Take a
cycle tour
to Carleton
Place
It’s a cool
escape, and
nearby too
BY MICHAEL MCGOLdRICK
crosses Carling Avenue, Acres Road, and Trailway. It’s fairly easy to figure things out
¦ Getting on your bike for a few days Moodie Drive. Once across Moodie, head once you are there.)
to visit some far-off destination lets you due west for about two kilometres, and From the old railway bridge, it’s nine
see beautiful views, connect with the then turn left through an opening in the kilometres to Stittsville. This may be a good
landscape, and just explore in a way that no chain link fence on your left. place to stock up on bottled water or snacks.
other type of transportation can match. Plus You will now be on the Greenbelt Trail If it’s lunchtime, it’s a good place for a meal.
there’s that wonderful sense of being totally that winds through several kilometres Louisiannie’s Restaurant (right next to the
self-reliant. of mainly forested landscape. This route trailway) specializes in seafood and Cajun
Carleton Place is an ideal goal for bicycle has to rate as one of
touring combined with an overnight the more enjoyable
getaway. This attractive town on the recreational paths in
banks of the Mississippi River is about the Ottawa area. From
50 kilometres west of Ottawa, and has a this point onwards,
downtown core with abundant restaurants, you will be cycling on
pubs, and outdoor terraces. The three- a hard-packed crushed
to four-hour route to get there has no stone surface. It’s an
significant hills and mostly follows relaxing easy ride even for bikes
/
BIKE
.
C
A
bicycle paths or trails. with narrow road tires,
The departure point for this ride is your but keep an eye out
GOLDRICK
front doorstep in Ottawa-Gatineau. Your for occasional loose
MC
first stop is the Ottawa River bike path gravel.
:/
/
to Britannia Park. (To stoke your national The Greenbelt Trail
S
:
HTTP
identity, this section is part of the Trans- passes under Highway
Canada Trail.) Stay with the bike path as it 417, crosses Timm
CREDIT
T
O
Drive, and comes to
P
HO
an end where you will
see what used to be a railway bridge over cooking. You can often spot cyclists in this
Robertson Road. This line was abandoned restaurant’s outdoor area. Or turn right and
in 1990 and converted a few years later into head five blocks down Main Street to Papa
the Ottawa-Carleton Trailway. At this point, Sam’s for meals on the cheap, including
navigation becomes very simple. Turn some great Lebanese food.
right across the bridge onto the trailway, From Stittsville, it’s 23 kilometres to
and keep on pedalling until you get to downtown Carleton Place. The ride is
Carleton Place. pleasant enough, but like many trails that
T
O (The Greenbelt Trail could be blocked this have been converted from old railway lines,
PHO
summer because of construction to widen it’s dead straight with limited variation in
Highway 417. You may have to detour south the scenery. There is an interpretive centre
T
OCK
S
:
IS
on Moodie Drive for 1½ kilometres and turn on a wooden deck overlooking a wetland
right onto Fitzgerald Road. Within about 250 not far from Stittsville, but few landmarks
CREDIT
metres, cut through a parking lot on your to grab your attention until you get to
T
O
P
HO right to the beginning of the Ottawa-Carleton Carleton Place.
38 OTTAWA >> SPRING/SUMMER 2008
www.OttawaOutdoors.ca
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