The hike with a couple friends on Sunday went extremely well. First, we stopped at the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre to drop off our application forms to spend a night in one of the park’s cabins in January — we should know soon if we’re successful. (Hopefully more on that later!)
Then it was off to P12 (parking lot #12) at O’Brien Beach on Meech Lake. Off we went on Trail #36, part of the TransCanada Trail. A little steep at some points and with a healthy population of hard-working mountain bikers to watch out for, the trail was a delight, winding up and down through woods, marshes and along Meech Lake.
After an hour, we turned around and retraced our steps, enjoying the intermittent sunshine (though it was cool in the shadows).
We felt we deserved a treat, so we we headed back to Ottawa and indulged in burgers at Chez Lucien on Murray Street in the ByWard Market neighbourhood. Made with beef from O’Brien Farms south of Ottawa, and topped with carmelized onions, jalapenos and cheese, they’re delectable. And you feel virtuous because they’re served with both salad and fries! A great end to a great hike!
