Porter Lake Retreat

The story of this cabin is one of many hands.

This ever-evolving wood cabin in Restoule has been a shared space for family, friends that may as well be family, and anyone willing to battle the bugs in summer and the cold in winter.

In 1988, through a series of unlikely events, Gregory Cromwell found his way to a remote corner of Northern Ontario Bush. Behind the wheel of his red Forerunner, he persisted through the thick Algonquin forest until he came to the edge of a completely secluded lake. There was a stillness to the energy of the space that was magnetic. With very little hesitation he knew this was a place he wanted to share.

Gregory and Alison Cromwell, with the help of friends and family over the last 30 years, have created a space that’s much more comfortable than the original trailer dragged along the old corduroy road. The current cabin is the result of the love and craftsmanship of incredible people with a love of nature and a vast range of carpentry skills. Without the friendship and skills of the Learn family, this space wouldn’t have had the structural integrity to endure the last 30 winters.

The wood cabin in its current form has the capacity to sleep 9 people comfortably but over the years has hosted anyone willing to bring a two-four. There are many more bonfires to be had and beers to be drunk as we continue to build upon the off-the-grid goodness this cabin has to offer.