Seven fun things to do during lockdown: Forest skating trails, online cooking classes and virtual drives

2.3K

This week’s road trip roundup post looks a little different, because Ontario and Quebec look a bit different than they did when I wrote my last roundup post, just before Christmas. Closings, capacity restrictions, curfews—yep, it may seem like 2020 and 2021 all over again.

But don’t despair! This week’s post features lots of ideas for virtual and outdoor activities, including a few that have personally helped me stay sane and healthy over the last two years. And many of them are free!

Given the restrictions, my definition of a “road trip” is going to be a bit elastic again for the next while. Some of these online adventures could take you on a virtual trip to just about anywhere in the world. But, of course, I also have lots of ideas for outdoor fun you can enjoy right here in Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais.

So, as my mother was fond of saying, “Onwards and upwards!”

Watch top figure skaters compete

The Canadian Tire National Skating Championships (January 6 to 13) are still being held at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, but no spectators will be allowed due to current restrictions. However, you can watch all the action unfold via livestream on CBC. Some 250 skaters will compete at senior, junior and novice levels in singles, pairs and ice dancing events. The victors will go on to represent Canada in lots of international events, including the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Lace up your own skates

Want to hit the ice yourself? You have lots of outdoor rinks to choose from. Please note that different municipalities have different COVID-19 protocols outdoor rinks, so please check the links before heading out to make sure you’re aware of the rules. Here are just a few ideas to inspire you.

• The City of Ottawa’s outdoor rinks include the Rink of Dreams at City Hall and the rink at Ben Franklin Place.
• The City of Gatineau has an interactive map of its 82 outdoor rinks.
• In Brockville, the artificially chilled rink at Rotary Park is open now; this City of Brockville page has information on that rink and others that will open as the weather allows. (The page also has details on toboggan hills and other outdoor winter recreation sites.)
• You can find out about outdoor rinks in Cornwall, as well as skiing and snowshoeing trails, on this City of Cornwall page.
• Here’s the scoop on the two outdoor rinks in Perth.
• This City of Kingston page includes a map of outdoor rinks and updated information on ice conditions. At the minute, the only one open is the downtown rink at Springer Market Square, but that could change as we get deeper into winter.
• Note that groomers are getting the Rideau Canal ready for skaters, but as I write this on January 4, the canal is not open yet! Please check with the National Capital Commission for the latest information on canal conditions, and don’t venture onto the canal until the NCC gives the all-clear.

Would you rather skate in a more natural setting? How about a forest skating trail? I’ve tried the trail at Lac-des-Loups in the Gatineaus, and it is marvellous. On my visit, I skated along ice almost as smooth as a curling rink, past chickadees scrabbling over seeds at bird feeders as blue jays called out from the trees above. I almost had the place to myself (granted, the windchill was -27C) and it truly felt magical. You can learn more about that trail and half a dozen others in my just-updated skate trails post.

Take a virtual trip through a world city

Like many others early in the pandemic, I became temporarily besotted with a website called Drive and Listen. Then—as one does, in these chaotic times—I sort of forgot about it. I opened it up again this morning and remembered just how hypnotic it is.

The concept is simple: choose a city, then watch a dash-cam video of that place while listening to music from one of the city’s radio stations. This morning, I “drove” past the Colosseum in Rome as romantic Italian ballads played.

In a new twist since my earlier visits, you can also choose videos that allow you to virtually ski down mountains (including Calabogie), walk through cities and forests, cycle scenic routes, and more. You can even enjoy the view from windows all over the world, if you need a bit of virtual calm. The videos are pre-recorded, not livestreams.

Trust me—once you try this site, you’ll find it addictive. And no pre- or post-trip PCR tests required! (P.S.: I checked Toronto’s city driving video and found myself on the Gardiner Expressway at rush hour—so not all of the choices are equally scenic.????)

Sign up for an online cooking class

Ottawa’s Urban Element is just one of many cooking schools and shops that have gone partly or totally virtual over the last two years. Upcoming online classes include vegetarian Thai (January 16), date-night dumplings (January 21) and Moroccan cooking (January 30). Each class includes home delivery of the ingredients you need, so you need to reserve a bit in advance.

Over at Ottawa’s C’est Bon Cooking, private 90-minute virtual cooking classes—focusing on everything from eggs to sushi—are available by reservation. There’s also a six-session Learn to Cook course that will teach you all the basics; the next online series for that class starts on January 11.

(P.S.: If you’re just trying some new-to-you recipes on your own and need help finding some unusual ingredients, check out my huge post on where to buy international groceries in Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais.)

Take up meditation

Has learning the ancient practice of meditation been on your New Year’s resolution list for a while? With many of our usual distractions temporarily unavailable, perhaps this is the year to delve inside instead.

During the pandemic, I’ve greatly enjoyed the 30-minute Weekday Morning Meditation Practice offered on Zoom by the Ottawa Shambhala Centre. Each starts with a short reading, followed by about 25 minutes of silent meditation. Payment is by donation, and the centre could really use the funding if you can afford it; two years of paying rent on a closed building are taking their toll. The centre’s full calendar of meditation sessions, classes and courses includes options for both beginners and seasoned meditators; some have a required payment, while others are available for free or by donation.

If you’d rather start on your own, meditation apps abound, including the wildly popular Calm. For years, I’ve used an excellent free app called Insight Timer, which offers hundreds of guided meditations ranging from short pauses to help you focus at work to long sessions to help you drift to sleep at night. There’s also a timer function if you prefer to simply sit in silence. If you like the app, you can pay a fee to support the developers. Insight Timer also sells in-depth virtual courses.

Explore a winter trail

Grab your outdoor gear (a warm pair of boots may be all you need) and explore some of the many, many winter trails in our region. For all of these trails, “weather permitting” is the key thing to keep in mind. Check websites before heading out for the latest details on snow and trail conditions.

Gatineau Park has 11 kilometres of winter hiking and walking trails. Easy options you can access from the P3 parking lot include the 1.3-kilometre Pioneers Trail and the 1.6-kilometre Capital Pathway. Seeking something more challenging? Try the 4.5-kilometre Lauriault Trail, starting from the Mackenzie King Estate. Access to all of the park’s winter walking and hiking trails is free.

If cross-country skiing is more your thing, some 200 kilometres of groomed ski trails also criss-cross the park. You’ll need to buy a pass to use those.

In the western part of the Outaouais, Ski Pontiac offers more than 10km of groomed ski and snowshoe trails through the Pine Lodge golf course in Bristol.

The Rideau Winter Trail hugs the eastern and southern shore of the Rideau River in downtown Ottawa, between Donald Street and Billings Bridge. On Monday, January 10, the trail’s managers are having a virtual meeting to discuss new plans for the trail and to recruit volunteers to help groom the route for use by cross-country skiers, fat bikers, walkers and snowshoers.

Other urban winter trails in Ottawa include the multi-use Kìchì Sìbì Winter Trail along the Ottawa River between the Canadian War Museum and Westboro Beach, and the cross-country Ski Heritage East Trail along the Ottawa River from the Canada Aviation and Space Museum to Orleans.

Roaming further afield? Here’s a post I wrote in December 2021 about three winter hiking trails in Kemptville, Brockville and Westport.

Looking to keep up with the latest news on what you can see and do in our region? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter! For even more road tripping ideas, pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.