GREATER NAPANEE: THE WATERWAYS RIDE
Welcome to another edition of our Ride and Reward series. Join me on my adventures as I share my favourite routes (and rewards!) and discover some new ones too. You don’t need to be an experienced cyclist or have a fancy bike to try out these routes.
The third route in our series is The Waterways Ride in Greater Napanee. It’s a ride with a few hills that are worth it for the views over the Napanee river, Hay Bay and rolling countryside. The ride follows mostly paved shoulders on main and country roads, so good bike lights and bright clothing are a must. The loop can be done in under two hours.
Written by Allison Nichol Longtin
Read time: 4 min
I started and ended my ride at The Waterfront River Pub and Terrace in downtown Napanee. Just across the bridge, I spotted a splash pad, perfect for a post-ride cool down. Are splash pads just for kids? What about a kid at heart?
I turned right onto County Road 9, riding past waterfront homes and sprawling farms, with the river on my right. The Napanee River has its own tide, rising and falling between 6 and 16 inches regularly. While this is not a remote ride, there aren’t any restaurants or public places to stop along the route, so I packed enough water and snacks for the duration. I did however see a sign advertising “free kittens” and contemplated a quick detour as well as the size of my baskets, but I exercised restraint and stuck to the original plan for the ride.
It’s not a busy road, but it’s a highway nonetheless. Luckily, the shoulder is generous and paved most of the way. I made sure to wear bright colours and charge my bike lights for this ride before setting out. Safety first. Most drivers gave me a wide berth as they passed me.
The cooling effects of the river and the forests were very welcome, especially after climbing a short hill or two, including the highest point on the route that provided panoramic views of the river and towns on the opposite shore.
I met a fork in the road about 45 minutes into my ride and turned left off of the main road and onto quieter Abrams Road. Marshes, wildflower meadows, and almost no vehicles made for a particularly peaceful stretch of the journey. Before long, Hay Bay was in the distance, and I turned left, rejoining County Road 9. I could have made the ride longer by sticking to the main road, but the detour was worth it.
It felt almost like cottage country, cycling along Hay Bay. I saw horses, cornfields, and wildflowers along this short stretch before turning left onto Fitchett Road. This road had a rougher surface, but wasn’t quite a gravel road. No gravel bike required, but a little more oomph and a lower gear went a long way. I paused to record a wildflower meadow and came across a fellow cyclist on a mission to the top of the hill. I followed behind him as we rode through archways of tree branches, providing some very welcome shade. As we reached the crest of the hill, the cyclist let go of his handlebars and opened his arms wide, as if to take flight and soar across the Napanee River to the countryside beyond. In fact, it did feel like flying as I followed close behind him, preferring instead to stand on my bike, holding firmly to the handlebars. This downhill ride was the highlight of the route for me and I felt grateful that I’d chosen the direction I had, so that I didn’t have to climb it.
I turned right at the bottom of the hill and rejoined County Road 9, retracing my steps in the opposite direction for a short stretch back to Napanee. Once back in town, I made a beeline for The Waterfront River Pub and Terrace to get my reward. The friendly server seated me at a table on the terrace with views of the river. It was the perfect setting for a lunch to refuel after my ride. I enjoyed a chicken wrap with fries and a mineral water; dependable pub fare and just what I’d been craving during the last 10 kilometres of my journey.
The Greater Napanee Waterways Ride is a sporty, but approachable route that takes under two hours to complete, longer if you stick to County road 9 the whole way. While the roads aren’t busy, they are main roads and you will encounter vehicles, so keep to the shoulders, use your bike lights, and wear bright colours. There are options to shorten or extend your route and even cool off at the splash pad, weather permitting. Happy cycling!
MAP IT OUT
Allison mapped out the route she took:
MORE RIDE, MORE REWARD
This route is just one of four in our Ride and Reward series. Check it out for other routes in Belleville, Brighton and Quinte West.
