Disclosure: I’ve received free admission to the Cascade Cross Country Ski Center and Nordik Spa-Nature in the past. Neither business reviewed or approved this post.
Are you suffering from a case of the Ottawa winter blues?
Once the mercury drops below freezing, I believe there are two kinds of people here in the nation’s capital: those who gleefully sharpen their skates and dig out their thermal underwear, and those who plug in the kettle, snuggle under a quilt and wait grimly for spring.
To be honest, I’m in the second camp. I mean, if we weren’t meant to be indoors all winter, why was Netflix invented?
However, I know it’s not healthy to cocoon for days on end, and I’m trying my best to overcome my aversion to winter. Every year, I end up trying at least one activity designed to get me into the fresh air. Here are a few of my favourites.
Grab your camera
I know, the thought of taking off gloves to snap photos doesn’t immediately seem appealing. But the payoff is the chance to see the wintry world with new eyes.
A few years ago, I took a winter day trip to Westport with Picton-based photographer Phil Norton of County Outings. He’s a great teacher and showed our group all sorts of tricks, like adjusting exposure to account for vast swaths of snow. By looking keenly, I also noticed splashes of colour that I’d previously ignored, such as red sumac seed clusters. We all got a nice wilderness hike into the bargain, highlighted by a pretty view of Westport from Foley Mountain Conservation Area.
If you want something more intensive, I can also highly recommend the digital photography foundation course at the School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa. The 10-session program includes lots of chances to shoot outdoors, and instructor David Barbour is a big proponent of making photos every day, no matter what the weather.
Soak at a spa
Scandinavians don’t give up their outdoor hot tubs just because it’s snowing, and Canadians are increasingly following their lead. The big-yet-restful Nordik Spa-Nature in Chelsea is well within reach for an Ottawa day trip.
One of the most unusual Nordic-style spas I’ve tried is Bota Bota, housed on a decommissioned ferry now permanently docked on the St. Lawrence River in Montreal. Sitting in a hot tub on a ship’s deck in -29C weather with Old Montreal’s heritage buildings is a bit surreal, but it’s also a lot of fun—and you can warm up in the indoor sauna. (On my visit, I accidentally fell into the outdoor cold plunge pool, which is as close as I’d ever like to come to being cryogenically frozen, thank you very much.)
Put on some snowshoes
Snowshoeing is something you can do right here in Ottawa—just head to any city park. For something a bit longer and more secluded, you have two options in the Greenbelt: Mer Bleue Conservation Area in the east end and Stony Swamp in the west end.
If you want to make sure you’ll actually enjoy snowshoeing before investing in equipment, here’s a tip: Every Friday night from January 4 through March 8, weather permitting, the Friends of Gatineau Park will be running a 3K “snowshoe under the stars” walk. You can bring your own snowshoes or rent them for $5.
You can also rent snowshoes anytime from the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre, which usually offers outdoor snowshoeing walks with a naturalist on weekends. Details aren’t posted yet, but when they are, you should find a link on the NCC’s Gatineau Park activities page. (P.S.: Did you know you can borrow Gatineau Park trail passes from the Ottawa Public Library?)
Looking for a weekend getaway snowshoeing destination? I enjoyed a great—if incredibly cold—few days in Lake Placid a few winters ago, where I spent an enjoyable afternoon snowshoeing along pine-fringed trails at the Cascade Cross Country Ski Center.
May this be the winter you escape your couch and banish those Ottawa winter blues! Maybe, just maybe, I’ll see you outside. I’ll be the one wrapped in a duvet.
Disclosure: I’ve received free admission to the Cascade Cross Country Ski Center and Nordik Spa-Nature in the past. Neither business reviewed or approved this post.
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As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.