L’EGGs Route

STATS: Distance: 352 km | Elevation: 1852 m

In the height of the last ice age Lanark County was covered by a glacier two kilometres in thickness. When the glaciers melted away they left many reminders of their presence including large boulders, or glacial erratics, randomly distributed around the countryside. Keep your eye out for them as well as sand and gravel deposits and mining on your perambulations as you follow the Erratics Route.

Located in the Lanark Highlands of the Ottawa Valley the RTBN starts and finishes in Carleton Place, Ontario. The communities of Ashton, Perth, Sharbot Lake, MacDonald’s Corners, Lanark and Almonte provide options for food and lodging along the way. With a little over half the elevation gain the Erratics Route is a mellower ride than its energetic cousin the Sugar Bush Stomp. Swinging east after Carleton Place it passes Ashton and its microbrewery, and takes the rider south of Hwy 7. Following country roads, including a deek to hook onto fabulous Gillies Sideroad with its radar dome, the route curves west towards Perth with its beautiful Stewart Park and a good variety of food and accommodation options. There is little in the way of services between Perth and Sharbot Lake so the prudent rider will stock up before embarking on this leg of the journey.

Paralleling and sometimes crossing the Tay-Havelock rail trail and the active train tracks the route climbs gently whilst following bucolic gravel  roads to Crow Lake, remarkable for its abandoned church and short section of paved road. Curving around small lakes, wetlands and ridges the route has a few punchy ascents and descents as it continues generally westward before taking a short hop north on the K and P rail trail. At the point where the route turns left off the K and P to cross HWY 38 riders who wish to get to Sharbot Lake sooner can shorten the travel time to Sharbot Lake by continuing north on the rail trail. 

After crossing HWY 38 riders can expect hilly gravel roads and a short section of ATV trail before rejoining the K and P just south of Sharbot Lake the halfway point of the Erratics Route. With a bed and breakfast and a motel right on the route and a provincial park nearby Sharbot Lake might be a logical place to look for overnight accommodations.

Passing under HWY 7 on the K and P Trail riders will then turn east and make their way towards MacDonald’s Corners. Mixed with a few short sections of pavement the route will follow some of the sweetest gravel roads in the Lanark Highlands including the Levant Mill Rd and Ranger Station Rd. After passing through Poland (no visa required) riders will take a short loop on the White’s Cemetery Rd for a bit of “unmaintained” experience before heading almost due south to Lanark where a variety of roadside food is available. A look at the map here will remind the rider that there are no stores between Lanark and Almonte. Bring some food and top up your water bottles before leaving. You will want to keep your energy levels up and be in good spirits to enjoy the ride, including the rollers on California and Bellamy roads. 

Almost home, you can find refreshments from ice cream and coffee to beer and burgers in Almonte. Follow a section of the classic Old Perth Road, a jog on Concession Rd 4A and finally Quarry Road into  Carleton Place. If you are peckish this is a fine place to take advantage of the many purveyors of victuals and beverages, perhaps overlooking the Mississippi River.

LOGISTICAL NOTES

Safety Note: There are several “uncontrolled” railway crossings on this route.

More information can be found here.