For a few years now my friend Jeff Mills and I would talk about the opportunity of having a cycle route looping northern Lanark cycle routes to the western parts of Ottawa and Parliament Hill. It would traverse all the small towns, the farm fields, wooded lands, and the pathways along the Mississippi and Ottawa Rivers.
We have poured over maps. It was a source of conversation for too many nights. We even spoke to officials at the towns of Mississippi Mills and Carleton Place – and the City of Ottawa.
Then, last year, we got on our bikes and found the perfect loop.
Almonte / Carleton Place / along the Trans Canada Trail into Stittsville / Ottawa to Parliament Hill via the Ottawa River riverside trails in Gatineau… and then back along the Ottawa River / Kanata / Carp / Fitzroy Harbour / Galetta / and along the Ottawa Valley Rail Trail through Pakenham to Almonte. It is a grand loop — two magnificent rivers, two unique provinces, two rail trails, and over 180 km of fun.
As we biked this wonderful route – we named it: the Mississippi & Ottawa Rivers Experience or MORE for short. It’s a great loop. We want to encourage everyone to cycle MORE.
- Almonte Old Town Hall to the Ottawa Valley Rail Trail to the Carleton Place Junction (11 km)
- L Coleman Street to proceed onto the Trans Canada Trail to Stittsville Main Street (22 km)
- Proceed on Trans Canada Trail to north side of Robertson Road (9 km)
- Sharp L onto Greenbelt Pathway West, north to Watts Creek Pathway (5 km)
- R Watts Creek Pathway to become Trans Canada Trail to Moodie Drive (2 km)
- Procced on Trans Canada Trail / Watts Creek Pathway to Carling Avenue (3 km)
- Proceed through Andrew Haydon Park on Pathway to Trans Canada Trail that runs beside the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway (3 km)
- Proceed along paved cycle path beside Macdonald Parkway to Island Parkway (4 km)
- L onto Island Parkway Champlain Bridge to Ottawa River Pathway in Quebec (1 km)
- R onto Ottawa River Pathway in Gatineau to the Canadian Museum of History (7 km)
- Proceed on pathway onto Royal Alexandria Bridge across to Ontario, through Major’s Hill Park to the Bytown Locks (2 km)
- Cross over the locks at the base of Parliament Hill and proceed west onto Trans Canada Trail pathway — from Parliament Hill locks along beside Macdonald Parkway to Andrew Hayden Park (15 km)
- Ver R onto Carling Ave to Herzberg Road (6 km)
- R onto Herzberg / L Leggett Dr / L on Terry Fox to Second Line (4.5 km)
- R Second Line / L Old Carp Road and into Carp – to Carp Road corner (9 km)
- R Carp Road through village of Carp to Thomas Dolan Parkway (6 km)
- R Thomas Dolan Parkway to Woodkilton Road (6.5 km)
- L Woodkilton Road to Galetta Sideroad (19 km)
- L Galetta Sideroad / R Ferry Road / L Aylwin Road / L Canon Smith Dr to Fitzroy St (8 km)
- R Fitzroy Street into Fitzroy Harbour / L on Harbour Street out to Galetta Sideroad (3 km)
- R Galetta Sideroad through village of Galetta to Hwy 29 (15 km)
- L Hwy 29 for a short distance / R Shaw Road to Ottawa Valley Rail Trail (1 km)
- L Ottawa Valley Rail Trail to Pakenham crossing at Waba Road (6 km)
- Proceed from Pakenham to Almonte Old Town Hall (14 km)
I promise in the next few weeks to publish photos and trail features and explain the excitement in cycling MORE. This is the ultimate ride in our region.
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Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer or experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS. And yes, Chris also would rather be cycling… #bikealmonte
