27 Jul, 2009
Move over Thomas: the Wakefield Steam Train rocks my tracks
Posted by andrea tomkins in: - Ottawa for kids|Easy ways to make kids happy|Ottawa
Last week SavvyMom published my latest piece called Choo Choose the Train which highlights some neat little ideas for families with trainspottin’ transportation-crazy kids.
(As a sidenote, I would like to mention that if you’re an Ottawa-area parent and you’re not a subscriber yet, please consider signing up. You won’t regret it. It’s a great – and FREE! – resource for family-friendly activities around Ottawa.)
I really enjoyed writing that article. I have always loved taking the train. There’s something that is so absolutely Zen about it. Maybe it’s the hypnotic thump of the rails passing underneath – a rhythm akin to a heartbeat. Maybe it’s because driving is more stressful than I ever thought. Maybe it’s the fact that I can read a newspaper, drink a coffee and look out the window AT THE SAME TIME that is so appealing?
Whatever the reason … I digress. The SavvyMom piece was about trains. I sincerely hope there aren’t parents out there who believe that trains are only interesting to boys or Thomas-lovin’ toddlers. My girls have always loved trains, scratch that, they are nuts about any kind of transportation. (i.e. When we went to the Dragonboat Festival we took a *shuttle bus* from the Carleton parking lot to Mooney’s Bay. You’d think they were on a rocket ship or something. That’s how excited they were.)
Now think of how cool it would be to take an old steam train on a rambling journey to Wakefield. The Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam train was one of the train-related ideas I mentioned in the SavvyMom piece. I wanted to post a few pics and a few extra thoughts about our trip. I can’t describe how much fun it was … not just for the kids, but for all of us.
We boarded in Hull Gatineau. Oh the excitement!
(Imagine an additional 20 photos of some Very Excited Children.)
Seating is arranged in groups of four around good-sized tables… perfect for doodling, dreaming, reading, snacking, or just enjoying the view:
It is a very scenic trip. Not that it needed livening up (note the accordian player in the photo above!) but we enjoyed intermittent commentary of our bilingual in-train tourguide.
Before we knew it we were there. We disembarked, got a good look at the train and found out how they turn it around. (!) VERY COOL.
We walked through the village of Wakefield to Chez Eric, a restaurant which was recommended by a friend. It did not disappoint. In fact, I think it was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time:
Mark had some chicken chili:
Emma ordered the grilled cheese (declared to be “the best ever”):
Sarah and I shared the Quebec cheese plate. It was drizzled in honey and a balsamic reduction (I think). Pardon me while I wipe away the drool:
(Yes, my vegan eating regime went out the window that day.)
Speaking of which, there was ice-cream too (also not vegan):
I didn’t realize it at the time but I think we managed to plan our trip for the warmest day of the summer.
Soon it was time to board for the trip home, which they signal by blowing the whistle. There are two boarding platforms, which is great in case you find yourself stuck on one side of Wakefield. (As they point out, it’s a VERY EXPENSIVE cab ride back to Gatineau. SO DON’T MISS THE TRAIN!)
The journey back to Gatineau went by just as quickly. There was lots of distraction to be had in the form of free facepainting:
… and more excellent live music (these also happen to be the guys who turned our train around):
Pretty neat huh?
If you’re going to go, there are a few things you need to know:
- There are bathrooms on the train, but unless there’s a bigger one I don’t know about the ones I saw were very small. (Parents: It might be very challenging to undertake a diaper change!)
- Seats are assigned. Book ahead of time.
- It’s a 90-minute trip to Wakefield with a two hour stay in Wakefield. It’s enough time to poke around the shops OR eat lunch at a restaurant but it might be tough to do both.
- The trip back to Gatineau is 90 minutes. This might be a long day for some, so come prepared!
- There were TONS of families on the train. I’d been holding off because I thought my kids were too little. I was wrong.
- There is food (and coffee!) available, as well as train-related souvenirs if you are so inclined.
- You can buy a boxed lunch on the train (which is prepared on the train) to take with you to Wakefield. We didn’t go this route so I can’t judge the food, but it seems like a good option for those who didn’t pack a picnic.
Anyway, we enjoyed this trip very much. It’s a little on the pricey side (click here for rates), but it was money well spent. There’s a Sunset Dinner Train (the Club Riviera Car is adult only!) which I think Mark and I might have to try out in the near future. I wonder if they’d let us bring a bottle of wine? ;)