SUMMER GETAWAY
Pedaling in and around Perth
BY KATHLEEN WILKER
Each spring about 2,000 cyclists pedal through Perth, Ont. on the Rideau Lakes Bike Tour. Halfway between Ottawa and Kingston, Perth makes a perfect lunch spot – often at the Last Duel park – on the 180-kilometre bike tour. But this historic town is home to so much more, extending a welcome to cy- clists in all seasons, making it worth a more leisurely cycling trip or a weekend base for several bike rides. Cycle from Ottawa to Perth to
start riding in the region, or down and follow the routes suggested by local cyclists through the neigh- bouring small towns and villages. Cycling maps with 15, 20, 40 and 90-kilometre loops are download- able at
www.perthchamber.com/ cycling-route-maps/. Routes range in difficulty from a
15-kilometre flat route along the Tay River to a 42-kilometre loop over hilly terrain to Murphy’s Point where cyclists carrying tents and sleeping bags can camp at this popular spot on the Rideau Lakes. Hikes of all kinds abound in Murphy’s Point Provincial Park, including nature walks for families, and historical traces of mica mining by long-ago farmers who found themselves hard put to make a living on stony, hilly land.
Short and flat routes of varying
lengths and longer hillier loops are mapped out in the nine different routes that leave from Perth itself and from nearby Lanark. For cyclists wanting a weekend away, bed and breakfasts in Perth and along the nearby routes are included in the written directions
18 ottawaoutdoors
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
that accompany the maps. All routes and directions have been designed and tested by local cyclists. Recommended stops like
restaurants featuring local in- gredients, ice cream parlours and bakeries are included in these directions. You can ride through Balderson and stop at the old cheese factory for a smoky cheddar. No lon- ger manufactured in Balderson, the cheese and other gourmet deli food is still sold in the original factory building. Hans Moor, president of Ottawa’s
Citizens for Safe Cycling, says Perth could replicate the type of cycling typical of small towns in the Netherlands, Moor’s homeland. “If you want to attract cycling tourists,” says Moor, “You have to offer more than a few hundred miles of abandoned railway tracks, lined with trees or a shoulder along a highway. Perth has it all: heritage buildings, a farmers’ market, a quiet countryside and restaurants ready to feed hungry cyclists.” Moor says cycle tourists who want
a more leisurely pace can find it in and around Perth – he points to
the variety of distances and levels of difficulty in the routes laid out by Perth cyclists. “In the Netherlands, cycling has nothing to do with sport, health or saving the environment – everyone just goes out for a ride with the kids or grandkids. On a sunny day, you’ll see whole families cycling in the countryside, along the coast or touring through small villages,” he says. Local museums like the Middleville Museum and historic churches are part of Perth’s cycling routes and trails to lure you out of the saddle and onto the land cross several of them. Look for the Baird Trail for a short hike on Middleville Route 6 or Kiwi Gardens for a stroll through winding pathways and outdoor art on Harper Balderson Route 3. /OO
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77