PHOTO BY NCC
Cycling the capital Four great cycling trails in Ottawa’s outback BY RICK BALSON
O
TTAWA IS THE national capital in more ways than one — it’s the capital of cycling in Canada. We are blessed with a vast network of bicycle paths and streets with designated lanes for two-wheeled traffic. Ottawa is just a big small town — pedal for an hour in any direction from downtown and the city is in your rearview mirror. Here are four cycling routes for the average cyclist that are mostly suitable for young children or parents pulling a trailer. So, don the helmet and pack that spare inner tube — time’s a wastin’!
RIDE 1: BELLS CORNERS TO CARLETON PLACE Difficulty level: Easy Duration: 2 to 4 hours each way, depending on rest stops Distance: About 33 km each way Riding surface: Mostly hard-packed dirt covered with packed stone dust Starting in Bells Corners, you will begin a steady ascent to Carleton Place, passing through suburban housing and old farmland. The terrain varies from cedar and birch to marsh and wetlands. A pleasant ride for families and those seeking some rural quiet and glimpses of bullfrogs, beaver, red-winged blackbirds and other indigenous fauna. The trail – most of which is in very good condition – is part of the abandoned CPR roadbed, and is a very gentle uphill climb all of the way to Carleton Place. That makes it downhill all the way to Bells Corners! This could be a two-day trip with a stopover in Carleton Place, or for the more ambitious, it is a long one-day ride (remember the downhill part). 18
OTTAWAOUTDOORS SUMMER/FALL 2005
RIDE 2: ANDREW HAYDEN PARK/ROBERTSON ROAD LOOP Difficulty level: Easy, but some climbing on the outward ride Duration: 30 minutes to 2 hours return Distance: 5 to 22 km round trip Riding surface: Varies from paved roads/ bike paths to hard-packed dirt From Andrew Hayden Park, west to the Nortel campus, and further west and south you’ll find a beautiful network of relatively flat paths through pastures, a cedar forest and a mixed hardwood forest. You’ll even be cycling on parts of the Trans-Canada Trail. Start/finish at Andrew Hayden Park – a great place for a picnic. This ride is fun for riders of almost any age. A trailer might prove a challenge in certain places. Starting at Andrew Hayden Park, follow the paved path beside Carling Avenue heading west. In 2.3 kilometres you’ll see Nortel’s head office. Cross Carling and cycle through the entrance keeping to the left. From here, you’ll find connecting paths that lead to Robertson Road and many adventure routes just begging exploration.
RIDE 3: CHELSEA TO GATINEAU (HULL) Difficulty level: Medium to difficult Duration: 1 to 1.5 hours on the down ride and almost double that time to ride uphill for the average weekend rider Distance: About 18 km each way, including the 4.7 km circle route to Parking lot 8 Riding surface: All paved roads but variable quality
This ride is for more adventurous riders, especially if you want to do it as a return ride. The Gatineau Park section is largely on public roads that tend to be narrow with (sometimes) broken surfaces. Be sure your brakes are in good shape. There is a bike shop (Greg Christy’s) in Old Chelsea. There are also a number of excellent places to eat in Chelsea, which tend to be very busy. Although you can use a road bike throughout this ride, a hybrid (touring bike) or mountain bike might provide more comfort as the road surface is sometimes rough. Casual riders will enjoy a short circle route portion that goes downhill all of the way into Gatineau. That requires leaving a car at the bottom of the ride so you can run a shuttle back up to retrieve the other vehicles. Start at Parking lot 8 (P8) and do a short circle route via Lac-Meech Road for about 2.5 km to the intersection with the Gatineau Parkway. Turn right onto the Parkway. The road surface is paved and in good repair. You’ll see lots of ponds and creeks along the way, so watch for birds and possibly other animals. Now you are ready for the 9.5 km run down to Centre Asticou – P1. Starting at the intersection of Kingsmere Road and Notch Road, turn left onto Notch Road. It has a speed limit of 70 km/h with significant weekend traffic, but it is in good condition. About two kilometres from the start, turn left onto Chemin de la Mine. This is a narrow paved road in poor condition. Soon after starting down the Mine Road, there is a very sharp turn with a steep down grade that is particularly rough. About the 4.2 kilometre point this becomes Cite des Jeaune and is wider and will take you straight to Centre Asticou.
RIDE 4 – CHAMPLAIN BRIDGE TO AYLMER QC ROUND TRIP Difficulty level: Easy Duration: 2 to 4 hours each way, depending on the number of stops Distance: About 12 km each way Riding surface: Entirely paved, divided bike paths and city roads This is an easy and very pleasant ride for the whole family that can be
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