The Rideau Trail 2018 End-to-End Hikes: 12. McLaren Point Road (10A) to Conlon Farm (10D)

Sat. 14 July: 

The Rideau Trail 2018 End-to-End Hikes: 

12. McLaren Point Road (10A) to Conlon Farm (10D)

Note: click on pictures for full size view.

A hot, muggy day, but fourteen hikers made fast time along the 13.1 kilometre route into Perth. In fact, at an average speed of 3.42 km/hr., this was one of our fastest journeys so far along the Rideau Trail.

The group enjoyed the fruits of the hard work of the ‘weed-whackers union’ which had been busily clearing the trail in preparation for these end-to-end hikes.  It wasn’t perfect, but it made the walk a lot easier and enjoyable.

On arrival in Perth, at Conlon Farm, the team quickly scattered in search of beer, ice cream, music (Stewart Park Festival in progress) or simply a well-earned shower. 

Nevertheless, one had the feeling that this group of strong hikers could easily have kept on going, who knows how far?

Pre-hike meeting

Wild parsnip along McLaren Point Road

How many hikers noticed this truck?

This is always a wet patch

Giving the cows a surprise

The hunt camp bridge...

...hopefully with a few years left in it

A favorite tree

The boardwalk...

...which had recently been visited by the "weed whackers union"

Wildlife Road

Keeping to the edge of the field

Conlon Farm on a hot, summer's day

A Summer Place

Wed. 11 July:  A Summer Place

Big Rideau Lake and Westport from Little Bay

Our Wednesday walkers aren’t put off by the prospect of a few bugs or elevated temperatures. 

This has been a perfect summer so far.  And where better to go for a stroll than to Little Bay on the Rideau Trail within Foley Mountain Conservation Area. 

The walk-in beach and swimming area are open this year, and one of our fellow hikers made us feel a little envious by going in for a swim in Big Rideau Lake.  Her only companion was a tiny baby turtle.

Our gentle stroll led us back to Spy Rock with its panoramic view down to Westport – and soon we were there ourselves, sampling its ice creams!

The walk-in swimming area is open this year

A perfect summer hike on the Rideau Trail

Westport from Spy Rock - ice creams below!

The Rideau Trail 2018 End-to-End Hikes: 11. Lally Homestead (09B) to McLaren Point Road (10A)

Sat. 7 July: 

The Rideau Trail 2018 End-to-End Hikes: 

11. Lally Homestead (09B) to McLaren Point Road (10A)

Note: click on pictures for full size view.

Milestone achieved. 

At Lally Homestead, at the end of our previous hike, we had reached the end of the Kingston section of the Rideau Trail, and had now completed 154 kilometres, with 174 kilometres still to go – almost half-way!  We were now in the Central section – familiar territory for most of today’s fourteen hikers.

The 15.6 kilometre route took us north, through woodland, some open fields, then into the mica mine area, the path scattered with small pieces of shiny mica, and finally on mostly quiet roads. 

Luckily the brutally hot weather of recent days had eased off a little, and it was a pleasant walk. 

By the end of our next leg, we will have reached the beautiful Town of Perth.

Lally Homestead:  almost half-way

Receiving instructions from our hike leaders

Some nicely-maintained sections of trail

Emerging into a large field

Special thanks to Tay Valley Township for their kind gesture of friendship.
This location on Narrows Lock Road is  the half-way point on the Rideau Trail

Narrows Lock Road - thankfully not too busy

Stanley Road - no cars at all

Heat Wave

Wed. 4 July:  Heat Wave

Making waves 

Note: click on pictures for full size view.

How to escape the heat?  Head out onto a large lake in a powerful boat and make waves.

This author was lucky today to be invited by my hiking friend M. to explore the Rideau Lakes – and they are impressive.  We landed on an island and enjoyed a 1.6 km hike under a cooling canopy of leaves; we motored down to Portland for a large hamburger in an air-conditioned lakeside restaurant; whizzed the whole way down the lake to the entrance to the Tay Canal, then sped back in glittering waters, past luxurious lakeside ‘cottages’, to our starting point at Murphys Point.

On a day with temperatures in the mid-thirties Celsius, under the hot sun, this was the place to be.

Heading out onto Big Rideau Lake

On Colonel By Island

1.6 km hike under a leafy canopy

Island dock

Rideau Ferry bridge

Tay Canal:  Lower Beveridges Lock

Here the Tay Canal meets Lower Rideau Lake

One of the new luxury boats based at Smiths Falls

The perfect place to be today

The Rideau Trail 2018 End-to-End Hikes: 10B. Miners Point Road (08G) to Lally Homestead (09B)

Mon. 2 July: 

The Rideau Trail 2018 End-to-End Hikes: 

10B. Miners Point Road (08G) to Lally Homestead (09B)

Note: click on pictures for full size view.

Caught up!

We are caught up in a crazily hot spell of weather, approaching the mid-thirties Celsius.  I have also caught up with the end-to-end caravan which is winding north along the Rideau Trail from Kingston to Ottawa.

This section of trail follows the new routing through Miners Point Provincial Park, described in an earlier blog entry.

See 

http://thepassionatehiker.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-new-trail.html

for the photos as far as Black Ance Road.

I did try to capture some better pictures of the viewpoint.  Today a cabin cruiser lay at anchor below us, as a kayak slipped noiselessly across the bay.  A scorching sun reflected in the waters of Big Rideau Lake.

Despite this being the Canada Day long weekend, we had the Murphys Point trails to ourselves.  But then we did start early to avoid the heat.  By 10.30 a.m. we had arrived at Lally Homestead, and were glad to escape into the luxury of an air-conditioned car.   

Start of hike at the Miners Point Library!

We were very glad of the woodland canopy today

Approaching the viewpoint

Big Rideau Lake

Viewpoint rock

Perfect anchorage

McParlan House

Empty trails

Lally Homestead

A baking hot morning