The St. Lawrence River: Long Sault to Upper Canada Village

Wed. 16 September:  The St. Lawrence River:  Long Sault to Upper Canada Village

Perfect place for a bike ride - and the perfect day for it

What a day for a bike ride!

About an hour’s fast drive down the road from Charleston Lake is the Long Sault Parkway.  Several islands were created in the 1950’s when the St. Lawrence Seaway was built, raising the level of the St. Lawrence River.  These islands have been connected by causeways to create a scenic ten kilometre Parkway. 

On this late summer weekday, under cloudless skies, there was almost no traffic along this road, making it an ideal leisurely biking route.  But this is just a short part of a much longer trail which follows the northern shore of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario for hundreds of kilometres.

My route today took me westwards across this chain of islands, and then further west along the biking trail to Upper Canada Village, and then back again.    The section immediately west of the Long Sault Parkway runs through a wildlife sanctuary, along a raised pathway with great views of the birds swimming and wading in the surrounding waters.

It was a hot sunny day, with a westerly breeze.  Schools may be back but summer is still here – for a few more days anyway.  There was little evidence of the bright Fall colours just around the corner.

A few coaches were parked at the entrance to Upper Canada Village, but the adjacent riverside park was deserted.  I stopped to admire the monument to the Battle of Cryslers Farm, where in 1813 a hard-fought victory over the Americans saved Canada from invasion.  Here the Union Jack still proudly flies.

On my return bike ride, with the breeze at my back, I stopped at Woodlands Island park.  Here  picnic tables were spread out across rolling fields, beneath tall maples and oaks, beside the St. Lawrence River.   A large sandy beach had a tempting swimming area.  It had already been closed up for the season, so I sat alone under a wooden gazebo looking out across the great river, shining silver in the bright sun.

Back at Charleston Lake campsite I had just put my feet up to relax when the sound of bagpipes suddenly filled the air.  A nearby camper was treating us to a short concert.  The sound probably carried to the many distant islands scattered across this remote lake, alerting back-country travelers that all was well with the world.  I walked down to the beach with its perfect swimming area just as the sun was dipping below the trees.  Nothing much had changed at Charleston Lake in the quarter century since my last visit.  And that’s a good thing. 

Note:  single-click on the first picture above to scroll through the photos separately.  

Statistics

Total Distance:     44.8 km (bike)

Time on Trail:       3 hrs. 42 mins.

Long Sault (E):      9.30 am

Long Sault (W):   10.16 am

Upper Can Vill:    11.19 am

Long Sault (W):   12.13 pm

Ret. to  car:            1.12 pm

Temp:                  +27C

Weather:              W. breeze, cloudless, hot.

This chain of connected islands was formed by the building of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the 1950's

No traffic along the Parkway.   Sunlight on the St. Lawrence River

Plenty of wildlife on display

Nice reflections

Causeway between islands

Each island is named for a famous historical figure

Typical vistas along the Parkway

There is a wildlife sanctuary here

A bike pathway continues west to Upper Canada Village

Commemorates villages lost by  the building of the Seaway

This battle saved Canada from being invaded by the Americans

Here the Union Jack still flies proudly

Returning east through the wildlife sanctuary

Beach on Woodlands Island - already closed for the season

Last stretch of Parkway leading back to the East Gate