What Trails are included?

The most difficult question to answer for this book had to be, "What trails do I include?" As anyone who has hiked around Ottawa knows, there is an incredible variety of options available.

The first issue to be decided was what I meant by "Ottawa". Was it the city, the river valley, eastern Ontario, or something else? In one of the books I reviewed, Nature and Natural Areas in Canada's Capital, published by the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, the region was defined as a circle of 100-km centred on Parliament Hill. I found this definition particulalry helpful, because it did not attempt to use political boundaries or even geographical features, but simply anything within a prescribed distance.

As I continued to hike various trails and collect information, the more reasonable this 100-km circle appeared. There were clearly enough possible routes within that distance, as it included Gatineau Park, substantial portions of the Outouais region of Quebec, and most of eastern Ontario.

Next Post: How many trails, and what kind?