Two Bridges

 

15 September:  Two Bridges

 

A huge railway bridge unknown to most travellers

Not many people will know where this magnificent bridge is, unless they are keen snowmobilers.  At this time of year, it lies hidden from view, on a remote section of the Ottawa River.  Its unofficial name appears to be “Dingo Crossing”, and it lies a few kilometres up-river from Portage-du-Fort, only easily accessed from the Quebec side. 

Looking south from Quebec towards Ontario

It's worth a special trip to see it, although it’s not easy to get down to the water’s edge for a better view of the whole bridge.  The rail track approaches the river on a high embankment with steep sides.  I decided not to try the steep gravel slopes, covered in undergrowth.  It's about 400m across the river at this point.  The views from the bridge are of classic Canadian scenery.

View of the Ottawa River from the bridge

And further downstream is a second large bridge near Fitzroy Harbour, which I plan to visit very soon.

These two bridges carried the CN railway across to Quebec and back, until only a few years ago, on its journey from Ottawa to Pembroke and beyond.  I found on the internet this photo of an excursion train crossing the Fitzroy bridge in the late 1980s.  I wish I had taken that journey.

Fitzroy bridge with an excursion train (1980s):  photo from the internet

If you are looking for a different sort of adventure, and you are interested in old railway lines, then put both these bridges on your itinerary.

The Passionate Hiker