Merrickville
The Village of Merrickville, also known as “The Jewel of the Rideau” is
a pretty little village festuring dozens of heritage stone buildings.
It's a haven for various artisans with many shops. It is also home to
three lock and the largest blockhouse on the Rideau Canal.
When the canal opened in 1832 Merrickville thrived on the new commerce
it generated. Goods could now be easily shipped to and from Kingston and
Montreal. In 1860 Merrickville was incorporated as a village. By that
time the population had grown to almost 1,000. The railroad, connecting
Montreal to Toronto, reached Merrickville in 1887 and allowed a healthy
commerce to continue.
By the early 20th century, Merrickville, like many rural communities,
was in decline. The population was decreasing as the young left town to
seek work in urban centres. In the 1970s and 1980s Merrickville
underwent a transformation. The lovely architecture of the town was an
obvious tourist attraction. Work was done to preserve and enhance the
historic values of the village. Businesses shifted to catering for the
tourist trade, making Merrickville into what it is today.
The Canada's Rideau Canal is twinned with the
Caledonian Canal (since 1995)
Will we see in a near future a twinning between Merrickville and Fort
Augustus?
Rideau Heritage Route Proposed Itinerary
- Arrive at Ottawa Airport and rent a car. You might investigate
flying Zoom Airlines from London to Ottawa – they offer very good
fares.
- While in Ottawa, visit the Parliament Buildings and other Ottawa
attractions. The Capitalinfo Centre, across from Parliament Hill
offers all sorts of information, or visit
www.canadascapital.gc.ca
for more ideas. Rideau Canal Locks 1 – 8 are located here, with the
Bytown Museum located adjacent to locks in old Commissariat
Building. The ByWard Market, established in 1826 by Col. John By,
the builder of the Rideau Canal, is nestled in the historic
neighbourhood of Lowertown. The National Gallery of Canada is
hosting a Renoir Landscapes exhibition – you can see their programs
at www.gallery.ca
- You may wish to stay at Carmichael Inn, in the heart of Ottawa’s
downtown, just a few minutes walk to the downtown core, restaurants
and the Rideau Canal.
www.carmichaelinn.com.
- For a more traditional hotel experience, we recommend Lord Elgin
Hotel (www.lordelginhotel.ca
).
- Travel from Ottawa, stopping at Hogs Back Locks, then on to
Manotick. Visit Watson’s Mill, a 19th century grist mill, still in
working condition. Stop for lunch in Manotick, then continue to Long
Island Locks, just adjacent to Manotick. Between Manotick &
Burritts’ Rapids is the 25 mile stretch known as Long Reach, the
longest lock-free stretch on the Rideau. Stop at Burritt’s Rapids
Locks, Nicholson’s Locks and Merrickville Locks. Gardeners may wish
to visit Rideau Woodland Ramble, a beautiful display garden, near
Burritt’s Rapids (www.rideauwoodlandramble.com).
- Check in to Sam Jakes Inn (www.samjakesinn.com)
– just across the street from the Rideau Canal. Merrickville, voted
the most beautiful village in Canada, is home to many heritage
buildings, shops and art galleries. Visit the Alloy Foundry, the
oldest continuously running foundry in Canada. Enjoy the boat tour
of the Bird Sanctuary on the Rideau waterway (about 1 hour). Visit
the locks and the Blockhouse Museum. Take a historical walking tour
of the town.
- Dine and spend the night at Sam Jakes Inn., with breakfast the
next morning. Our owner, Gary Clarke, is on the Rideau Canal Board
of Advisors, and would be delighted to join you for breakfast, or
lunch any day, to exchange information and ideas. Head out early for
a boat tour of the Rideau (Chaffey’s Locks to Jones Falls) on
Chuckles, a remodeled Maine Lobster boat. Chuckles and her captain,
Lance Gervais Reid, will take you through Chaffey’s Locks, Davis
Locks, and travel through Big Rideau Lake – the very prettiest part
of the Rideau Canal. Stop for coffee at Jones Falls. Colonel By
built the huge stone arch dam at Jones Falls, as well as perhaps the
most impressive set of locks on the Rideau System. Return on the
Chuckles to Chaffey’s Locks and lunch at the Opinicon Hotel – a
venerable fishing resort dating from the 1890’s. Return to
Merrickville via Smiths Falls and visit the Rideau Canal Museum and
perhaps the Hershey Chocolate Factory. See the power locks in Smiths
Falls (the only ones on the Rideau, then drive by Upper Sly’s Locks
and the beautiful Kilmarnock Locks on your way back to Merrickville.
- Dine at Sam Jakes Inn again, or another of the Merrickville
restaurants, then spend the night at Sam Jakes Inn.
- After breakfast at the inn, drive to Perth, Ontario to see the
Tay Canal (an offshoot of the Rideau Canal) and explore the shops in
this beautiful small town. Perth is the site of the last fatal duel
in Canada. Lunch in Perth at one of the many restaurants – for
casual fare, visit The Hungry Planet, recommended in “Where to Eat
in Canada”.
- Travel the Old Perth Road (County Road 10), the old stagecoach
route, to Westport for absolutely beautiful scenery. Visit Foley
Mountain Conservation Area, which offers a breathtaking view of
Westport and area. Westport, a small town of 700, offers charming
shops and restaurants too. You may decide to stay at The Cove
Country Inn www.coveinn.com or
The Stepping Stone Inn
www.westport-bb-inn-weddings-spa.com/.
- Leave Westport after breakfast and travel towards Newboro. Stop
to see the locks, which mark the high point of the Rideau Canal. You
may also visit the Old Presbyterian Cemetery, and see the monument
dedicated to the miners and sappers who worked on the canal and died
here between 1826 and 1832. Continuing towards Kingston, you can
visit Upper & Lower Brewers Mills Locks, and finally Kingston Mill
locks, a truly majestic set of locks, notable for the high granite
cliffs surrounding the gorge.. Another blockhouse is located at
Kingston Mills, one of 4 on the canal.
- Journey to Kingston, and settle for a few days. Kingston was
originally designated Canada’s capital city, before the selection of
Ottawa. Visit Old Fort Henry, a 19th century British fortress and
one of Canada’s three great citadels, built to defend the Rideau
Canal (www.forthenry.com).
The Sunset Ceremony is held every Wednesday evening, from June 27 to
the end of August; try to attend a performance if you can. Visit the
Murney Tower Museum, one of the Martello towers built to defend
Kingston’s waterfront against possible American invasion. The Marine
Museum of the Great Lakes is also worth a visit (www.marmuseum.ca).
- There are many wonderful places to dine in Kingston – I
particularly recommend Chez Piggy, Kingston Brewing Company, and
Wooden Heads – but it’s hard to go wrong. You may wish to book a
room at the Rosemount Inn, a beautiful 1850’s Tuscan villa, in
downtown Kington (www.rosemountinn.com).
For a more traditional hotel, consider the Radisson Hotel, the
Holiday Inn, or the venerable Prince George Hotel (www.ramada.ca)
- all located on the Kingston waterfront.etc. Kingston is a
wonderful small city, with many summer and fall events. It is the
oldest city in Ontario. You might consider taking the “Limestone
City” Tour aboard the Confederation Tour Trolley, at Confederation
Park, across from City Hall.
- Plan to travel next to Gananoque – about ¾ hour from Kingston,
and enjoy a tour of the world renowned 1000 Islands aboard a tour
boat. Gananoque Boat Line offers a variety of tours (www.ganboatline.com).
The islands offer spectacular scenery, and a glimpse of the past:
many summer homes were built by the rich & famous in the 1920s. Make
sure your tour boat stops at Boldt Castle. This fabulous castle on
Heart Island, built to show a millionaire’s love, was sadly never
completed before his wife died. Boldt Castle also has a spectacular
period boat museum. Gananoque offers several charming inns –
Gananoque Inn (www.gananoqueinn.com)
and Trinity House Inn (www.gahttp://www.ganboatline.comnboatline.com),
both of which offer excellent dining. Visit the 1000 Islands
Playhouse, for great theatre productions (www.1000islandsplayhouse.com/).
For a change of pace, drop in at the Thousand Islands OLG Casino (www.gananoque.com/casino).
You will find many restaurants and hotels in Gananoque.
- From Gananoque, travel back to Merrickville and Sam Jakes Inn
for one more wonderful night in this charming village. Then back to
Ottawa and home.