A Certain Magic

Sat. 6 August:  A Certain Magic

The Lock-keepers building, Old Slys Lock, Rideau Canal

Note: click on pictures for full size view.

“Look at that field!”, called my hiking colleague.

To our right, in a large field beside the quiet country road, was a sea of white.  “That’s Queen Anne’s Lace”, he explained.  Framed by green woodlands, with a bright blue sky above, it certainly was striking.  Later, at home, I looked it up on the internet, and found out more than I really wanted to know about this version of wild carrot.  Apparently, if you are collecting this plant, you need to be careful since it bears a close resemblance to poison hemlock, and the leaves can cause a nasty condition called Phytophotodermatitis, which “is a chemical reaction which makes skin hypersensitive to ultraviolet light.  Symptoms include burning, itching, stinging and large blisters that slowly accumulate over time.”   It has also been known for centuries “as a method of contraception and an abortifacient”.  It really doesn’t sound like a very nice plant at all - but it looked pretty. 

Talking about roads, the Rideau Trail is not all wilderness tracks.  There are some long-ish stretches along roads such as the one we were travelling on today, from Rosedale to Smiths Falls.  There was virtually no traffic.  This was a scenic route through pleasant open countryside, and we were able to make good progress.  The fresh northwesterly breeze in our faces kept us cool on yet another hot summer’s day.

To the average hiker, the idea of a walk through the town of Smiths Falls along the Rideau Trail might not be very high up on their priority list.  Change that! Put it at the top!

You will experience echoes of the days when this was a major railway hub.  You will pass the entrance to a major chocolate factory – alas now gone.  But the Rideau Canal still runs through town along one of the prettiest stretches of the entire Rideau Trail.  Plenty to see:  expensive boats moving through the locks, colourful waterfront parks, the deepest lock on the whole canal, and a grand stretch of river. And don’t miss the portrait of the Lock-Master. Today the river’s edge was alive with action, with a “Paddlefest” in progress in Long Reach Park.

Don’t bypass Smiths Falls.  Give it the time that it deserves, and you might begin to catch a sense of a certain magic that will draw you back again.   

Lovely scenery beside Rosedale Road

Old house at the corner of Rosedale Road and Matheson Drive

A sea of Queen Anne's Lace

Today's trekkers

Rideau Canal:  private craft and rental houseboat

Long Reach Park, Smiths Falls

Meeting the Lock-Master

Combined Lock:  the deepest lock on the Rideau Canal

Swimming area beside the Rideau Trail in Smiths Falls