The Passionate Hiker: The Rideau Trail: Robertson Road (18E) to Ottawa Locks (19H)

Sun. 2 November: The Rideau Trail:

Robertson Road (18E) to Ottawa Locks (19H)

Mission accomplished: Ottawa Locks and Km - 0 (or Km - 330.4!)

So much for that! Today I completed the final leg of the Rideau Trail, with a twenty five kilometre march into the heart of Ottawa. If you haven’t hiked the Rideau Trail, then please do so. It will reward you in so many ways. This final stretch was fascinating, historical, spectacular. What a way to finish a long hike of three hundred and thirty four kilometers (over two hundred miles), by walking beside the magnificent Ottawa River, below the cliffs of Parliament Hill, to the foot of the Rideau Canal locks - a truly picturesque setting.

The same could not be said to describe the starting point for today’s final leg. I parked my car in the parking lot of a shabby suburban shopping mall, as the sun was rising. It would be totally cloudless all day, but right now the temperature was a couple of degrees below freezing and there was a stiff northerly breeze. I was prepared for this with multiple layers of clothing, and strode up the road full of anticipation – and was not disappointed.

Although my journey today was all on city pathways, the first section of trail passed through farmland and silent woods, heading northwest. Ahead lay the busy Trans-Canada Highway. The trail passed beneath it in a wide tunnel, every square inch of which was covered by colorful graffiti. After bending even further to the west, the trail came to a junction where it turned sharply to the northeast, a direction it would now take all the way to its finish. My route followed paved pathways the rest of the way.

After a while the pathway reaches the edge of the Ottawa River, a spectacular sight, being three or four kilometres wide at this point. Across on the Quebec side stretched the gentle line of the Gatineau Hills. More city residents were appearing on the trail: joggers, bikers, roller bladers, people with their dogs. There was still plenty of color on some trees, making this a pretty pathway to stroll along. The park at Britannia Beach was very colorful, although the beach and all facilities were firmly closed for the season. The Rideau Trail does not always simply follow the paved path. At Mud Lake it turned into the trees beside the lake for a while, and further along the route, it made use of the older pathways.

At Kitchissippi Lookout was a memorial to 400 or so Canadian Voyageurs who in 1884 volunteered to go to Africa to man the boats which travelled up the tricky cataracts of the River Nile to rescue General Gordon in the relief of Khartoum. They were hailed as “superb rivermen”. Further downstream I passed beneath the modern arches of the Champlain Bridge. Around the next corner I had my first glimpse of the Parliament Buildings and downtown Ottawa, across the choppy waters of the river. Here at Tunneys Pasture were some weird rock sculptures in the water, just out of reach from the land.

The route became increasingly compelling as I approached the city. My eyes were drawn to the sight of the tall Canadian Parliament Peace Tower standing high above the city with its maple leaf flying in the strong wind. As I came closer, the views were ever changing, and my camera was kept busy trying to capture that perfect shot.

At Richmond Landing was a green patch of grass with a modern sculpture serving as a Naval monument. This backwater of the wide, swift-flowing Ottawa River was once the landing point for ships, and a starting point for the “Richmond Road”, the first route for settlers heading into the wilderness of Eastern Ontario. It was also the end point for the Rideau Trail until recent years. A plaque marks the spot.

The best was kept for last. It would be difficult to improve on the final kilometre of trail as it hugged the base of the cliffs below the Parliament buildings, through a short tunnel, and arriving at the foot of the Rideau Canal Ottawa Locks. Above the canal towered the dramatic outline of the Chateau Laurier hotel. The canal had been closed up for the season, with the locks drained, and a large sailing boat dry-docked halfway up the staircase of locks.

Here was a simple sign marking “Km – 0” of the Rideau Trail. In my case, it was “Km – 330.4”. I felt little emotion, just a keen sense of achievement. I had completed this trail in just over four months, much to my own surprise. Now it was done, and I needed to look for my next challenge!

Statistics:

Total Distance: 25.0 km* (hike)

Height Gain: Negligible

Time on Trail: 5 hrs. 47 mins.

Robertson Rd (18E): 7.01 am

Timm Drive (18F): 7.15 am

Corkstown Rd (18G): 7.38 am

Moodie Dr (18H): 8.18 am

Aero Drive (18I): 8.46 am

Carling Ave (19A): 8.53 am

Britannia Park (19B): 9.19 am

Mud Lake exit (19C): 9.40 am