Fantastic Fredericton

FREDERICTON, New Brunswick — It’s hard for me to say for sure what my favourite type of bike ride might be. I often get great pleasure out of a short trip to the local market to collect food for lunch. I also very much enjoy a leisurely ride around town, stopping for an afternoon latte. Some days, though, I require a bit of a sprint to burn off some energy — and calories!

But I suppose if I’m hard-pressed to choose just one place to go for a ride, it’s always been a special feeling to follow the path of a river. The anticipation of not knowing what’s around the next bend is like a metaphor for life. Some days, the water is smooth and peaceful. Other days, rough and choppy. Sometimes, the sunlight dances on the surface of the river. Other times, clouds cast shadows. No matter the conditions, there’s a sense of serenity I get from the rhythmic sound of my wheels accompanying the soothing sound of the nearby flowing river.

I’ve been blessed to ride along a variety of wonderful river paths — my hometown of Winnipeg has several, in fact — and on a recent trip to New Brunswick, I found a few beauties — and lots of other great trails — in the Canadian province’s capital city of Fredericton.

Known as a cultural hub with many museums, historic sites, theatre and music festivals, Fredericton also offers tranquil tree-lined streets, charming Victorian architecture — and despite the metropolitan area having a smallish population of approximately 110,000, it has most of the amenities found in larger cities. And for our purposes, it has one of the premier trail systems in the Maritimes, with over 120 kilometres of non-motorized, multi-use pathways on both sides of the Wolastoq (Saint John) and Nashwaak rivers. There are a total of 25 trails, mostly along former rail lines that were converted in the 1990s, that offer a variety of urban, suburban and wilderness environments.

Trails to try…

• South Riverfront: Passing through what locals call The Green, this 3.6-kilometre paved route is adjacent to the downtown area and winds along the majestic Wolastoq. There are numerous viewpoints along the path and some wonderful works of public art, including one of the city’s most colourful pieces, a mural by Tobique First Nation artist Emma Hassencahl-Perley that features warm and bright colours inspired by the sunrise. The path will also take you past the Fredericton Cenotaph, a memorial dedicated on Nov. 11, 1923 to the 109 Fredericton soldiers who died in WWI. Lest we Forget;

• ‍Valley Trail: This is easily my favourite ride in the area. The 10.7-km mostly gravel path, which is also a section of the Trans Canada Trail, heads west from the city and offers expansive views of the Wolastoq. Interestingly, a significant portion of the path passes through a residential neighbourhood where homeowners have graciously allowed the route to cut through their waterfront properties. There are some fabulous backyards to admire. The final section of the path is through a beautiful forest of trees. A must-do ride, folks;

• Lincoln Trail: On the east side of downtown, this flat 8.8-km route also follows the Wolastoq and travels through woods and several subdivisions. It passes streams, beaver ponds and follows the fence on one of the runways at the Fredericton Airport. It ends at the bridge over the Oromocto River;

• Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge: Yes, you can also ride over it! The former railway bridge traverses the Wolastoq, connecting the north and south sides of Fredericton. The 0.6-kilometre crossing is named after a prominent figure in the community who served for many years as a teacher and vice-principal at Fredericton High School and also spent time in municipal politics. Thorpe’s advocacy for walking trails in the city and his vision of transforming the abandoned rail beds into safe, recreational pathways earned him the recognition as father of the Fredericton Trail System;

• North Riverfront: Hang a left as you cross the bridge and head west again, this time along the north side of the Wolastoq. This wide-open, crushed rock 4.4-km route passes through picturesque Carleton Park, a waterfront green space that offers a spectacular view of Fredericton's downtown and amazing sunsets. The path concludes at Nashwaaksis Stream Nature Park, a unique ecosystem that is a habitat for waterfowl, wildlife, flora and fauna and many wetland plants. Stop and look at the interpretive kiosks describing the wetland and its inhabitants. It was as quiet as quiet gets in this little nook of nature;

• Northside: Cross over Main Street from the end of the North Riverfront Trail to connect to this trail that heads either westward to the mouth of the Keswick River — a tributary of the Wolastoq — or eastward, back toward the trail hub at the north end side of the Thorpe bridge. The Northside trail has a fair bit of stopping and starting as it passes across a large number of residential streets, but it’s a pleasurable ride that gives you a sense of the natural beauty of Fredericton neighbourhoods;

• Gibson: Named after Alexander Gibson who developed the Marysville Cotton Mill, this lovely 5.3-km ride on a tree-lined path along the Nashwaak River starts on the north side of the Thorpe bridge and reaches its conclusion at Marysville, named a National Historic Site in 1993 for being one of Canada's last intact 19th-century mill towns. In Marysville, cross Crockett Bridge to reach The Landing, where an 1860s general store has been transformed into a social hub that is part cafe, serving fresh coffee, baked goods and sandwiches, and part bike shop. The cinnamon buns are worth the trip!;

• Nashwaak: Back in the saddle and ready to burn off a bit of sugar, head north on this route for what is perhaps the prettiest section of any trail in Fredericton. The path runs alongside the picturesque Nashwaak River and there and lots of places you will want to stop and take pics. It’s a 7.9-km ride from the north end of this trail back to the cycling hub at the Bill Thorpe bridge;

• Killarney Lake: About seven kilometres from downtown on the north side of Fredericton is Killarney Lake Park, a 645-hectare oasis used for a variety of outdoor activities. The 34.6-km Killarney Lake Trail circumnavigates the beautiful freshwater lake in the middle of the park. It’s about a 40-minute ride from Bill Thorpe bridge, via the Northside Trail and then Brookside Drive.

If mountain biking is more your thing, there are two notable networks of trails in the area:

• Marysville Bike Park: The MVP trails at Marysville are considered by many to be the heart of riding in Fredericton. There are a mix of hand-built and machine-built trails that provide a wide variety of riding. New riders will love the flow of Bunkerama and more experienced riders can develop progressive skills in the ‘enduro zone’;

• Mountain Bike Minto: About a 40-minute drive from Fredericton is a trail system unlike any other in Atlantic Canada. Located on a swath of land that had been mined for coal as far back as 1630, MTBM is carved into a unique landscape that features flows ridges that intersect with beautiful turquoise-coloured lakes that are left behind from the coal mining days. There are 17 trails — built for all riding levels — that cover approximately 50 kms. And get this: while riders are encouraged to purchase Trail Love, the network is in fact free for everybody. On top of that, you can call the Village of Minto (506-327-3383) to reserve a free bike and helmet and arrange a pick up/drop off. There’s also a new boutique campground — Tiny Trails — at the entrance to the park that caters almost exclusively to riders and features cosy campsites, a tiny motel, bike washing stations — and a popular licensed taproom.
  

Get your wheels at…

• Savage’s Bicycle Centre: Established in 1897, Savage’s is the oldest bike shop in Canada and second only to Kopp’s Cycle Shop (1891) in New Jersey as oldest bike shop in North America. The business has stayed in the family its entire existence and is currently owned and operated by Matt Savage. The shop is centrally located on King Street in downtown Fredericton and renting a set of wheels for the day was seamless thanks to a terrific staff;

• The Radical Edge: The downtown store on Westmorland Street is well stocked with bike gear. Whether you want to cruise around town on a hybrid or get dirty on a full suspension mountain bike, the folks at Radical Edge have got your covered. You can also rent wheels from Radical Edge at The Landing in Marysville;

• Ride with a guide: If you wanna ride like a local, Be Rad Adventures offers single- and multi-day mountain biking adventures that are led by experienced guides who take care of all the details for you to have a great time on the trails.

A little history lesson…

The area of present-day Fredericton was first used for seasonal farming by the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet peoples and the primary crop they grew in the area was corn. European settlement of the area began with the construction of Fort Nashwaak by the French fur traders in 1692 but it was in 1785 that United Empire Loyalists, fleeing the American Revolution, named the settlement Frederick's Town after Prince Frederick, the second son of King George III. The name was later shortened to Fredericton. Over the years, Fredericton evolved from a military outpost to a cultural and educational hub.

Top attractions…

• Historic Garrison District: This downtown national historic site showcases the city's military heritage. The area features restored 19th-century military buildings, beautiful green spaces and monuments commemorating significant events and figures from Fredericton's past. A colourful Changing of the Guard ceremony is held twice daily (12:30 and 4:30 pm) Saturday to Wednesday during the months of July and August. Of note: the Canadian Army was born in 1883 with the establishment of the Infantry School Corps, Company A in Fredericton;

• Garrison Night Market: Held every Thursday night from June-September it features 100+ vendors selling local and imported products. There is live music and an incredible selection of food trucks;

• Boyce Farmer’s Market: On the subject of food, every Saturday from 7 am-1 pm, folks flock to this impressive market for hearty breakfasts and to buy fresh meat, vegetables and baked goods from vendors. We had some amazing German smokies from one of the many fantastic looking food stands;

• Beaverbrook Art Gallery: I don’t profess to be an art aficionado, but I like to expand my horizons and I very much enjoyed a relaxing morning at this gallery. Best known for being the housing Salvador Dali’s masterpiece Santiago El Grande, it’s also home to Grandfather Akwiten, believed to be the oldest birch bark canoe in the world — it’s very cool — and there’s a couple of really cool hockey shots: an Andy Warhol painting of Wayne Gretzky and a striking portrait that honours Willie O’Ree, one of New Brunswick’s finest citizens and the first Black player in the NHL;

• Hyla Nature Preserve: Just outside the downtown core is Canada's first amphibian sanctuary and a hidden urban gem. After the uncommon gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) was discovered in this area, the land was set aside to preserve and protect its population and habitat. Visit the park and listen to the flute-like trilling sound of this tiny frog. Also, keep a lookout for the busy beavers, migratory birds, and rare plants that can be found in the park;

• Odell Park: One of Canada’s best old growth forests, this 134-hectare park in the heart of Fredericton has 16 kilometres of trails winding their way through a forest where some of the trees are more than 400 years old. On the upper perimeter of the park is the Odell Arboretum and New Brunswick Species collection that features all tree species native to the province;

• Currie Mountain: I have reached the top of a mountain before, but never climbed to the top of a volcano! 130 million years ago, a volcano eruption formed the beautiful mountain they call Currie Mountain. The 280-foot hill is located just 10 minutes away from Fredericton and it’s a peaceful place for a morning stroll;
  

Great grub…

There are plenty of great places to eat in Fredericton — and here’s a couple of unique dishes I suggest you check out:

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• Dimitri’s: I love all sorts of ethnic foods, but Greek food is my palette’s top preference. No matter where I visit in the world, I always hunt down the local Greek restaurant. And while I will often enjoy dishes like moussaka, souvlaki and spanakopita, the one menu item I’m most in pursuit of is homemade dolmades; a vegetarian appetizer made from tender vine leaves wrapped into little rolls and stuffed with rice and fresh herbs. I’ve sampled delicious dolmades all over the world and the ones served up at Dimitri’s rank right up there with the best I’ve ever had. Made with leaves from the vines that grow on the outside walls of the restaurant, Dimitri’s dolmades are served with a pita or garlic bread and a tasty tzatziki. We also sampled the spanakopita and a traditional greek salad that were also top notch;

• The Abbey Cafe and Gallery: A more modern menu item that I tend to also try to track down when traveling is avocado toast — and this quaint little place on Queen Street dishes up a delightful version that is topped with a tasty red pepper sauce and pepitas. The Abbey specializes in vegan and vegetarian meals — the Green Goodness cold bowl was very good — vegan desserts and amazing soups. The walls are adorned with wonderful works of art by local artists. It’s a very cool place.

I hope this information is helpful to you when planning a trip to Fredericton. If you have any questions or would like some other suggestions, feel free to drop me a line. I’m happy to help.

Steve

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