Looking for a day trip?
Pontiac is a treat next door
For anyone looking for clean air and fresh food, head to the Pontiac. Known for rich agricultural soil (it was a sea bed, after all), Pontiac has plenty to feed the body, and soul. The drive is beautiful with rolling hills and plains of agricultural land. With a big sky, the colour combination of blue sky, green fields and then blue Ottawa River is reason enough to head out for a drive. So the destinations are an added treat.
Pick up a Cottage Living magazine before heading out; it is a useful tool for adding local stories to what you see out the window and for suggestions of where to stop. Bring bathing suits, towels and a camera -- and bug repellent, sun block, and a hat.
Day trip 1: Luskville Falls, etc.
Options for day trips include several must-sees. Just outside of Aylmer is the popular Potagier Eardley country market, a good place to pick up fresh carrots and berries for munching in the car. This trip’s view is spectacular, so make sure your memory card has plenty of megs to capture the beauty. Heading west on the 148, many visitors spend a good half-day hiking the Luskville Falls.
The turn-off is at the Municipality of Pontiac town hall on the divided highway. Nearby is Lavender Ridge, a farming business dedicated to both lavender products and a winery. On site, plenty of goodies are available, including fresh-baked goods and soaps. Of course, the wines are sold there too. A patio overlooks farming fields on the plain below the escarpment, with the river in the distance, framed by the Gatineau Hills rising opposite. There are several eateries along the way, mostly mom-and-pop chip stands or little restaurants. These places are all in competition for the province’s best poutine. How can you go wrong?
Day Trip 2
Hit the road, but go a little further for this outing. Follow Highway 148 to the traditional cottage areas of Norway Bay and Bristol, and watch for signs to turn off the highway at Bristol.
There are several farms in this area worth a visit. While it is best to contact them in advance to book your visit, stopping by sometimes works – especially dairy and goat farms. The charm of the beaches and waterfronts at Norway Bay, Bristol, Sand Bay, Portage-du-Fort goes back generations. The train would stop in each of these communities, bringing cottagers from Ottawa to cool down in the heat of the Ottawa Valley summer. Pine Lodge is a golf course, restaurant, bar and offers several options for accommodations. Staying there at any time of the year is recommended.
A sandy beach and playground is a three-minute walk away. Nearby local producers make for good, delicious stops. The town of Shawville is nearby, with a grocery store, café, clothing shops, banks, hospital and hardware store. A Saturday farmers’ market is at the town’s Fair Grounds, so watch for signs. Before heading home, be sure to visit Rolling Acres Farm to stock up on local beef. There is no cleaner, chemical-free meat.
North of Shawville is the town of Ladysmith. Oktoberfest draws thousands of visitors and brings together the whole community every September, as does the big Shawville Fair itself.
Day Trip 3
Heading into the centre of the Pontiac makes for another good day trip! To make it longer, there are outstanding places to stay, all highly recommended. This will make a longer trip worth-while. Staying at Spruceholme Inn is a treat that can’t be conveyed through words. This heritage inn is hosted by the great-granddaughter of Lumber Baron and parliamentarian George Bryson. Sir Wilfrid Laurier slept in one room, other dignitaries visited as well. The walls are alive with history as plenty of photos and documents grace the Inn. The adjacent Lumberjack Bistro features local food served on big plates.
Camp-grounds -- Base Macrocarpa -- and rental cottages -- Cabins de la Chute -- are nearby and usually available if these are more your taste, Tourisme Pontiac has all this information. Their contact information is on this page. A main draw, from the time of the Algonquin people, is the Coulonge Chutes, a ten-minute drive from central Mansfield. There are tree-to-tree activities for kids and adults; zip-lining and a tree-top adult obstacle challenge. Accommodations are coming; so call ahead to find out if Yurt or Tipi rentals are available. Spend a day on the Ottawa River white-water rafting, or canoeing down the Coulonge or Black River. The outfitters are here!
Heading West
Past Fort-Coulonge and Mansfield, the hills roll into a brighter green. The rivers are a little quicker and the forests a little wilder – the sand, locals say, is even softer.
Traditional vacationing at Fort Williams and the multitude of beaches along the Ottawa River are great destinations, with farms to visit, too. The Hops industry is undergoing a resurgence in the Pontiac, as are vineyards. In Chapeau, a sure bet for a great meal is the Old Bank Restaurant (l’Ancienne Banque). This establishment picked up plenty of Pontiac Readers’ Choice awards since it opened. In fact, while visiting the Pontiac, be sure to pick up a Pontiac Journal newspaper. It is a sister paper to the Bulletin d’Aylmer and has plenty of local information as well as businesses ready to upgrade your visit to the Pontiac. The Readers’ Choice is on soon, so be sure to note your favourite stops along your journey.
