Time to explore Cornwall’s cycling trails BY ALLEN MACARTNEY
Cornwall has many great cycling trails, and they’re calling your name. All less than an hour’s car drive from Ottawa, these paths weave through and around the city, including the entire waterfront. They link up with regional attractions like the historic Cornwall Canal, Upper Canada Village, the Chrysler’s Farm Battlefield (War of 1812), and Gray’s Creek Conservation Area. And they can take you even farther afield. Cyclists can choose easy loops for families, more ambitious trails involving overnight camping, and anything in between. Loops from Cornwall lead to Maxville (and the annual Highland Games), downstream to Montreal or west to the farthest reaches of Lake Ontario. Most start at Lamoureux Park in downtown Cornwall at the corner of Water and Pitt streets. WATERFRONT TOUR
This trail along the city’s waterfront is perfect for a young family. Park at the Gray’s Creek Conservation Area, corner of Boundary Road and Highway 2, then pick up the paved bike path heading west along the St. Lawrence. You’ll pass St. Lawrence College, the EcoGardens and Lamoureux Park with its splash pad, children’s play structure, a clock tower and more. Continue www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
beautiful and interesting. The trail leads to the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary with up to 200 different species. Half a kilometre west of Upper Canada Village is Chrysler Beach – a great place to picnic and take a dip. Chrysler’s Farm Battlefield surrounds this area.
west along the old Cornwall Canal to the new St. Lawrence Power Development Visitors Centre and its interactive exhibits of the St. Lawrence CORNWALL CYCLING RESOURCES Seaway’s history. Ride on • Cornwall Parks and Recreation: to Guindon Park for a pic613-930-2787 ext. 2552 nic before retracing your • Cornwall and the Counties Road Trip: route. free booklet at any city tourist centre • Waterfront Trail: www.waterfronttrail.org UPPER CANADA VILLAGE • General info: www.visit.cornwall.on.ca This 56-kilometre route starts at Lamoureux Park and leads to this rebuilt 1860s WATERFRONT TRAIL pioneer village on the shores of This one stretches for 900 kithe St. Lawrence. You can tour lometres from Niagara-on-the40 heritage buildings – mills, a Lake to the Quebec border just blacksmith shop, farms, a oneeast of Cornwall, hugging Lake room school house, a church Ontario and the St. Lawrence and an old factory. Most of the Seaway almost all the way. The trail hugs the waterfront away surface varies from crushed from busy roads except for one stone to paved shoulders on segment near Cornwall that par- residential and major roads. If you start at Lamoureux Park and allels a stretch of highway. It’s head west toward the far end mostly flat except for a few long of Lake Ontario, you’ll pass 22 slopes, also near Cornwall. campgrounds, 182 parks and From Lamoureux Park, head open areas, scores of marinas, west along the Waterfront Trail locks, dams, bird sanctuaries, beside the old Cornwall Canal, and more. When you reach Niand pass Guindon Park and the Lost Villages Museum. As you agara-on-the-Lake you can take leave the city behind you can the train home. join the Long Sault Parkway that This trail network brings deeplinks St. Lawrence islands by er meaning to Ontario’s motto: bridges and causeways – both “Yours to discover.”
ottawa outdoors 29
