Hastings & Warkworth: A Buyer's Guide to Trent Hills' Villages

When Keith and Lisa, local brokers with Willows Realty Group, meet buyers in Trent Hills, the conversation usually starts in Campbellford and then widens quickly. People hear about Hastings and Warkworth from neighbours or weekend guides and want to know what the villages are actually like before they book showings. This post lays it out street by street, with the landmarks, schools, and drive times named so you can decide which of the three communities fits you.

Trent Hills' Villages: Three Towns, One Municipality

The Municipality of Trent Hills was formed in 2001 when the Town of Campbellford, the Village of Hastings, and the Village of Warkworth, along with the surrounding townships, came together under one municipal government. The three communities share a council, a school system, and a hospital, but each keeps its own character. According to 2021 federal census data, Trent Hills as a whole is home to about 13,800 people, and the municipality grew by roughly 7.4% between 2016 and 2021, a sign that buyers keep choosing this corner of Northumberland County.

Campbellford is the largest of the three and the commercial centre, which is why our Campbellford neighbourhood guide covers it in the most depth. But the villages matter just as much to the local market, especially for buyers who want a quieter setting, more land, or a home with more character per dollar.

Hastings: The Hub of the Trent

Hastings calls itself the Hub of the Trent, and the name fits. The village sits on the Trent River in a valley between Rice Lake and Lake Seymour, and it is home to Lock 18 of the Trent-Severn Waterway, a National Historic Site and the last lock before boats reach Rice Lake. For buyers who love the water, Hastings is the Trent Hills community that delivers it year round: boating, fishing, and waterfront walks are part of everyday life here.

The village is small, home to roughly 1,200 to 1,300 people, but it has history behind it. Local settlement dates back to around 1810, when the community was known as Crook's Rapids, and the village was incorporated in 1874 before amalgamating into Trent Hills in 2001. The Trans Canada Trail crosses the village, and Parks Canada describes the setting at Lock 18 on the Trent-Severn Waterway, which is worth a read before you visit.

The Hastings Village Marina sits immediately above Lock 18 on the south shore, with seasonal and transient slips, power and water hookups, showers, and a free boat launch and parking. The village also has a shoreline park with picnic space, and Pisces Park, named for Pisces Pete, a large steel walleye sculpture that celebrates the town's angling heritage. For a fuller picture of the village and its waterfront, the Trent Hills tourism page for Hastings lists the parks, the marina, and the seasonal events.

What does that mean for a buyer? If you picture weekends on the water, mornings walking the river trail, and a village where the lock is the social hub in summer, Hastings gives you that in a compact, affordable package. It is also the closest Trent Hills community to Highway 401 connections at Brighton, which matters to commuters.

Daily life in Hastings tends to follow the river. In the warm months the lock is busy with boaters making their way to Rice Lake, the marina fills with seasonal residents, and the waterfront park sees families and picnickers through the afternoon. Anglers come for the walleye and other species the Trent is known for, and the village leans into that identity, which is exactly why the Pisces Pete sculpture sits where it does. In winter the pace slows, but the village stays active through the Hastings Field House for indoor recreation and a full calendar of community events, including Canada Day fireworks at the marina and the Hastings Waterfront Festival in August.

For buyers, that means a year-round community rather than a seasonal cottage town. Hastings has a village core with shops and services, residential streets that climb gently away from the river, and rural lots on the edges for those who want more land. It is a mix that suits everyone from first-time buyers to people planning a waterfront lifestyle, and it is why the village is worth more than a drive-by on your Trent Hills house hunt.

Warkworth: The Arts Village

Warkworth, about 14 kilometres south of Campbellford, is a different kind of village. It is a small community of roughly 800 to 900 people, officially recognized as an agricultural and arts community, and its compact main street is lined with galleries, boutiques, and artisan shops. The centrepiece is the Warkworth Town Hall Centre for the Arts, a historic building that hosts theatre, concerts, and exhibitions, and the village is known across the region for the Warkworth Fair and its lively arts calendar.

Its history runs deep. Originally known as Percy Mills, the settlement was incorporated as a village in 1857 and named for Warkworth in Northumberland, England, after the local land was purchased from the Mississauga First Nation for United Empire Loyalist settlers. For much of its history it was the municipal seat of Percy Township, which is why its main street has such a strong sense of place today. Walk it on a Saturday and you will find pottery, paintings, antiques, and food all within a few blocks.

For buyers, Warkworth appeals to a specific lifestyle: walkable, creative, and social, with galleries and neighbours who show up to community events. It is the kind of village where you know the shopkeepers by name, and where a coffee on the main street is a legitimate way to spend an afternoon. Homes here range from heritage houses near the centre to larger rural properties on the edges, and prices often come in below comparable listings in Campbellford.

Warkworth also carries a long community tradition. The Warkworth Fair, held each September on the fairgrounds just outside the village, is one of the oldest continuing fairs in the region and draws visitors from across Northumberland County for the midway, the exhibits, and the hometown atmosphere. The same community energy shows up through the year at the Town Hall Centre for the Arts, where concerts, plays, and workshops keep the main street lively even in the quiet months. If you have browsed our weekend guides, you have already seen how often Warkworth events anchor a Trent Hills weekend, from the Warkworth Market to gallery openings.

The village is also practical for families. Percy Centennial Public School sits right in Warkworth, and the village has its own community nursing home and medical centre, which matters to buyers planning ahead for parents or thinking about their own later years. Daily errands are a short drive into Campbellford, and the commute numbers below show how easily the village connects to the rest of the region. For the right buyer, Warkworth delivers a small-town pace with a genuinely creative heartbeat.

Schools in Hastings and Warkworth

For families, the school question is usually the deciding one, and the villages answer it simply. Hastings Public School at 25 Albert Street West serves kindergarten through Grade 8 in Hastings, and Percy Centennial Public School at 129 Church Street does the same for Warkworth, both under the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. High school students from both villages attend Campbellford District High School, so the secondary school genuinely serves the whole municipality. For the complete rundown, including the Campbellford schools and the Catholic option, read our full guide to the schools in Campbellford and Trent Hills.

One detail buyers appreciate is that both villages keep the school run short. Because the elementary school sits inside the community, most families in Hastings and Warkworth walk or make a brief drive rather than facing a long bus ride, and the bus routes that do exist are short and direct. When children reach Grade 9 they join the whole municipality at Campbellford District High School, which is also how kids from the villages meet friends from across Trent Hills. For parents weighing the villages against Campbellford, that shared high school is a strong argument that you are not giving up on education by choosing a smaller community.

The Commute From the Villages

Location is where the three communities diverge most. Hastings sits about 20 kilometres north of Campbellford, roughly a 20-minute drive up the Trent River, while Warkworth is about 14 kilometres south, around 15 minutes. Both are within about 30 minutes of Highway 401 at Brighton, and roughly 45 minutes from Peterborough, Belleville, or Cobourg for work, shopping, and appointments. Toronto sits at about two hours.

The practical takeaway is that you can live in a quiet village and still reach the 401, the hospital in Campbellford, or a larger city for the day without much effort. Healthcare is a shared resource across the municipality, and our guide to living near Campbellford Memorial Hospital explains how the only hospital between Belleville and Peterborough serves Hastings and Warkworth residents as much as Campbellford's.

It is worth thinking about the commute in both directions, not just the drive out. Hastings and Warkworth are quiet at night and on weekends, which is exactly what many buyers are after, yet Campbellford's restaurants, cafés, and shops are a 15 to 20 minute drive, so the conveniences of town are never far. Grocery runs, pharmacy visits, and evening outings can all happen in Campbellford without it ever feeling like a commute. That balance, village living with town amenities close by, is the quiet appeal of choosing a smaller community inside Trent Hills rather than an isolated rural property.

Which Village Is Right for You?

If you want the river in your daily life, the marina, and the closest Highway 401 access, Hastings is the natural fit. If you want a walkable main street, an active arts scene, and a village that feels like a small community with a big cultural pulse, Warkworth is your match. And if you want the widest range of services, the hospital, and the biggest downtown, Campbellford remains the anchor, which is why our guide to what makes Campbellford special is still worth reading no matter where you end up.

The honest answer is that you cannot go wrong among the three, because they share the same municipality, the same schools, and the same hospital. The choice comes down to the texture of daily life, and that is something you feel best by walking the streets yourself. Start at the Trent Hills blog to see the weekend guides for both villages, or contact Keith or Lisa and they will plan a day of showings across all three communities.