Lanark County, ON
Part 2 of this 2-part post covering a weekend of stargazing, provincial parks and unique repurposed accommodations.
Sharbot Lake and Silver Lake PP The highlight of each of these two closely located parks are the lakes, and so they are mainly comprised of campgrounds with plenty of scope for kayaking, canoeing and boating. We were sticking to dry land on this trip, however, and explored the short hiking trails in each. For Sharbot, these were the Discovery Trail and the Ridgeview Trails, each with striking views across the Black and Sharbot Lakes. We were able to admire Silver Lake, but the trail itself, the aptly named Marshview Trail, took us across the marsh at the far end of the park. Both of these parks could be hard to navigate, but my tip is to use the campsite numbers to orientate yourself.
Murphy’s Point PP We previously visited this park in the winter, and took on the 5km scenic Point Trail. This visit, however, we were in the mood for a little bit of historical insight. The Lally Homestead, which is accessible directly from Lally Road, rather than through the gatehouse, is a well-preserved property, still exhibiting piles of rocks placed there by the Lally children. You can really imagine how life was like back in the early 1900s, by taking the trail along Black Creek, where they washed their sheep and trapped muskrats, and see the stump puller, family home and remnants of the barns which housed their animals.
Across the road is the Silver Queen Mica Mine Trail. This was a highly educational trail, and I was able to learn about how the mica was transported as far away as London, England to be used in the electrical industry. Horse whims were utilised to hoist the ore to the surface to check for mineral deposits, then mines were excavated, the materials hoisted to the surface via steam powered pulley systems, and horses were used again to cart the goods out towards the next stage of their journey. The mines were cavernous and you could feel the cool air wafting out from them. There were even mineral deposits scattered across the ground around the mine. During the summer months, tours of the mine take place, and you can see inside the bunkhouse where up to 20 miners lived in close quarters. On our return leg, we took the Beaver Pond Trail for views of more marshland!
Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario Rita and I had our very own “night at the museum” by spending the night in a 1921 Canadian National caboose. With the original pull-down beds, writing desk and oil lamps, this was a very authentic experience. Luckily for us, the station was open all night so we had use of a modern kitchen and bathrooms! Other cabooses from 1945 and 1967 are also available for overnight stays.
It was a a little creaky and the rainfall woke me up, but it was a great one to add to our list of unique stays. The booking included a tour in the morning, when staff member Hannah took us around all the museum’s trains. The most fascinating was that of the travelling dentist! On the cargo train, we got a glimpse of a Ford chassis, from when cars were transported in parts, IKEA style. Rides on the push cart are available, but beware, as it’s hard work! We finished at the indoor exhibition, with plenty of original artefacts, saw inside the control room and of course the gift shop. Rita was welcome everywhere; as I was the only guest staying that night I let her run around of her own free will.
Rideau River PP Our last park of the weekend was just outside Ottawa, along the heritage Rideau Canal. This is another camping-centric park, however the Shoreline trail is worth the visit. This is a 2.7km long trail (one-way) and we saw lots of geese and got up-close views of the river. It’s easy to follow and passes some beachy areas, which dogs are not permitted on. It also touches several campsites, so you can join at whichever point is most convenient from your site. We enjoyed the calm walk before entering the bustle of the capital.
