BIKING WITH THE BIRDS
Mapping Route 2 in our series
This is a leisurely, scenic ride out to the Aylmer Marina, a destination with waterfront picnic benches and a resto-bar.
We started at Hampton Park, convenient for a car drop as there’s a parking lot next to the ball field east of Hampton Park plaza. Enter the parking lot off Sebring Avenue.
Of course, as the route to Aylmer links to the Ottawa River pathway and the Voyageurs Pathway from Hull and Lac Leamy, it’s a cinch to head to the marina from any number of locations in Ottawa or Gatineau.
We rolled the first hundred metres or so along the relatively new path that runs from Hampton out to Island Park Drive, past a fenced-in dog park on the right. At the light, cross Island Park and take a left, following the bike path north toward the Ottawa River. As usual, we cruised on the Champlain Bridge past Bate Island without giving it a thought, but by all means veer off the path to check out the island at least once. It’s a great place to take a long look at the river and there’s often a group of slalom kayakers here doing their thing.
Just across the Champlain Bridge into Quebec, cross the light at Lucerne and join the Sentier des Voyageurs (Voyageurs Pathway) heading west toward Aylmer.
The next few kilometres run through the woods, with an opening that offers a glimpse of the Château Cartier Golf Course before heading past the Deschênes Rapids. This part of the Lac-Deschênes-Ottawa River is considered an Important Bird Area (IBA), with more than 300 species. On a recent morning trip, the birds made themselves heard with a symphony of song as the path rounded the shoreline past
the rugged rapids. This is right across the river from Britannia, another important bird area.
Just past the rapids you’ll approach a wooden bridge over a marshy basin. The spring waters were still high in late June, and ducks played happily. Across the basin, the sun illuminated a couple of trees stripped of their bark, one tree standing, the other prone. This marked the end of the nature zone as civilization loomed and the path took us past some of the large new homes on the outskirts of Aylmer.
As you approach the marina, take the time to savour some breathtaking river views. Unlike a trip through Gatineau Park or on open stretches of pathway elsewhere, this winding path invites a leisurely pace. (Our recorded ride times are deceivingly slow as we stopped to take notes and photographs for this ride series. The average cyclist can do this trip under 45 minutes each way).
Note there are a lot of walkers on this route as well. On a weekday morning, we met up with dozens of local schoolchildren on an outing. We slowed our bikes to a crawl before passing but the students clearly knew the drill, keeping right on the path as their teachers yelled out, “bike!” or “velo!”
As the pathway swings northwest, feel the river breeze, a sure signal that the path is drawing closer to the water. In a matter of seconds the marina boats come into view.
We stopped for a late-morning coffee at the Marina Resto-Bar, a big restaurant with a large menu for lunch, dinner or a post-ride beverage. There is seating inside and out, with a nice view of the water and the marina craft. Next door, patrons can rent kayaks, canoes, windsurfers and sailboats.
For cyclists packing a lunch, the Parc de l’Imaginaire offers a patch of green and there are picnic tables near the water.
The bike path does continue past the marina, connecting to Des Pionniers Pathway, which swings inland and east toward Gatineau Park. Of course, the return path along the Voyageurs path also leads back to Lucerne and the southern entrance to the park, or back to Ottawa.
For an alternative trip, try the loop to Lac Leamy. A special highlight is the chance in 2017 to see the Jacques Cartier plant sculptures, MosaïCanada, a Canada 150 project. We dropped by the park on a recent Sunday morning and were overwhelmed by the beauty of the sculptures and the demand to see them.