Zephyr Avenue

Neat name for a street so I checked it out – quiet, no sidewalks, big coniferous trees on the west side, and this fabulous garden on the east.

Zephyr Avenue

Then I ventured across Howe Street into the Village of Britannia. Now part of Ottawa, it still retains it’s own quaint and quirky personality. This wiki link tells you more about its history. These images show some of it’s quirky mix.

Britannia Village

A bit further on is the Britannia yacht club.
This very cool tall ship called the Black Jack was docked there.

Black Jack
If you aren’t intimidated by the MEMBERS ONLY – ALL OTHER TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED sign, you can venture a bit further around the inlet where the boats are docked to get a glimpse of the Des Chênes rapids, however a more impressive view can be had from the other side of the Ottawa river. A bike route to get there is nicely described here.

Venturing further downstream along Cassels Street one passes a little birders paradise. Lot’s of feeders and places to sit and bird watch on the edge of Mud Lake. The road ends at the Britannia water filtration plant. This location affords lovely views of the Ottawa river without the threat of being arrested.

Thurston Drive

Biked to and along Thurston Drive, because I never have before.

From Pleasant Park I joined a bike path which takes you through the Kilborn Allotment Gardens – an amazing HUGE community garden. This photo doesn’t do it justice – you have to see it for yourself.

Mika and I tend a little vegetable plot in the much smaller community garden at Lisgar and Lyon. I highly recommend it, even if you don’t know how to garden. I never even grew my own dandelion before we started ours last year, and we managed to cultivate some wonderful veggies, especially tomatoes. Community gardens are a fabulous way to meet people of all walks of life and share their gardening customs and preferences.

So, turns out Thurston Drive is a business park, as this wonderful period sign announces when entering off Conroy Road. I’m thinking 1970’s, back when the city crest was it’s logo, and poured concrete was very stylin’.

It’s a nice little business park – lot’s of greenery.

Here’s what can be seen at the other end of Thurston Drive.

Petrie Islands Park

Fabulous ride to Petrie Islands Park this morning.

Always a good sign when long sections of the chosen bike route are designated as dark green in Google Maps. That means bike paths.

I passed the fountain at Strathcona Park in Sandy Hill along the way and it’s operational! She’s a real beaut’.

Strathcona Park fountain

One of the eeriest parts of town is Rothwell Heights, a neighbourhood that was run by the military, except the houses have disappeared. All that is left is a ghost network of roads, driveways, street signs, the occasional street light, even an overgrown basketball court. Now I don’t recommend trying to access this area because there are NO TRESPASSING signs all over the place, however if by accident you do find yourself wandering into the area, prepare to be wierded out. UPDATE – June 2018: Rothwell Heights is being re-developed but there are still a few sections that fit the above description. I didn’t notice any NO TRESPASSING signs this time.

Rothwell Heights

The Ottawa River Pathway, which I joined from the Aviation Parkway is the most serene ride in the region. Long stretches hugging the shoreline without interruption and the sound of the tight packed stone dust crunching beneath one’s tires is mesmerising.

Once arrived at Petrie Islands Park you can go for a hike along the Turtle Trail and River Loop Trail. The info centre is very precious, run by volunteers who are passionate about conserving this natural habitat. There’s also a very nice beach on Petrie Island.

On the way back I took advantage of the NCC Sunday Bikedays whereby on Sundays throughout the summer they close off major parkways under their jurisdiction to motorised vehicules. The level of participation I witnessed along the Rockcliffe Parkway was incredible – all ages, on all sorts of bikes and rollerblades. Very inspiring.