Jun 13 - Wakefield & Bate Island Park

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After a cool, windy weekend we decided it was time for a picnic. 

The weather, although a little "sameish" this morning, was 

supposed to improve during the day, so we figured why not!

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We headed back to Wakefield, that pretty little village on the 

Gatineau River just a short drive north and west of Cantley. 

Lovely! By the time we got there the sun was shining. During our

last visit, we noticed a bakery across the street. This morning, I 

suggested we check it out for goodies. Well, wasn't that special!

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After devouring a lemon tart (J) and a chocolate croissant (D), 

and coffee, we chatted with one of the staff, a gentleman who is 

sculpting a granite likeness of P.E. Trudeau in his buckskin garb. The finished, life-sized sculpture will be displayed at a marina in Ottawa. The gentleman estimated it was going to take him 18 months to complete his work.

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He suggested that we should check out the old mill, now a hotel, just up the hill and also, if we were interested, the grave of Lester B. Pearson, former PM of Canada. So we did. I had no idea that Pearson was buried in Wakefield! Visiting his grave was special.

Returning to Wakefield, down the hill, we stopped at the old mill and I shot this video. The river is the La Pêche. What a pretty spot.

Afterwards, we headed west across the top of the Gatineau Park, then just passed the town of Sainte-Cécile-de-Masham, we turned south towards the Ottawa River. Partway down the road, the asphalt turned to gravel. Amazing in this day and age, a National Park in "downtown" Gatineau still has a gravel segment to it. Anyway, driving through the park was nothing to write home about.

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We turned left onto Hwy 148 and headed east towards the Champlain Bridge to Ottawa. Part way across the bridge is Bate Island. We stopped there for our picnic lunch.

"Oops, it's getting late. We better head 

back before we run into rush hour traffic."

 Traffic wasn't bad and we were back at 

the park in no time. 

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Today was a nice day. We really enjoyed 

Wakefield (again) and I would definitely 

return for another chocolate croissant! 

Maybe I will!!

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See you tomorrow when we go to pick up 

our passports with our US visas. And we 

are going to tour the Aviation Museum just east of Ottawa. See you there!