Intro to Hike Trails around Ottawa & Gatineau

Hiking in the Ottawa and Gatineau area is something I started appreciating recently. Actually it's become somewhat of an obsession. I mean, have you ever met someone who says that they can't go a day without running? I only started understanding their need to run when I started this hiking obsession. 

Wetlands of Stony Swamp

Pink Lake in Gatineau Park

Stony Swamp, Chipmunk's Trail 
located in the Green Belt

You're probably wondering why would it seem so appealing for a city girl to love hiking? 

Champlain Lookout in Gatineau Park

1) Fresh air. I really love trees, don't you?
2) Complete isolation at times, or the feeling of being free in this beautiful world we live in. Alternately, we can say this provides me with an awareness of being alone, helping me reflect on life matters
3) Wildlife encounters. I've seen a lot of chipmunks, squirrels, birds, turtles, frogs and a few snakes. No bear or coyote pack encounters, thankfully. 
4) Exercise. Seriously, I feel like hiking is more interesting as compared to visiting your local gym because of the various settings that you can choose from. Also, you can choose trails that are easy, moderate or challenging to provide great cardio exercise. 
5) Adventure. I love exploring places that I've never been to so this works for me. Every trail I go to is giving me the opportunity to explore and learn something new, whether it's about terrain, animals, plants, weather, hiking tactics. 

This chipmunk posed for about 5 minutes.
I was trying to get as close as possible
for the photo and didn't want to scare him away.
My hand was shaking!

Quarry trail in Kanata

Fungi growing on tree stump

Hiking is really a learn-as-you-go experience for me.

Lac des Fees trail in Gatineau

The first official hike that I ever went on was my trip to Baracoa, Cuba. The hike path was located in a mountain called El Yunque, which is said to be approximately 575m.

El Yunque hike in Baracoa, Cuba

I didn't develop my love for hiking here. I did however learn that a long, straight, tough tree branch for a walking stick would be wise and helpful halfway through the hike. Mind you, it was actually 4-4.5 hour hike that I thought would take only 2-3 hours. 

I was definitely a newbie, idiotic hiker. 

Yes, it's surprising that I didn't injure myself this time (I'm known to be prone to injuries...we'll learn about this later). I seriously almost fell 3 times but the walking stick saved my life. 

Besides the walking stick, sunglasses, sunscreen, and my water bottle, I did not have any of the other 10 essentials. However, I was with 3 other people and 1 of them was a guide. NEVER go alone on a hike!! Always bring a friend, especially if it's a complicated hike in unknown territory. Remember injuries can happen quite easily. Just so you know, I never go alone, even if I know it's an easy and familiar trail. 

10 essentials? what is that anyways?

Basically, if I can remember by heart... 
1)Map

Mackenzie Estate Trail to Waterfall

2)Extra clothes
3) Water
4)Compass
5) Knife
6)Food
7)First aid Kit
8)Fire starter
9) Flashlight
10) Sunglasses and sunscreen or bug spray... especially in my case since I don't enjoy flies bumping into my face

I basically had to double check on wikipedia cause I was only able to recite maybe 8/10 of these, hm... still learning!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Essentials

Lac des Fees

So basically, my love for hiking came right after I got injured from jogging on a treadmill. It was a light injury when it started, I thought maybe ITBS but it turned out to be more sinister. 

So the story goes like this:

I had just switched part-time at work because I needed to recuperate and focus on enjoying other activities besides working all the time. I felt that I was becoming burnt-out. I used to be more active when I was a teen many years ago and I thought physical activity was the best thing I could do to get my spirits back up. 

Pinhey Forest, Hunt Club West End Ottawa

And that's exactly what happened. Increased energy, positive mood overall happiness, were some of the things that I began to feel. In fact, I thought I could do more. 

And I did. (Which was actually quite dumb on my part, but I felt great while it lasted!)

Besides the obvious toning of the muscles, all those aforementioned byproducts or results of being active, motivated me to do more, which included all of the following: swimming, going to the gym, biking, jogging, rollerblading, hiking, going to yoga, etc.

I started to have a left sided intermittent pain when walking on my left leg. It was right behind the knee. Of course, I saw my physiotherapist who then treated me. I felt great after a few days, and so I began my crazy workouts again. One of the places that my physiotherapist introduced me to was Pink Lake in Gatineau Park. This fascination and enjoyment with a new found discovery of activities to do in the Ottawa-Gatineau region began, and so developed my new interest in hiking. 

How ironic, it was through injury, that I began to appreciate and explore more hiking trails. 

My obsession with hiking combined with all my other activities lead to even further injury. Not just one, but both legs, of which I got bilateral knee sprains due to overuse. Yes, this was a very predictable and eventual outcome that I do admit was both stupid and stubborn on my part. 

Disclaimer: I do not recommend exercising like a maniac, however I do recommend adding hikes from time to time in your weekly or monthly workout routine. Of course, the hikes vary in each place so you must research and check out the level of difficulty. Also, come prepared...refer to 10 essentials list as mentioned above.  Don't do what I did for my first hike in Cuba, so come prepared! 

First hiking spot in Gatineau: 
Pink Lake late evening

Second hike spot in Ottawa: Shirley's Bay late evening

Wetlands of stony swamp, different section: me with a walking stick

I know hiking is something I will probably do for the rest of my life. It's something I enjoy, with or without injury! But I prefer without :)

I highly recommend checking out the trails I mentioned because there's lots of new things to see, and above all, it's a healthy and enjoyable physical activity. 

Above all, be safe! 

Here are some other tips that I would like to mention for day hikes:

-Always bring or check a map of where you will be hiking so that you can orient yourself (in case you get lost) and plan your route

-Always bring a friend! DO NOT go hiking alone

-Bring a cellphone in case you need help. Signal may be weak, but it's better than nothing

-Bring bug spray and sunscreen

-Hand sanitizer and tissue paper is a good idea to bring in your bag

-Swiss army knife is a great tool to have

-Dress appropriately; I usually wear pants and a shirt and wrap a light coat or sweater around my waist. If too hot, layers are easier to remove, otherwise you're at risk of being cold

-Research and know how to respond to possible dangerous encounters  or situations (ex. wild animals, poison ivy, injury attained during hike, etc. Knowing basic first aid helps.) If you have allergies or certain medical conditions, be smart! (I have asthma so I always bring my puffers in case I need them)

-WATER!! I always fill up my bottle cause I know I will need it!

Identify poison ivy!
Leaves of three, let it be!

 Familiarizing with map of Mackenzie-King estate

Mer bleue, East Ottawa

Bring a camera! Have some fun and take pictures so you remember your time spent on the trail. I also use the camera on my cellphone to take pictures of the maps for the trails. I also input the NCC helpline number in case of an emergency or dangerous wildlife encounter

Huron lookout, Gatineau Park
(Lookouts are a great areas to take tourists)

Special thanks to my awesome physiotherapist: Kyle. He helped me throughout my injury, which allowed me to continue checking out the various hike trails. Check out his website at www.getphysicalphysiotherapy.com

For more info on hike trails, visit: 

1) Ottawa Greenbelt area: http://www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places-to-visit/greenbelt/things-to-do/hiking-walking-greenbelt

2) Gatineau Park: http://www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places-to-visit/gatineau-park/things-to-do/hiking-walking-gatineau-park