 3 hr drive
Ottawa: 1.5 hr drive

We are LGBTQ friendly!

The wifi is provided by Starlink. We have satellite TV.

The lower level of the cottage has low ceilings and not recommended for extremely tall people. Ceilings on the upper floor are normal height.

We take being good hosts seriously, and we are proud "Hostfully Hosts." This means when you stay with us, we will email you a Hostfully guidebook link. The guidebook contains all the essential information about my cottage, as well as provide recommendations for things to do in the surrounding areas. It's easy to navigate, and if you are out and about, you can access it from your phone.

Linens: sheets, pillows, duvets with covers, inside towels and extra blankets are available for you. You will need to provide your own beach towels.

The running water is pumped from the lake and you can hear the pump when it is activated. We have a UV filtration system so the water is potable and safe to drink. We have a water cooler in the kitchen for your drinking needs if preferred.

The house plumbing works on a septic system. Additionally, the kitchen is below the system and the plumbing on the main floor is pumped up by a laundry tray system. Please do not pour any type of oils/grease down the drains that could clog the system. We've provided strainers to reduce the amount of solids that enter the system. Please rinse your dishes of solids prior to loading the dishwasher.

The cottage is heated by a mixture of baseboard heaters upstairs and propane furnace downstairs. Window AC units are installed upstairs in the bedrooms in the summer months.

We are in nature! For the summer months we highly recommend bringing bug repellent! Other tips for dealing with the mosquitoes is to wear light coloured clothing and avoid wearing perfumes.

To ensure you have a wonderful stay, we’ve equipped this home with a Minut sensor. It monitors noise (but does not record sound), occupancy, temperature and humidity, helping us keep our home and our neighbourhood safe, healthy and comfortable. It notifies us if it gets too loud, to ensure all guests have a pleasant stay and our neighbours are not disturbed.
- 6 guests maximum. No additional guests not on the reservation are allowed on the property. Thank you for respecting this!
- No parties or events
- Smoking is not allowed indoors. Please smoke outside while enjoying the fresh air.
- As part of your cleaning fee, we are able to dispose of 3 full sized garbage/recycling bags. You will need to ensure your garbage & recyclables are split into separate clear bags (provided) of a) garbage, b) cans/plastic/glass, c) fiber/paper, e) beer/liquor beverage containers. For every additional bag of garbage/recycling there is an additional charge of $20/bag in order to arrange for additional garbage removal. Additionally if your garbage and recycling is not sorted properly and requires additional handling to meet municipality dump requirements we will need to charge an additional $10/bag.
- To help keep the space clean, we are a no-shoes household. Please remove your shoes immediately after entering the cottage
- Please lock the door when you leave the cottage unattended
- Please turn off lights when you are finished in a space/room. Let’s be energy conscious together!
- The cottage plumbing runs to a holding tank on the property. Please only flush toilet paper down the toilet.
- Loud music is not permitted outside as per the municipality by-law.
- The kitchen is below the septic system and the plumbing on the main floor is pumped up by a laundry tray system. Please do not pour any type of oils/grease down the drains that could clog the system. We've provided strainers to reduce the amount of solids that enter the system. Please rinse your dishes of solids prior to loading the dishwasher.