ALMOST LIKE A RIDE THROUGH COUNTRY

East end path to Petrie Island framed by trees, water

With more than 230 kilometres of kept pathways, the National Capital Region has a reputation for being a cycling hub. To explore the possibilities, Citizen columnist Wayne Scanlan charted a Summer Ride series, five interesting day trips in and around Ottawa.

Here’s another gem of a ride from the heart of Ottawa-Gatineau along the Ottawa River, this time eastward to Orléans.

We started our day at Rideau Hall, parking on a side street off Stanley, west of the governor general’s residence. The initial path is on the road (Sussex), cycling past the ceremonial guards toward the roundabout. From here, follow the Ottawa River path eastward alongside the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway past Rockcliffe Park.

The yellow line of the path then leads across the parkway (wait for a pause in traffic) to a lovely stretch of pathway on the north side of the parkway, offering spectacular views of the river and Gatineau.

Next, you join the Aviation Parkway, past the New Edinburgh Club, where tiny sailboats were dancing just to the west of us. Ahead, a single-engine plane was taking off from the Rockcliffe Airport.

Past the Aviation and Space Museum on the left, there is an option to veer off the pathway toward the Ottawa River and a crushed-stone path that offers nice views of the water. If you miss the first turn down to this path, there are several more to come. The path runs for nearly 10 kilometres and is a favourite of walkers and joggers, many of whom park at one of the lots along the parkway.

Down on the dirt path, though, the parkway can’t be seen, and my riding partner said she felt as though we were in cottage country, given the thick blanket trees on one side and waterside shrubs and reeds on the other.

You’ll start to see a string of islands (Kettle, Duck, Lower Duck) leading toward Petrie. The Petrie Islands group was formed by sand deposited during the last ice age, some 12,000 years ago.

Eventually the stone and dirt path swings back to rejoin the paved Ottawa River pathway (albeit, a little off course at first), finally heading east again toward Orléans.

At the opening of a chain-link fence in front a large meadow, a Welcome to Orléans sign (Bienvenue!) was leaning at a 45-degree angle.

The path ends at Radisson Way and a housing development, but just follow Radisson east until it curls to the right past Besserer Place, part of a seniors residence. Now look for the path on the left and follow the signs for Petrie.

The final stretch to Trim Road and Petrie Island follow a sewage treatment line. At Petrie Island, there is a marina and a beach, but the day we arrived was overcast and rainy and definitely not a time to linger. As it turned out, the last stretch of pathway to Petrie and the muddy island road were the only areas hit by a passing storm system, and as we rejoined the Ottawa River path for the return trip the pavement was dry once again.

Passing through Green’s Creek, a family of wild turkeys shot me a look, stood frozen for a second and then sauntered off into the bush. Back at Rideau Hall, we lingered, holding out faint hope that the Governor General might invite a couple of hungry riders in for high tea.

Alas, the cafés of the ByWard Market were the only option. Getting around in this central area will be a lot easier when the NCC finally fixes up the closed paths behind the Parliament Buildings and Canadian Museum of History.

The repair of flood damage and unstable ground in this area has the NCC pursuing a long-term solution here, rebuilding the pathways to a “higher standard.” They won’t be open until the spring of 2018 at the earliest.