My Trail:
A stroll through Perth on the Rideau Trail
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| The Rideau Trail passes right beside Town Hall |
We all have our favourite sections of the Rideau
Trail. With a long-distance hiking trail
as long and as varied as this - it’s about 330 km between Ottawa and Kingston -
everyone will have their own opinion of the best section of the route.
For me, it’s the short four kilometre stretch
through the middle of the Town of Perth, between Riverside Drive in the east,
and Scotch Line in the south.
Of course, many hikers on the Rideau Trail are
on a mission – perhaps, for example, to complete a long-distance “end-to-end”
challenge, or to take part in an organized hike through the area. But if you’re not in such a hurry, then this
is the stretch of trail for you. There
is so much to enjoy, all without departing more than a few steps from the trail.
In different times of year, I have strolled
beside the Tay Canal, watching the boats and the canoes go by, and have stopped
to rent a canoe myself. On a hot summer’s
day I’ve enjoyed a cool ale at the craft brewery beside the trail, and stopped
to buy fresh strawberries from the Farmer’s Market at Crystal Palace. I’ve been serenaded by the Perth Citizen’s
Band from their historic bandstand behind Town Hall, followed by an ice cream
or a picnic in Stewart Park – and in this same park this winter I discovered an
ice rink right on the trail. I’ve
strolled many times across two picturesque footbridges over the Tay River on my
way to Conlon Farm. Here, at different times
of year, is a tobogganing hill, and tennis courts, and baseball diamonds. And starting this spring, I’ll be able to
rent a bike from Heritage Bikes, at their new location beside the Rideau Trail
on Conlon Drive.
In earlier blogs I have called Perth the “Jewel of the Rideau Trail”, which isn’t very
original, I know. But I travel this
section of trail almost every day, and while I have walked its full length from
the Ottawa River to the St. Lawrence on more than one occasion, I am perfectly
happy strolling through my own Town and enjoying it, in a different way and in
a different weather each time.
That’s My
Trail.
The
Passionate Hiker
26 February 2021
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| Entering Perth from the north: Riverside Drive |
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| Tay Canal (connects with the Rideau Canal) |
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| Canoeing on the Tay, opposite Last Duel Park |
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| Last Duel Park: A great resource for Perth |
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| Canoe rentals close to the trail |
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| Heading out on the river |
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| At the craft brewery - summer seating by the trail |
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| The trail enters the Tay Basin |
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| At Crystal Palace |
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| Good winter hiking in town |
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| Rideau Trail Association at Festival of Maples, in front of Town Hall |
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| The Bandstand |
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| Perth Citizens Band |
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| Ice rink right on the trail |
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| Crossing Stewart Park |
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| Picturesque Rainbow Bridge |
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| Winter in Perth |
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| Conlon Farm |
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| The tobogganing hill |
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| The hikers' meeting place at Conlon Farm |
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| Scotch Line: heading south into open country |
