Mill of Kintail

R., S. and I went for afternoon tea at the Mill of Kintail today. Half a dozen small tables were waiting in the garden at the back of the Mill beside the narrow but rushing Indian River. The tea menu is simple, a choice of tea or lemonade and tea bread (slices of lemon loaf, lemon poppy-seed loaf, cinnamon loaf, etc.) for $4.00. Lemonade on its own is $2.00.

I had never been to the Mill of Kintail before. It was a lovely discovery. Classified a heritage building, it is now the R. Tait McKenzie Memorial Museum, set in the Mill of Kintail Conservation Area. Originally a grist mill built in 1830 by Scottish pioneer John Baird, it was made into a summer home in 1930 by Robert Tait McKenzie, a doctor, sculptor and phycial educator. The museum now houses a small collection of furnishings, memorabilia and many of McKenzie's sculptures.

The 154-acre grounds contain numerous hiking trails, gardens and picnic areas. It is a lovely peaceful place to spend some time in a natural setting.