08 Jan, 2013
New XC ski trail discovery (well, for us anyway)
Posted by andrea tomkins in: - Ottawa for kids|Easy ways to make kids happy|Ottawa|sanity saving parent tips
We checked out a new trail last weekend and it was FAB. If you’re a cross-country skiing family and are looking for something new, try Green’s Creek in Ottawa’s east end. We discovered that it had everything we wanted in a cross-country ski trail: it was scenic, with speedy straightaways, curvy forest trails, and a couple of satisfying hills to boot.
The hill pictured directly below was one a good one. You zip down, turning as you go, right onto a bridge with open water underneath. (!)
But it was pretty smooth sailing after that.
Curious about how many calories are burned when you cross-country ski? You should read this Globe and Mail article. There are many health benefits to cross-country skiing, and the best thing is that (a) it’s one of those sports you can do as a family (b) and it’s one of those sports you can do your entire life.
After we looped back to the parking lot we took a run down the resident hill. I didn’t know there was such nice tobogganing to be found at Green’s Creek! You east enders have been keeping it a secret from the rest of us, haven’t you? (It is pretty. Here’s a panorama I shot if you’d like a wider view.)
Sadly, the sledding part of our day was cut short. About five seconds after I snapped the photo above Sarah had a big wipe out partway down the hill. Sigh.
Can I share some hard-earned words of parental wisdom?
- Make sure kids sit on their derrières and HOLD ON TO THE SLED as they are hurtling down the hill.
- Do not go skiing over lunch time without packing lunch as it results in (1) seriously grumpy behaviour among children and (2) cravings for fast food among parents. Related: bring high-energy snacks and water.
Aside from the wipeout and near starvation, it was a good day, and I can’t wait to go back.
