The Passionate Hiker: The Rideau Trail: Richmond (17A) to Robertson Road (18E)

Thurs. 30 October: The Rideau Trail:

Richmond (17A) to Robertson Road (18E)

Leaving the forests behind - or so I thought

The Rideau Trail is full of surprises. And it left perhaps its best surprise almost to the last section of the long trail northwards from Kingston.

My previous walk had brought me to the northern edge of Richmond, on the bus route to Ottawa, and within easy commuting distance of the City. This was still open country. The forests had given way to farmland. Finally, I thought, I had emerged from the wilderness. From here to the end of my journey I would simply stroll through a flat suburban landscape, along increasingly busy city streets.

I was wrong. Not only would I discover gentle hillsides with wide views of the open country. I would also wander through some of the prettiest woodland along the entire trail, arriving in the City as if by stealth.

Today’s journey started at the eastern end of Richmond, close to a handy Tim Horton’s (civilization indeed!). The school buses were picking up the kids along the street as I marched northwards into the country. Initially the trail stays away from the roads, heading in a northeasterly direction across a road allowance between large, flat fields. Farmers were out making the most of the good weather. The tall corn was being cut down, and in one field a long plastic drain pipe was being laid and then buried by two ingenious pieces of machinery.

Reaching the Old Richmond Road, I turned northwards. This was busy with speeding commuters on the way to work. Running parallel to the road was the Jock River. This gently flowing river was named after an unfortunate man called Jacques who drowned in it. I suppose the name was simply anglicized (or is it scottified?). The Rideau Trail is shown as following the east bank of the river, leading to a seasonal bridge. However, I had learned that the bridge was not installed this year, so I followed the alternate route on the western bank, beside the busy road. I soon discovered that the bridge might just be navigable by the clever use of a couple of planks of wood, but I didn’t try it.

Just before reaching the bridge, I stopped at a stone cairn, erected beside the highway to commemorate the fourth Duke of Richmond. In 1819 he died here of rabies, having been bitten several weeks earlier by a pet fox. The Duke was an interesting man. He must have been quite controversial, as he survived two duels. After fighting in the Napoleonic Wars he was sent to Canada as Governor General of “British North America”. Here his life was cut short, and now this lonely cairn is a memorial to his death.

My trail continued northwards along Steeplehill Crescent, a quiet side road, passing beside several large farms. Here the countryside had risen slightly, giving some surprisingly good views westwards to the flat farmland and distant forests. The road curved around to the left, as it arrived at the busy Fallowfield Road. At the junction sat a church with a graceful spire. This was Fallowfield United Church, and the village of the same name lay just beyond.

Behind the church was a slight rise of land. I bypassed the village through woods and fields, coming back out onto Old Richmond Road. This rise of land was perhaps less than a hundred feet, but it was enough to give widespread views to the west and southwest, all the way back to Richmond and my earlier route. Beyond the farmland I could see the northern edges of the Marlborough Forest.

As I walked beside the busy road, I could see ahead of me a road junction: traffic lights, street lamps, new houses being built, and a McDonalds! Finally I had hit the city. But no! Just before reaching this so-called civilization, my trail turned abruptly to the right, and into the trees. This is called Stony Swamp Conservation Area. I had been saved by the Greenbelt.

From this point on, with a few short exceptions, I followed woodland trails all the way to the city. In fact, I passed through some of the prettiest forest along the entire Rideau Trail. I met no other people, except for a young family at the boardwalk just to the west of Old Richmond Road, where there is an access point and car park. I seemed to be following the top of a gentle height of land, where the path wandered through an open forest. There were jets overhead, taking off from the airport, and the sound of busy traffic beyond the woods, but apart from that, I could have been far from civilization.

Eventually a large condominium structure loomed up behind the trees and the trail came out into reality. Here was Robertson Road, at one time the Trans-Canada Highway, and now a busy city street. At this point the Rideau Trail meets the Trans-Canada Trail, and they cross the street on a large abandoned railway bridge. From here to the end of the trail, exactly twenty five kilometres distant, I would be walking along city pathways.

Dropping down onto the street, I took advantage of the excellent Ottawa Transit bus system to return swiftly to Richmond. I planned to come back to this point the following Sunday to complete this grand adventure.

Statistics:

Total Distance: 18.9 km* (hike)

Height Gain: Say 100 ft.

Time on Trail: 4 hrs. 32 mins.

Shea Road: 8.35 am

Shea/Garvin (17A): 8.49 am

Eagleson Rd(17B): 9.04 am

Cambrian Rd (17C): 9.31 am

Steeplehill Cr (17D): 9.51 am

Fallowfield Rd (17E): 10.45 am

Hope Side Rd (18A): 11.25 am

Lime Kiln Jn (18B): 11.46 am