Ontario Trails - Great Waterfront Trail Adventure heads north to Uxbridge

All Ontario Trails, All The Time

Great Waterfront Trail Adventure heads north to Uxbridge

Annual ride ditches waterfront in favour of new Greenbelt Route

Uxbridge Times Journal

UXBRIDGE -- A new cycling event is coming to the trails of Uxbridge as the annual Great Waterfront Trail Adventure moves north, and off the Waterfront Trail.

The six-day ride, which runs from Aug. 16 through the 21, will be traveling along Ontario’s new Greenbelt Route, which spans seven regions from Niagara to Northumberland, including Uxbridge.

“Just as the Waterfront Trail has done, the Greenbelt Route will help boost Ontario’s reputation as a premier cycling destination,” said Marlaine Koehler, executive director of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, which organizes the ride.

“The new route will help serve the growing cycle tourism industry in Ontario, which brings in millions of dollars every year, and give locals and tourists access to attractions, natural landmarks and conservation areas.”

The trail enters Durham in Uxbridge along the Uxbridge-Pickering Townline before heading north up to Brookdale Road, then back down into Whitby and across Myrtle Road through Oshawa and Clarington into Northumberland.

Riders along the route will have a chance to explore the communities they travel through, shopping and enjoying local cuisine.

“Spaces are filling up fast for the ride,” Ms. Koehler said. “Each year, cyclists come from all over the country and beyond to ride with us. We always sell out quickly so I would urge people to sign up now to avoid disappointment.”

The Greenbelt Route is the result of a three-year initiative by the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, in collaboration with the 27 communities along the route.

This year the Waterfront Trail Adventure will begin in Roseneath and finish in Niagara, with overnight stays in Port Hope, Uxbridge, King Township, Halton Hills and Hamilton.

“This adventure will increase appreciation for the world’s largest Greenbelt,” said Burkhard Mausberg, CEO of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. “Come be the first to experience the plentiful forests, rivers, welcoming towns, and family farms along this exciting cycle tourism attraction.”

If six days seems like a bit too much for some riders, participants also have the option of signing up for the three-day Taste of the Greenbelt Tour.