Spring Cycling the Niagara Area & Toronto's Greenbelt

.
Many cycling tours in Ontario are easily accessible, either close to urban areas or near quaint, hospitable country towns.  Dust up your bike and enjoy leisurely Spring cycling tours.
.
Welland Canal Locks
Riders can start or stop anywhere along the 475 km route (or for the most ambitious, ride from end to end). With 1,100 signs along the way to keep you from getting lost, the Greenbelt Route is a world-class cycle tourism offering taking residents through Ontario’s protected Greenbelt.

For those looking to venture off the main route, on www.greenbelt.ca/route you will find additional “local loops” taking riders on scenic day trips or multi-day vacations across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.  Like the Route itself, each local loop is customizable with hundreds of points of interest so you can tailor your experience to your specific interests - such as museums, galleries, beaches, conservation areas, and more.

Multi-Day Trips
The Greater Niagara Circle Route is a 140 km loop taking riders from the shores of Lake Ontario to the shores of Lake Erie. Cycle along the Niagara River and through the quaint countryside.  Riders pass through former battlefields, scenic vistas and must-experience attractions including wineries, culinary hot spots, Niagara Parks’ attractions and the Niagara Gorge.


Fruitland Ramble
The Oak Ridges to Lake Loop is a 201 km loop through Northumberland and Peterborough, with some of the most scenic cycling and taste of place culinary experiences in the region.  Stop at the Canadian Canoe Museum, enjoy fresh baked foods at Pastry Peddler, or take a break on the Beach at Bond Head.

Oak Ridges, ON
Rice Lake Ramble is a shorter 74km loop for riders looking for a shorter excursion in Northumberland. Take a stroll in Peter’s Woods Provincial Nature Reserve, the sole-surviving Oak Ridges Moraine ‘old growth’ forest in Ontario.  Other stops along the way include Hillview Haven Estate, the shops and galleries of downtown Alderville, and the Cobourg beach and pier.


Rice Lake Ramble
For a true Greenbelt experience, the Village Roundabout loop in York is a 59 km route almost entirely in the protected beauty of the Greenbelt.  Riders can spend the weekend in the countryside and enjoy a day-long ride with stops at Cold Creek Conservation Area, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, and downtown Kleinberg.


Leathertown Spin
For a shorter ride that still offers a challenge, the Credit River Ride is a 30 km loop in the countryside, with stops in Inglewood, downtown Belfontain, the Cheltenham Badlands and Spirit Tree Estate Winery.  To the South the Leather Town Spin in Halton offers 38 km on quiet and well paved rural roads, passing bountiful farm fields, lush forests, and a variety of wetlands.

River Ride
The Greenbelt Route has something for every rider, and with thousands of points of interest available to add to any route.  You can customize your trip to get the most out of your time in the Greenbelt.  To complete your journey in the area, consider staying with a local host and book accommodation at a Greenbelt Bed & Breakfast with the help of BBCanada.com.

Read More:

http://www.greenbelt.ca/

http://www.canoemuseum.ca/

http://www.pastrypeddler.ca/

https://www.ontariobybike.ca/great-places-to-cycle

https://www.bbcanada.com/ontario/southwest_ontario

https://www.bbcanada.com/ontario/niagara_falls_and_wine_country


.

Late Winter Impressions on Vancouver Island

Daffodils

All images were taken at the Horticultural Center of the Pacific in Saanich-Victoria, on the Southern Tip of Vancouver Island in mid-March

Erica and Hellebores

“A direct descendant of the famous tree, grafted from a branch of the original Golden Spruce, onto Sitka Spruce rootstock. Because this tree was grafted from a lower branch of the original tree, it lacks the hormone needed to make one branch turn upwards to form a dominant vertical “leader”. Therefore, it can only form a bush, rather than the typical triangular shape of normal trees. To our knowledge, this is the oldest surviving direct descendant of the original tree”, as described by the Horticultural Garden.

Descendant of the original Golden Spruce

The Horticultural Gardens offer lots of interesting workshops throughout the year, 

for example:

The Art of Bonsai - Design and Care

Healthy Soil - Microbes for the Garden

Advanced Pruning

Native Plants and Their Use

Getting Started with Backyard Beekeeping

Amazing Stonework

Hazel Shrubs & Magnolias blooming

Huge Varieties of Bonsai in the Japanese Garden

Hellebores, lovely Winter Blooms in all Colors

Here are the address and their website

Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd, Victoria, BC http://hcp.ca
.

.

Enjoy your visit at all times of the year!

.