Turkey Tracks

Sat. 30 January:  Narrows Lock to Miners Point Road

Rideau Trail signs weren't the only markers on the trail

The forecast must have changed four times in as many days. 

We might have had snow, rain, or a mix of both.  But in the end, we had excellent hiking weather:  a few degrees below freezing, no precipitation, and a brief appearance by the sun through the thin clouds.  Luckily we hikers know not to put any weight on long-distance forecasts.

And talking about weight, today’s challenge relied entirely upon our being able to cross the dreaded beaver dam safely.  But it was no contest.  From Monday’s pre-hike we knew it would be safe, and so today we marched confidently across the gap, all eight of us in a curving line across the ice, with no cracking sounds to be heard.  In the end it was almost an anticlimax.  But we already had our minds on the lunch stop at Red Rock, so nobody felt any disappointment in the lack of drama at the dam.

Breezing past the beaver dam

Down at Red Rock we sheltered for a brief lunch at the beach, out of the biting wind off Big Rideau Lake.  But this was not a day to sit around too long, so we were soon on our way again along the lovely snow-packed road above the lake.

On the pre-hike, we had seen a turkey vulture flying low overhead in its ungainly way.  Apparently it’s not too common to see them at this time of year.  We also saw an otter sitting by some open water.  Today we disturbed a large flock of turkeys which made a disorganized retreat along the road ahead of us.

Almost back at our vehicles, which we had parked near the monastery gate on Miners Point Road, we were greeted by a friendly passing motorist.  He was in the midst of an interesting lecture on the local history and geology when another vehicle came up behind him – and so ended the talk!

Red Rock and Big Rideau Lake

We had completed almost eleven kilometres, largely along the Rideau Trail, with only moderate effort, but with – as usual – great conversation and good company.  And best of all, we can look forward to a whole program of hikes ahead of us.

Lanark Highland Landscapes

Wed. 27 January:  Lanark Highland Landscapes

In the Lanark Highlands

Driving north from Perth up the Lanark Road is always exciting.  You are heading for the Lanark Highlands. 

Just north of the sleepy village of Lanark, you start to enter a different world of rolling hills and deeper forests.  The highway starts to twist and turn, on its way towards Calabogie and the Madawaska.

Here, a few kilometres north of Lanark, near Heron Mills, is Baird Trail, a set of three short loops through the woods, joined by a boardwalk across a small wetland valley.  The bare trees allowed us to appreciate the hilly country all around us.  The snow was hard packed along the trail, deeper on the more rugged blue loop.  A noisy raven flew overhead.  Rail fences told of the time that this was a working farm, now a forest of red pines.  

It was over all too soon - and with plenty of time for coffee in Lanark on our way home.

Rail fences and old farm fields

Ancient maple

Different trail signs guide you through the forest

The Joys of Retirement

Mon. 25 January:  The Joys of Retirement

The joys of retirement - a relaxing Monday stroll along the Rideau Trail! 

Narrows Lock Trailhead - long shadows

Well this wasn’t such a gentle stroll, and it did have some purpose to it.  But it still reminded me of the freedom which comes with being unlinked from the office desk.  

Our purpose was to check out the route for next weekend’s hike, and we set out from Narrows Lock at a good pace.  North Shore Road is a narrow, twisting lane, covered with a hard-packed layer of snow.  At this time of year, with bare trees, it provides good views of Big Rideau Lake.  I had brought my snowshoes with me, attached to my larger backpack, but we didn’t need them.  Icers worked perfectly today.

At a road junction, we met a plumber who was attaching chains to the tires of his van.  “Are you heading up Cooper Drive?” we asked.  That route looked to be rutted and in poor driving condition.  “No”, he replied.   “I’m heading down a private road".  There are some beautiful homes beside Big Rideau Lake, and their driveways drop steeply down from the North Shore Road.  Some of these homes appear to be occupied year round. 

Short detour to a remote lake

We followed Cooper Drive before turning east at the ghost town junction.  Soon we were at the beaver dam, which had proven impassable just a few weeks ago.  Today we strolled carefully across the ice, making several crossings to verify that it was completely safe.  It was.  

Back on the road, we picked up pace and were soon at the second vehicle, parked along Miners Point Road near the monastery, having covered just over ten kilometres in less than two and a half hours.

This is a beautiful stretch of country, looking its best right now.  Come and join us on Saturday to enjoy the experience for yourself.

Ten kilometres through a beautiful land

Note: click on pictures for full size view

The Perfect Hike

Wed. 20 January:  Lally to McParlan

"Kindred Spirits" 

How would you define a “perfect hike”?

During my happy childhood, my parents were always seeking the “perfect picnic spot” and, more often than not, succeeding.  Then there was that “perfect place” which served hot buttered toast on our frequent journeys through England in those long-ago pre-motorway days, and so on.  But a perfect hike?

Weather, scenery, company are just three elements which must come together in the right way.  If you are fortunate enough to be able to combine these, then perhaps you are close to having the solution.  But there are other intangibles too.

Nevertheless, we came close today to this ideal state.  This morning, nine hikers snow-shoed from Lally Homestead to McParlan House and back again, in Murphy’s Point Provincial Park.  The weather was cloudless and cool.  The scenery, as we passed through the undulating woodland, beside frozen lakes, over a rushing stream on a sturdy footbridge, to an ancient log home, was superb.  And we were a group of kindred spirits, enjoying each other’s company.

Put that together, and you have the Perfect Hike.  Why not join us on our next trip?

Lally Homestead

Carefully avoiding the ski tracks

Black Creek in spate

McParlan House
Photo  by Nancy Gaudreau

Time Warp

Sun. 17 January:  The Marlborough Forest

The forest can be a mysterious place, as we know.  But this forest seemed to be able to play tricks with time.

Thirteen hikers assembled at the Roger Stevens Drive parking lot, in the centre of the Marlborough Forest, ready to explore the trails to the south of the road.  Snowshoes were probably the ideal choice today, although good icers also worked for some of us, especially along the road sections.

Marlborough Forest makes an ideal winter playground, but it can be a different proposition after the snow melts.  Part of our route today was along narrow woodland trails which would be soggy and unpleasant in a different season.  At one time the Rideau Trail followed this route, running to the east of Rogers Pond, but we could see why they moved the trail across to the west of the lake.  We had some fun looking for old forgotten orange triangles on the trees, which we removed.

You might think that thirteen people walking in a single file through the trees would not have much chance to strike up conversations.  This was not so!  In fact, the mysterious thing about this place was that we were enjoying the company so much that we seemed to defy time, arriving back at the cars just as our toes had started to warm up.

Perhaps it was not surprising that we saw no wildlife, except for a few squirrels.  The footprints in the snow showed that there is a large resident wildlife population here – which today had plenty of warning that a group of enthusiastic hikers was in the forest!

Entering Marlborough Forest

"Chinook" skies over Rogers Pond

Winter shadows in the forest

A narrow trail doesn't stop conversation!

The Pre-Hike

Thurs. 14 January:  The Pre-Hike

Deep in the Marlborough Forest

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

One element of a successful team hike is that the leader has completed a pre-hike ahead of time.  This avoids nasty surprises.

So it was today that I was a member of a pre-hike team of two, plotting an adventure in the Marlborough Forest northeast of Perth. 

A light snow was falling as we entered the forest off the busy Roger Stevens Drive.  And just as if we had emerged through the back of the Wardrobe, we found ourselves in Narnia.  We followed a winding path, flanked by evergreens coated with fresh snowfall. 

I’m glad to say that we emerged unscathed, armed with an ideal trip plan for next weekend.  Come join us in that other world next Sunday.

Heading into Narnia

A random Rideau Trail sign in the forest (designed to confuse?)

How many people are aware that the RTA
has adopted a stretch of road through the
Marlborough Forest?

Tay Canal: the Blue Trail

Wed. 13 January:  The Beveridge Dam - An RTA Blue Trail

The road connecting Lower and Upper Beveridge Locks, Tay Canal
This beautiful picture was taken by Nancy Gaudreau

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

Winter is back, after a brief rainy interlude.  The downpour on Sunday didn’t manage to wash away all the snow, but it had left slick icy surfaces beneath the thin new layer of snow.

Our Wednesday hikers braved the biting west wind to enjoy a brief stroll, under blue skies, up the Blue trail from Lower Beveridge Lock to Beveridge Dam on the Tay River.  Our companions today were some friendly chickadees which, perhaps, had hoped for something to eat.

The Parks Canada guys were doing some work at the Upper Lock, inside the old lock-keepers building.  The Upper Lock itself lay empty except for the little tug boat, “Tay”, which rested against the lock walls. 

The path to the dam would have been a dangerous walk without icers.  My MICROspikes made it an easy stroll.  We stopped to climb the lookout tower for a grand view across the marshes towards Perth.  The Beveridge Dam was crusted with ice, with the Tay River flowing powerfully through the gates. 

Returning to the Lower Lock, we continued down to the very end of the Tay Canal where it enters Big Rideau Lake.  This is a very picturesque setting in summer, with boats moored below the dam, people picnicking on the grass, and kids fishing beside the lake.  Today it was also picturesque in a different manner!  The water was finally starting to freeze over, and the fresh new snow glistened under the bright sun. 

But our faces were quickly freezing, so we were happy to return to the cars and to declare our brief trip a complete success.

New camping options at the Upper Beveridge Lock

At the Upper Beveridge Lock

Tay Marsh lookout, and Tay River

The Beveridge Dam - go no further!

Some of our team at the point where the Tay Canal
 joins the Rideau Canal at Big Rideau Lake

A Shoe-In

Sat. 9 January:  Early Winter Season Hikes

Hardy hikers enjoying a rainy picnic

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

A snow-shoe trip in the rain sounds just a little crazy. 

But as you can see from the picture, this small group of hikers looks sane enough.  It might not suit everyone to sit at an ice-covered picnic table in the rain, eating a soggy sandwich, and that, perhaps, is why only five of us ventured out today.

We were rewarded with an enchanting route through Murphy’s Point Provincial Park, sometimes on familiar paths but also off-trail, making a perfect loop of 6.4 kilometres around the park.  Two of us had pre-hiked the route the previous day to map out the best path.

Our lunch stop was at the semi-frozen boat dock, whose setting was simply magical today.  The bay was starting to freeze over, but through the trees we could see the rippling waters of Big Rideau Lake.

A large bird silently flew across the treetops – perhaps an eagle or an owl.  It had disappeared into the grey, rainy skies before we could get a good look.  Later we saw some deer.  They had been busy foraging for acorns beneath the snow, unearthing piles of leaves now littering the surface of the snow.  There were several squirrels racing about, oblivious to the weather.  Yet there were no other people, apart from a lone skier seen in the distance. The forecast, and the conditions, had kept the skiing crowds away.  Sadly, the heavier rain, forecast for tomorrow, will do enormous damage to the nicely groomed trails.

Our 2016 hiking season started with a flourish the previous weekend when sixteen enthusiastic hikers enjoyed a snow-shoe trip around Millpond Conservation Area – our so-called “New Year’s Resolution” hike, always a popular first outing of the year.  Now the challenge is to keep up the momentum.

Trailhead at Murphys Point

The scene today.  For a contrast see Dec. 28 blog.

Here we branched off into the trees to make an interesting loop

Striding into the new hiking season

A magical lunch spot at the boat dock 

Our route

We were unlikely to get lost with such good signage!