It’s easy to recommend both Pakenham and Almonte for shops and stops if you’d like to make this a day trip. In Pakenham there’s the five span bridge (closed in winter), the infamous general store, Cartwright Springs Brewery, and Penny’s Fudge Factory. You can combine this hike with Almonte Lagoon (bird viewing platforms and feeding the chickadees), the historic and popular Mill of Kintail hiking trails, then Blakeney Rapids, and finishing up with shopping down Mill St in Almonte. Maybe coffee at Equator or brews from Crooked Mile Brewing Company.