Backpacking🎒In The Barony Of Caux🟨⬛️🐤🐦‍⬛: A Top 9 From My Journey To The Craziest Embassy In The World!

“An extraordinary guy can never have an ordinary day” – Noel Gallagher.

Backpacking🎒In The Barony Of Caux🟨⬛️🐤🐦‍⬛: My Journey To The Craziest Embassy In The World!

If you haven’t heard of The Barony Of Caux, then you can be forgiven. This country (or let’s say the remaining embassy of the country!!) borders Canada in the city of Toronto. The Barony of Caux is the world’s oldest feudal kingdom, since it dates back to 1086! It is so nutspacking and wild that all my Canadian friends hadn’t even heard of it. Nor had I as a novice backpacker on my two previous trips to Toronto (2001, 2007).

2007 Under 20s World Cup in Toronto, Canada

However, my journey to get here finally in July 2026 was a disaster, up there with my last 4 trips which all had cancelled flights, cancelled boats, horrific airlines and strict immigration. There’s a backstory as usual…I had been to Canada 🇨🇦 twice before and it was such an important, significant, relevant and happy necessity for me to return. Way back in 2001 (25 years ago now), I visited Toronto, Niagara and Winnipeg. On that trip, cousin Alison got married, I was in awe of Toronto and I spotted the graffiti “Don’t Stop Living” etched in red ink on a High School wall. Canada was epic. “Don’t Stop Living” was my new catchphrase which began in Toronto in 2001.

With my cousin Gary and my Granny Mary at Alison’s wedding in Winnipeg in 2001

Around 2001 to 2002, I wrote a poem called Don’t Stop Living. It hasn’t seen the light of day yet. I guess I am saving it for a Jonny Blair Poetry release. Then, in 2007 I decided to make Toronto the first stop on my world 4 continent backpacking 🎒 trip. I did that because I worked in PR at the time, got a flight from Heathrow in London to Toronto for just £99. Hard to believe but true, through the company Canadian Affair.

Canadian Affair Deal 2007 – £99 London to Toronto!

The rest is somewhat history inspiring on my journey. In Toronto on that trip I backpacked the city hardcore. I attended 2 matches of the Under 20s World Cup, I stayed at the Planet Traveler Hostel in Kensington Village.

Having a beer with fellow travel blogger Mike – the guy bottom left who inspired me to start my blog back in 2007 in Toronto, Canada.

It was there where I met Lee Price and Mike Burkimsher, they had travel blogs called Ball Of Dirt and The Long Way Home (here in 2026 – both their blogs are now defunct – bizarre!!!). I had never heard of a travel blog at the time so I started one, the one you are reading, it’s called “Don’t Stop Living” of course. My blog, this blog, went professional in 2012 and has funded my travels ever since.

Backpacking in Canada: How to Tour Toronto in Style

Backpacking in Canada 2007: Lee Price and I watching Toronto Blue Jays!

So Canada was important for me. Yet somehow since 2007, I had never been back. By way of a handy cheap flight I was to visit it again in 2026, 19 years on, to the exact month. July 2026. I was all set, but then disaster struck – in a story for another day, this blog post almost didn’t happen, same as when I nutspacked The Republic Of Rathnelly. I wouldn’t have seen Rathnelly or Caux had I not got the visa and through immigration. I’ll write about it that madness in a book sometime.

Nervously flying back to Toronto 19 years later.

Now I was finally here, I could backpack to The Barony Of Caux. Incidentally in 2007, I also had never heard of Caux, never mind the Barony Of It. But nowadays I buzz off wacaday republics having whackpacked Lagoan Isles, Lovely, Ladonia, Podjistan, Adammia, Tavolara, Seborga, Austenasia, Romkerhall, Uzupis and so on. The Barony Of Caux is certainly a wild one to enter that list…

With Simon and Richard with my book to be inducted into the Seborga National Library!

What’s The Story Of The Barony Of Caux?

Believe it or not, the story of Barony Of Caux is centuries old…dating back to 1086. I have explained all about it in my other post “Backpacking In The Barony Of Caux: The World’s Oldest Feudal State”.

Here are my personal top 7 things about my trip to The Barony Of Caux in July 2026.

1. The Flag Of The Barony Of Caux

The country has its own flag, however I didn’t see it flying at The Embassy in Toronto. It has been taken down. It has a red crescent, a bird and a yellow background.

Barony Of Caux Flag

The Barony Of Caux is one of over 50 Micronations that appears in the Lonely Planet’s Micronations book.

The Barony Of Caux in the Lonely Planet Micronations book

2. Meeting Ivan, maintenance man.

By fluke I met Ivan, a maintenance man who was working in The Barony Of Caux that day, so I can say that I met someone who was inside and spoke to them. Ivan was a local maintenance worker, working from his truck and weirdly he was given a job to do there yet he had no idea about the history of this building!! So I was the one to tell him all about the Barony Of Caux.

Meeting Ivan, maintenance man at Barony Of Caux

3. Crossing the Border (TWICE!!)

Getting to the Barony Of Caux is easy enough. I’ve actually been there twice now, on consecutive days!! I went on my first night in Toronto. That time I backpacked it by foot from my hostel, The Planet Traveler in Kensington Village. However it was too dark and streets were badly lit so I went back the next day.

Backpacking The Barony Of Caux at night – but it was too dark so I had to come back the next day!!

To get there, I backpacked from The Planet Traveler along College Street to Bathurst Street where I turned right. I then walked north on Bathurst Street as far as Bloor Street. The Barony Of Caux is on Barton Avenue, which is parallel to Bloor Street. When you reach Bloor Street take a left. Then you can go right via either Clinton Street or Christie Street and the next street along is Barton Avenue. See below map. Barony Of Caux is the red pin. Easy!

Location Of Barony Of Caux Toronto 129 Barton Avenue

Backpacking The Barony Of Caux at night – but it was too dark so I had to come back the next day!!

On the second day I was coming from the Yonge Street direction so I took a yellow metro line to Christie station. It’s the nearest station to The Barony Of Caux.

Getting to Barony Of Caux From Christie Station

From Christie Station, I turned right, I walked up Christie Street past The Baseball Park then took a right onto Barton Avenue. The Barony Of Caux building is number 129 Barton Avenue.

Getting to Barony Of Caux From Christie Station

4. 129 Barton Avenue

The actual address is 129 Barton Avenue. It is very easy to find and the streets are all signposted. You have arrived!

Arrival at The Barony Of Caux, 129 Barton Avenue

5.Admiring the Building.

The biggest quirk for me was the building itself. I had already seen a photo of it in my Lonely Planet book so I knew what to expect. Of course, this Embassy is private property, it is NOT open to the public – don’t go traipsing in – that’s trespassing and against the law. You can of course admire the building and ponder on the history.

Admiring the Building at 129 Barton Avenue – Barony Of Caux

Backpacking🎒In The Barony Of Caux🟨⬛️🐤🐦‍⬛: My Journey To The Craziest Embassy In The World!

Admiring the Building at 129 Barton Avenue – Barony Of Caux

However with permission from Ivan, I put my feet across the border from Canada onto the steps of the property just as a quirk to prove I was in The Barony Of Caux.

Canada to Barony Of Caux border

There are two border crossings – one on the left and one on the right. I did both so technically I was in the Barony Of Caux twice and I backpacked both the east and west of it!

Canada to Barony Of Caux border

6. Displaying Recognition Of The Barony Of Caux (from Northern Ireland)

As a proud Northern Irishman, I had my Travelling Northern Ireland flag with me to prove that I recognise The Barony Of Caux as a real independent country. The Northern Ireland flag also crossed the border and was displayed on the wall of The Barony Of Caux.

Backpacking🎒In The Barony Of Caux🟨⬛️🐤🐦‍⬛: My Journey To The Craziest Embassy In The World!

Displaying Recognition Of The Barony Of Caux (from Northern Ireland)

7.The Odd Welsh Whacking

The oddest thing about The Barony Of Caux is their national sport is “Welsh Whacking”, which is the only thing about the country that I don’t believe in! I have worked and studied with Welsh people, but this is an odd quirk…luckily I didn’t see any evidence of anti-Welshness on my visit. I have been to Wales many times and loved it – Abergavenney, Swansea, Fishguard, Holyhead, Newport and Cardiff…

Watching Northern Ireland play Wales in Cardiff in 2004

I got a ferry from Rosslare, Republic Of Ireland to Fishguard in Wales…

8. Eating Tater Poutine Near Barony Of Caux

Whilst I didn’t eat or drink in The Barony Of Caux as I wasn’t in the Embassy’s kitchen, I wanted to eat or drink something nearby. I opted for Mary Brown’s (MB) which is about a 6 minute walk on the corner of Bloor Street.

Eating Tater Poutine Near Barony Of Caux

I had excellent Tater Poutine here and also a Dr. Pepper, my second favourite fizzy drink in the world, after Lucozade. Tater Poutine is fried potato skins (seemingly with some spice/seasoning) with melted cheese and gravy.

Eating Tater Poutine Near Barony Of Caux

It is actually not dissimilar to a Northern Irish “gravy chip”. The price for the entire meal was $12.42 CD including tax.

Eating Tater Poutine Near Barony Of Caux

Also nearby I spied a restaurant which does a breakfast from $1.99 CD, so if you want a budget option, go here – I think it is called Fancy Burger but weirdly the only two photos I took of it don’t show the first name and neither does Google!!

$1.99 breakfast at maybe “Fancy” Burger?

Cheap food option a $1.99 breakfast at maybe “Fancy” Burger?

9. Having A Beer Near The Barony Of Caux

As for a beer nearby, I’d recommend The Zui Beer Bar (a Chinese Bar in K Town – Korea Town), Sneaky Dees in Kensington Village or The Cloak And Dagger also in Kensington Village. I had a beer in all three but there are many other options nearby.