The passionate hiker

The passionate hiker
Early days in the outdoors

Thursday, June 18, 2020

There and (sore) Back: The Cataraqui Trail


June 1-17:  There and (sore) Back: The Cataraqui Trail


Sydenham Lake from the Cataraqui Trail

These days the Passionate Hiker cannot hike, but he has discovered that he can do some gentle bike riding.  So wishing to test the limits, on June 1st he made a hopeful start at the north end of the Cataraqui Trail in Smiths Falls, with the idea of seeing how far he might get, over the next few weeks.  The first trip was a tentative seven kilometres down the trail and back again.  So far so good.  

Just over two weeks - and eight more trips - later, he had completed the whole 102 km trail, there and back.  And he felt none the worse for his adventure – although his back is no better. 

Here are the basic statistics:

Total dist. biked          = 204.7 km
Number of legs           = 9
Time on trail               = 19 hrs. 19 mins.
Av. dist. each trip        = 22.7 km
Av. speed                    = 10.6 km/hr.

No records broken, but a point made:  The Passionate Hiker can still get out there and enjoy the outdoors, even if it’s a gentle bike ride.

If you haven’t explored the Cataraqui Trail yet, or a few years have slipped by since you last did so, then this is a very good time to get out there and set your own outdoor goals.

A battered point-and-shoot camera managed to capture the magic of this trail, as these photos show. 


Alcohol available - took drugs (Robaxacet)!

Kilometre 1 and so far so good

Luckily few people on this trail

Ever-changing scenery.  here: swamps....

...and then here: woodland

Problems with my hybrid bike: next trip I switched to my mountain bike (good choice)

Little Lake (km 36)

Swamps east of Chaffeys Lock

I disturbed this family of Canada geese

High level bridge at Chaffeys Lock: Indian Lake

Site of old trestle bridge, west of Indian Lake Road

Here the Rideau Trail turns north towards Ottawa

Around the 50 km mark

Deer right beside the trail

I was JUST able to ram on the brakes to avoid running over this snake

Turtle probably busy laying eggs right on the trail

Tiger lily adds some colour

Approaching MacGillivray Road

East of Maple Leaf Road

This family took to the water as I carefully approached

Sydenham Lake and a small railway bridge.  There are two major river crossings at Chaffeys Lock and Yarker.

A stiff westerly breeze today

At the junction with the K&P Trail, east of Harrowsmith (km 76+)


West of Harrowsmith: here the K&P turns right (north) and I continued straight on.

An overgrown section west of Colebrook Road

Almost there

Gentle downhill gradient as I speed west to Strathcona (end of trail)

West of Strathcona the last section of line to Napanee is 'out of bounds'

Here at Napanee the line crosses the 401 Highway:  looking NE towards Strathcona.
Perhaps the trail may one day be extended to Napanee VIA Station?  I hope so.




2 comments:

Rosie said...

I’m really happy I found your blog on the OVRT FB page! Thanks for the awesome descriptions of the trails! Have you tried the Prescott-Russell Trail? It’s a nice ride. There’s a trailhead with ample parking on Anderson Road. From there you can bike a flat trail right into Vankleek Hill where they have an amazing bakery (we always look for bakeries and ice cream since we have used so much energy getting there).

The Passionate Hiker said...

Rosie many thanks for the comments. I will definitely explore Prescott-Russell trail this year. Someone had mentioned it before but it slipped my mind. Bakeries are top of my list!

PH