The beautiful valley
The Vinton plain is crisscrossed by dirt-roads which pass along the river and offer a
beautiful view of Grand Calumet Island.
From Pembroke : Follow Highway 148 until Vinton or Campbell’s
Bay, towards
Hull.
From Portage du Fort : Follow Highway 303 towards Shawville. On Highway 148 turn
left towards Campbell’s Bay, then Vinton.
From Hull : Take Highway 148 until Campbell’s Bay or Vinton.
From Vinton, three tours can be made. One of 10 km, another of 13.8 km, and then the
last one of 19.6 km.
From Campbell’s Bay, two tours can be made, one of 12.8 km and another of 22.4 km.
Part of this tour is done on the Cyclopark PPJ bicycle trail, part on the dirt
roads.
In a very dry period, the cars can raise an unpleasant dust. During week
days, however,
there are not many cars and then there isn’t much dust..
- From Vinton
Tour of 13.8 km (No. 2)
You can leave you car near the Church. Take the Vinton road northwest until Sloan Road
(Chemin Sloan). Follow Sloan Road until the Cyclopark PPJ. Taking a northerly direction,
follow the Cyclopark PPJ until Callaghan Road (Chemin Callaghan). Turn left on Callaghan
Road then turn right at the intersection of Ridge Road (Chemin Ridge). You will be close
to the Ottawa River and travel along it for the main part of your tour. You will cross an
animal breeding prairie region. At the top of a slope you can admire a beautiful view of
the River. After the slope, you will see a little island that you can get to. Turn on the
next road right on the little island. From here you will appreciate the immensity of the
Grand Calumet Island. By following the river downstream, you will see rocky cliffs near
Campbell’s Bay.
Follow the road until Sloan Road (Chemin Sloan) which brings you back to the Vinton
Church.
Tour of 19.6 km (No.3)
You do the same tour as before but just after the island, don’t take Sloan Road
(Chemin Sloan), but continue straight ahead until the junction with the Cyclopark PPJ.
Take the Cyclopark again towards the north. When you arrive at Sloan Road, turn left
towards Vinton.
Tour of 10 km (No1)
From Vinton, take Sloan Road (Chemin Sloan) until its end then turn left at the
junction with the Cyclopark PPJ. Take the Cyclopark towards the north. At the Sloan Road
junction, turn right towards Vinton.
- From Campbell’s Bay
Leave your car in front of the Campbell’s Bay Church or at the service area
near the restaurants, which is located along the Cyclopark PPJ.
Take the Cyclopark towards the north until Bank Road (Chemin Bank), then turn left. You
will reach the Ottawa River and travel along until Sloan Road (Chemin Sloan). You now have
two choices :
Tour of 22.4 km
Continue straight ahead until Callaghan Road (Chemin Callaghan). Follow Callaghan Road
until its junction with the Cyclopark PPJ. Take again the Cyclopark PPJ toward
Campbell’s Bay (south). At the junction with Sloan Road (Chemin Sloan), you can
travel towards Vinton (another 2.8 km there and back).
Tour of 12.8 km
Take Sloan Road (Chemin Sloan), then the junction with the Cyclopark PPJ, turn right
towards Campbell’s Bay.
Vinton is situated on a hillside in front a rich plain where livestock breeding is the
main activity. The village has a beautiful gothic Church, called St-Elizabeth. It was
built in 1877, burnt on Easter morning in 1896, and was rebuilt immediately. You can visit
the Church by appointment only, call
(819) 648 3879. In front of the Church, there is a general store, the McCrank convenience
store, which has been at the service of its clientele faithfully since 1830, in a wooden
pine timber house. The Vinton plain is criss-crossed by gravel roads some of which follow
the river and offer a beautiful view of Grand Calumet Island. The land that you will pass
is used for the cattle breeding. The calves live with their mothers and give good quality
meat. Horses are also bred here. On some fences you can see swallow nests. Because of
these birds, the farmers can avoid using pesticides against insects.
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