Goodwood Marsh

Wed. 28 January:  Goodwood Marsh Nature Trails

New woodland trails opened in April 2012

The Wednesday Wanderers – that’s the name given to the hikers who turn out each week for a short ramble somewhere not too far from Perth. 

Today we strayed a little further from home to Beckwith Township, not far south and east of Carleton Place.  This is a mix of flat farming land and wooded swamps.  Somewhere in this wilderness is the source of the “Mighty” Jock River, which wanders for 72 kilometres before joining the Rideau River north of Manotick.  There was no sign of a stream here.

The people who run Beckwith Township are far-seeing.  They have invested in a sports complex which would be a welcome addition to any town or city, and perhaps rare for a rural township of around six thousand scattered residents.  Out in the open countryside they have built several soccer/football fields, a hockey arena, and a large indoor soccer arena.  They have also invested in building hiking trails.  Today we explored the Goodwood Marsh trails, which were opened in April 2012, and are apparently quite popular.  A couple of loops have been constructed in the marshy forest, starting from the sports complex.

The snow was hard-packed, making it ideal for icers, or in my case, MICROspikes.  For the amount of time that I spend lauding their product, MICROspike Co. should make me an honorary member of their board of directors!

The local church had donated several bird houses which we noticed as we walked around both loops.  Each bird house had its own unique design.  On the front of one was written “For birds only” just to avoid any confusion amongst the local wildlife.  We did see a few chickadees, and apparently one of them was making a spring mating call, which we thought was very optimistic, knowing the Canadian winters as we do.

Returning to our cars, a smaller group of us, reluctant to quit on such a bright sunny day, explored a short section of the Beckwith Trail.  This well-signed trail finds its way into Carleton Place, and we plan to walk it in a couple of weeks.  Given the snow forecast for tomorrow, we will need snowshoes for this next trip.

Perhaps with a name like "Wednesday Wanderers" we might be co-opted into a game of indoor soccer on our next visit!

Note:  single-click on the first picture above to scroll through the photos separately

Statistics:

Total Distance:         about 7.0 km (hike)

Height Gain:             None

Time on Trail:          1 hr. 56 mins.

Start 1^st hike:            10.08 am

End loop 1:               10.42 am

Ret. to cars:              11.37 am

Start 2^nd hike:           11.45 am

Finish:                       12.12 pm

Temp:            Minus 15 rising to Minus 12C

Weather:       Cloudless, cold N. breeze

Putting on our icers for this walk

Birdhouses were donated by Ashton United Church

Impressive hockey and indoor soccer arenas

Chicadee with a tiny bug

This one reads: "For birds only"!

Like the turret of a German castle

Fisher tracks

Foley Mountain Trails

Sun. 25 January:  Foley Mountain Trails

Perfect trails for a winter hike

The trails in the Foley Mountain Conservation Area make a perfect outing, and especially in winter. 

Of course, the view from Spy Rock is the jewel in the crown, but there is so much more to enjoy here.  There are gentle hiking loops in the forest, and more rugged trails angling down the steep escarpment to the lake below and back up again, and there are narrow woodland pathways to explore.

Today we covered all the above.  Temperatures around minus 15C with a sharp North wind did not deter us.  First we tackled the short, undulating Beaver Trail, which brought us to Spy Rock.  The harsh sunlight reflected on the ice of Upper Rideau Lake.  It was a scene which could just as well have been captured by black and white film, in contrast to the golden Fall colors of my last visit; but no less spectacular a place to stand, for a bird’s eye view down to the sleepy town of Westport.

Having cooled down enjoying the views at Spy Rock, we were ready for a brisk hike along the Rideau Trail, which dropped down through the trees to the Interpretive Centre at the foot of the escarpment.  Here was a perfect setting for “elevenses”, with picnic tables and views to the lake below. 

Our return journey took us up the steep road back up the hillside, and then onto a narrow woodland path across the escarpment.  We stopped at a small bridge where we learned that a rare patch of skunk cabbage grows here.  In the trees we spotted a hairy woodpecker, and in the snow we saw the tracks of many different small animals, mainly rabbits, but also perhaps fox or other predator. 

Dropping down to the Rideau Trail again, we were faced with an ascent of “Heart Attack Hill”, a very encouraging name to a retired hiker over 60, but no casualties reported!  Hence back to our cars. 

What finer way to spend a bright sunny winter’s morning? 

Note:  single-click on the first picture above to scroll through the photos separately

Statistics:

Total Distance:         5.8 km (hike)

Height Gain:             Say 200 ft.

Time on Trail:           2 hrs. 17 mins.

Start:                    10.07 am

Interp. Ctr.:          11.17 am

Ret. to cars:         12.24 pm

Temp:                   Minus 15C

Weather:              Cloudless, sharp N. wind

Our first loop 

On Beaver Pond Lookout loop

Close-up of Westport from Spy Rock

Westport from Spy Rock

Big Rideau Lake

Assembling for a team photo

Bright winter sun

Plenty to see along the way

Dropping down to the Interpretive Centre

Fox?  Marten?  Please identify for us!

Rideau Trail memorial

Here the Rideau Trail was opened in 1971

Perfect, but cold

"Elevenses"

Heading up the steep road from the Interpretive Centre

Here grows skunk cabbage 

An exciting trail

"Heart Attack Hill"

Otter Lake

Wed. 21 January:  Otter Lake

Setting out towards the lake

What better than a brisk walk across a frozen lake to clear the lungs?  And Otter Lake was stunningly beautiful, under a dark blue sky and brilliant sun. 

After several weeks of below-freezing temperatures, there was no doubt about the ability of the ice to hold our weight.  We could have driven a truck across it.  Nevertheless, to the unaccustomed, it was a little unnerving to be standing out there on the wide lake, hearing the regular rumbling sound of the ice cracking as it contracted in the cold air.

We followed the shoreline of the lake, with views of the beautiful lakeside homes; views normally reserved for boaters in summer; but even better in winter, with the bare trees no longer hiding many of the most secluded cottages. 

Some of us were wearing snowshoes, and others just cleats on our boots.  Either option worked today.  There was very little snow on the lake, and many large patches of shiny ice.

We passed one island which was connected to the shoreline by a short causeway.  A modern cottage was nestled in the trees on the island.  After a couple of wide bays, we reached a point where the water had unfrozen then refrozen, creating a pool of large snow crystals lying on the surface of the ice, in the shape of fern leaves.

We sped back along the ice, this time cutting inland of the island, across the causeway, and back to our starting point.  The slightest easterly breeze felt cold, and a stronger wind would have made this a chilly return.  But we could hardly have chosen a better morning to take a stroll out into the Canadian winter.

Note:  single-click on the first picture above to scroll through the photos separately

Statistics:

Total Distance:         4.8 km (snow-shoe)

Height Gain:             Negligible

Time on Trail:          1 hr. 37 mins.

Start:              10.09 am

Finish:            11.46 am

Temp:            Minus 17 rising to Minus 13C

Weather:        Cloudless, no wind

Otter Lake

Lakeside "cottage"

On the ice

Looking out across the lake

We walked around a couple of bays

This area had melted then refrozen...

...causing some interesting ice crystals like leaves

The ice was solid

Heading back 

Cracks in the ice caused by contraction.
We could hear the cracking sound across the ice

On the lake

One of the islands on Otter Lake

An awesome expedition

The Marlborough Forest

Sun. 18 January:  The Marlborough Forest

Entering the forest at Roger Stevens Drive

These temperature swings are crazy!  Only last Wednesday I had woken up to minus 30C.  Today, by contrast, it was around zero with a warm westerly breeze – a much more pleasant experience.   

Starting at Roger Stevens Drive, we headed south on the Rideau Trail, with several options ahead of us for shorter or longer loops.  In the end, we went perhaps further than we had expected, reaching the Flood Road before turning back.  We were a mixed party of hikers and snow-shoers.  This worked out well, as the snow-shoers took the lead through the forested section, packing down the thin snow cover for those behind us.

This pleasant trail headed southwards through the trees, passing to the west side of Rogers Pond into the forest, and then onto a good, hard-packed snowmobile road.  At the first turn in this road we stepped back as two snowmobiles whizzed past, around the tight bend.  Luckily these were the only vehicles encountered as they left behind a pungent smell of exhaust fumes. 

Continuing south down this road, we then turned off in a westerly direction, following the large Rideau Trail sign into the forest.  This exciting narrow twisting path through the trees finally opened up onto another road, which headed south past a large frozen swamp.  The hazy sunlight cast a slightly eerie glow in the sky above the dead tree trunks.

Finally, after a further stretch of narrow forest trails,  we reached the Flood Road.  Here, we turned east then almost immediately north onto the southern end of our previous snowmobile trail. 

Our return journey took us northwards along the road, and then back along our original route beside Rogers Pond and all the way to the parking lot.  This had been a good workout. 

We had seen the tracks of deer and other smaller animals, but had seen no wildlife and had heard only chickadees.  It was a strangely silent forest, with only the sound of the wind in the treetops.

As we climbed into our cars, it started to rain!

Note:  single-click on the first picture above to scroll through the photos separately

Statistics:

Total Distance:         10.0 km (snow-shoe)

Height Gain:             Negligible

Time on Trail:          3 hrs. 15 mins.

R Stevens Dr:           10.25 am

Flood Rd (14E):        12.22 pm

Ret. to cars:                1.40 pm

Temp:           0C to +3C

Weather:       Thin clouds, hazy sun, W. wind

Rogers Pond

Snow-covered fence

Speeding snowmobilers

Sun shines weakly through the clouds

The forest path

Heading south on the Rideau Trail

Snowshoers packing down the trail for the hikers

We pass beside a lonely frozen swamp

Great sky-scapes today

Busy winter junction