Lake Erie’s North Shore has some pretty incredible views. Essex County’s picturesque cottage country includes wineries and farms with panoramic backdrops of Lake Erie. As summer begins, and many in Windsor/ Essex/ Pelee Island consider how best to make the most of the warm and sunny days ahead, the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail awaits.
This particular trail system is a project of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust and extends far beyond Essex County. Various trails are mapped out for multi-day trips to easy afternoon jaunts. The complete route provides 3,000 kms of trail through 140 communities and First Nations along the Canadian side of all of the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail has created detailed maps of every partner community indicating where local tourist attractions are located in addition to amenities and services cyclists might need along the way.
Leamington, Kingsville and Pelee Island are connected to the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail by over approximately 65 km of cycling trails. The Pelee Island trail is 28 km around the island that runs right along the shore most of the way.
The route goes past sprawling vineyards of Canada’s largest estate winery near the southwest corner of the island and connects at points north and south to provincial parks that boast globally significant birds, rare plants and species at risk.
Natural and untouched beaches dot the east shore. Biking on the island presents a largely flat trek with only the occasional car passing by. There are paved and unpaved sections that require off road friendly tires able to handle loose gravel.
The Island’s main access road, West Shore Road has been battered by record high lake levels and high west winds over the course of the last two years and is currently a gravel road after a wind event in mid-April.
Township of Pelee Treasurer, Michelle Feltz confirms that the municipality recently committed $605,000 to repair the most severely damaged sections of West Shore Road. Work is set to begin in the coming weeks.
Former Mayor Rick Masse, owner of Comfortech Bike Rentals, is hoping the road repairs on West Shore will return the road to a paved surface. “I believe it would be helpful if we could get blacktop back down, it would go a long way to make the road bike friendly,” he said. Masse acknowledged budget constraints may prevent further amenities like dedicated bike or pedestrian lanes.
According to a recent cycle tourism survey, “47% of respondents will do more cycling this summer than in the year prior.” The survey was conducted in part by the Great Lake Waterfront Trail, Ontario by Bike, Transportation Options, and Share the Road Cycling Coalition.
The study found that “46% of cyclists will increase activity locally.” Research also indicated that “91% approve of communities reassigning road space for cycling and pedestrians within their home communities.” Respondents cited easy social distancing as a key factor to enjoying cycling as a main outdoor activity.
Cycling presents a greener opportunity to discover your backyard this summer while burning off a few of those quarantine calories.
For a comprehensive downloadable map, in addition to up-to-date trail information, visit waterfronttrail.org.
To learn more about Pelee Island visit pelee.org.
Sources:
Ontario Bicyclists Eager to Hit the Trail and Boost Ontario Tourism Recovery
Cycle Tourism & Cycling Activity Survey Report
Bike route sign photo: Cathy Miller
Girl on bike photo: Sam Farhat
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Cathy + Kevin Miller
Inn Keeps
The Wandering Dog Inn
1060 East West Rd. Pelee Island
www.thewanderingdoginn.com