Walking in the Capital
/by Sasha As I write this, it is a beautiful sunny day in Ottawa. Spring has finally, truly arrived! And so baby and I were out enjoying one of our favourite pastimes: walking the bike paths.
CNN bills Ottawa as one of the world's most bike friendly cities. But the 170km of bike paths are not just a boon for cyclists: they are also great for the strollering set. And as an added bonus: it takes a stroller a lot longer to burn through all that pavement.
My favourite stretch of paths runs along the river, from Andrew Haydon Park up to Parliament Hill, partly because of where we live but the views are also lovely.
Although there are some sections that are designated pedestrian-only, it is important to remember that the path is shared between pedestrians and cyclists. Some rules of safety and etiquette for pedestrians to keep in mind:
- walk on the right, and leave room to pass on the left
- if you are using headphones, make sure you can still hear someone coming behind you
- cyclists should ring their bell before passing - if they do, it's nice to give them a little wave so they know you heard them
But the number one rule: the nice weather is here, so get out and enjoy it!
Where do you like to go walking in the capital?
Sasha is mom to 2-year-old Miss Bea, and 4 month old Baby Em. Her ramblings can also be found on her blog, The Rambling Stroller.
