Glen Tay/Rideau Trail Circuit

Sun. 16 August:  Glen Tay/Rideau Trail Circuit

A peaceful section of the Tay River just upstream from Perth

It’s always fun to start an adventure from one’s own front door. 

Today I made a circuit from the house, starting on my bike and ending up hiking home along the Rideau Trail.  This was part of my ongoing check of the trail, which turned out to be in good shape from Ferrier Road all the way into the centre of Perth.

There’s not much traffic on the road at 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning. It was a nice time for a leisurely bike ride out along Christie Lake Road to Glen Tay, and then southwards across the Tay River to the Scotch Line Road, Highway 10.  This was my route to the Rideau Trail at Ferrier Road.

Leaving my bike in the trees, I set off on foot in an easterly direction towards Perth.  Ferrier Road has a missing section to it, which runs through a swamp.  The bypass in the woods was a very pleasant walk.  The bright sunlight shone deep inside the forest, from the open swampland behind the curtain of trees.  After a short stroll down Wildlife Road, I turned into the fields, my path made easier thanks to our trail-clearing efforts of a month or so ago.  So into Perth, all the way to the Town Hall.  Sunday morning in Perth is certainly quiet! 

I was pleased to note the complete lack of wild parsnip along the whole route, with the exception of a short section near Otty Lake Road. 

All that remained for me to do was to drive back to Ferrier Road to pick up my bike.  A small price to pay for a perfect early Sunday adventure.

Note:  single-click on the first picture above to scroll through the photos separately.  Also, see the Map at the end

Statistics:

Total Distance:     13.4 km (bike) + 8.8 km (hike) = 22.2 km

Height Gain:         60 ft.

Time on Trail:       2 hrs. 45 mins.

Dep. Home:          6.54 am

Glen Tay:              7.10 am

Hwy 10:                7.25 am

Ferrier Rd (end):   7.40 am

Exit Wildlife Rd:    8.38 am

Town Hall:            9.32 am

Home:                   9.39 am

Temp:                  +18C rising to +22C

Weather:              Sunny, v. warm

Speeding along on my bike

Into the woods at the end of Ferrier Road

Looking out from the woods to the road allowance swamp

Beautiful stretch of woodland south of Perth

Beside Ferrier Road East

Some wild parsnip here, but starting to turn brown

Heading for Perth

Stile at the Scotch Road (Hwy 10)

Newly painted bridge leads from Conlon Farm into the streets of Perth

Crossing the Tay

Stewart Park

Beside Town Hall

Perth Town Hall

Perth streetscape

Today's route