The Historic Charm
The oldest settlement along the canal is Burritt’s Rapids, which is now a haven for nature-lovers and heritage enthusiasts. The small hamlet with roots dating back to the 1790s, once bustled with the construction of the Rideau Canal. Mostly located on an island – discover the Tip to Tip trail, which runs the length of the island along the Rideau River and allows visitors to see the historic Burritt’s Rapids locks station.
Bundle up and explore villages in North Grenville through the Walking Tours of North Grenville. Get up close to local history and learn about architecturally significant buildings, culture, and interesting tidbits about each community!
Be sure to pop over to the Old Stone Mill National Historic Site, for tours of this authentic working grist mill.
Get out and explore the Rideau au naturel by hitting trails along the way. With lush greenery, rock outcroppings and pristine water, the Rideau Canal provides natural eye candy at every turn. Photo-ready scenes unravel before your eyes; this is nature at its best.
Rock Dunder, owned by the Rideau Waterway Land Trust near Morton offers a 3.8 km summit loop that is so worth the hike. Standing atop the rock at the summit gives a breathtaking view of the canal with water and treetops below stretching as far as the eye can see. Another unforgettable vantage point is near Chaffey’s Lock on a former train bridge, which is now a section of the Cataraqui Trail. The bridge dates back to the early 1900s and has recently been renovated for use with the trail. A short five minute walk through the woods from the lock awards visitors with an unforgettable view.
Foley Mountain in Westport looks out over Upper Rideau Lake from a granite ridge at Spy Rock. A three-minute walk from the parking lot gets visitors to the rock look out to see the lake and village laid out below.
The North Grenville Trail System links together 150 km of trails, roads, walkways and waterways throughout the municipality. The Sugar Bush Island Trail near Davis Lock also offers incredible views from high atop a rock lookout. It’s an easy hike among Butternut, Sugar Maple, White Pine and Bitternut trees. Be delighted by the abundance of bird life here and by finding stairs in the middle of the woods to help easily traverse some hills along the trail!