Sat. 26 July: The Rideau Trail:
Port Elmsley (11D) to Smiths Falls Dam (12C)
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| Smiths Falls: Rideau Canal Lock Master |
According
to the map, this section of trail appeared to involve a lot of road walking,
including the streets of the largest town between Kingston
and Ottawa. How could this offer any enjoyment to the
hiker?
This
turned out to be the most interesting day so far on the trail. This section took me from the village of Port Elmsley
into Smiths Falls. When I wasn’t enjoying the challenge of finding
the next red arrow in the dense bush, I was admiring views across the waters of
the Rideau River,
photographing Highland cattle and a sleepy squirrel, and then later admiring
the workings of the Rideau Canal locks on a
busy section of the canal through the town. There was always something to keep me busy, in
addition to the long walk itself.
At
Port Elmsley, the Tay River widens out as it joins Lower Rideau
Lake, giving good opportunities
for the photographer standing beside the busy highway. Very soon the trail headed out into the fields
and the woods, away from any roads. It
was a little tricky now and then staying on course as the trail threaded
through the woodlands and the bush, the tall grasses and the trees giving
little sign of the path underfoot. There
were several stiles to cross, each well marked with red arrows, giving
assurance that I wasn’t lost.
Finally
the trail emerged from the trees into a farmer’s field and onto a gravel road. The farmer was busy at work on his tractor as
I passed through the gate onto the road.
This was the Poonamalie Side
Road, straight as an arrow for three kilometres –
but never dull. Farms and homes bordered
the lane. At one point, an arm of the Rideau River
came right up to the reeds beside the road. Here was a small private mooring. Far out across the grasses and water I could
see boats moving along the canal. Further
along the road I passed a sleepy squirrel sitting on a fence, and some Highland cattle watching me with interest as I walked
past. Some horses were grazing in the
field opposite.
At
the end of Poonamalie Side Road
I turned onto busy Highway 43, which I followed into Smiths Falls.
Across the road was a large cemetery. I wandered along the edge of the newly cut
grass to admire the many impressive gravestones and monoliths. Once in town, I walked down quiet residential
streets to the river and canal.
I
wandered beside the river on a pleasant path through a park with colorful
flowers and fountains. A large swimming
area had been made beside the river, empty this early in the day, but probably
popular on hot summer days. Expensive
boats were moored across the river, with boats arriving from the east through
the locks. Here the Rideau River
passed over a weir on its way through town. The large, modern Combined Lock, built in
1974, dropped the canal by twenty six feet to the river below. Parallel to this huge lock were the original
canal locks, now abandoned and filled with large plant pots to form a pretty
water garden.
I
was in no hurry. There was plenty to see.
Boats were moving through the canal, the Combined Lock was emptying a
small boat into the river below, and there were people strolling past, enjoying
the scene. Eventually I continued
downstream, beside the wide river/canal, on a riverside pathway. I passed through green parks, until I came to
my car, parked in a large convenient parking area above Smiths
Falls dam in Long Reach Park.
Not
having had enough of canals for one day, I wandered down to the locks at Old
Sly’s Road, where I enjoyed watching two expensive boats, one from Quebec, being hoisted up through the two locks and through
a rotating bridge, into the river above, on their way to Smiths Falls.
The lock-keepers, young people on a
summer job, managed by a more experienced lock-keeper, cranked handles to open
and close the gates, while the boaters kept their craft away from the sides of
the locks with long poles and ropes.
I
was impressed with Smiths
Falls waterfront. An abandoned hotel sits in prime position
below the Combined Lock. It would be a
beautiful place to live, and I hope that someone with imagination will redevelop
it one day.
Today’s trip gave me a good taste of the Rideau Canal itself; a perfect combination of hiking
trail and canal path. There will be
plenty more opportunities to enjoy the Canal
as I continue to explore the Rideau Trail.
Statistics:
Total Distance:
11.8 km (hike)
Height Gain: Negligible
Time on Trail: 3
hrs. 45 mins.
Start Port Elmsley (11D):
8.24 am
P’malie Rd (11E): 9.33 am
Jn. Hwy. 43 (12A): 10.13 am
Smiths Falls Lock (12B): 11.11
am
Smiths Falls Dam (12C): 12.09
pm
Temp: +18C to +21C
Weather: Sun,
cloud, warm
Rideau Trail % Completed to Date = 17.4% (=57.5/330.4 km)
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| Tay River at Port Elmsley |
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| Diving into the woods, looking out for the red arrows |
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| Several stiles along this section of trail |
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| In the bush |
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| Through an old orchard |
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| Butterfly |
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| Garvins Bay, beside the Poonamalie Side Road |
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| Sleepy squirrel then laid his head on the wire to rest |
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| Highland Cattle |
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| Large cemetery beside Highway 43 approaching Smiths Falls |
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| End of the line - lot of railway lines once passed through Smiths Falls |
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| The trail passes through the town of Smiths Falls |
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| Rideau River |
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| Rideau Canal: The Combined Lock |
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| Boat dwarfed by the depth of this lock |
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| The original locks are now a water garden |
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| The job of Lock-Keeper was once a prestigious occupation |
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| Rideau Canal looking across to Smiths Falls |
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| Above Smiths Falls Dam - end of today's hike |
