Ottawa’s Britannia: Beach, birds and burgers

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Nature-starved Ottawa urbanites have been coming to the Britannia area for at least 120 years.

At the very end of the 1800s, eager to find a way to make some money from its trolleys on the weekends, the Ottawa Electric Railway Company built a riverside amusement park in what was then an isolated cottage community. On the Victoria Day weekend in 1900, a brand-new streetcar line opened, connecting downtown Ottawa to the park.

black and gold historical plaque with photo of early 1900s passenger steamboat. — The G.B. Greene steamboat once brought day trippers to Britannia Beach, as this plaque at Britannia Park describes.

Over the next two decades, people flocked here to enjoy amenities such as an enormous pier illuminated with electric lights, a double-decker sightseeing boat, a carousel, a restaurant and swimming facilities. The auditorium hosted concerts and dances. But once cars began supplanting trams, the park fell into decline.

park with tall green trees, with beach in background — Britannia Park and Britannia Beach.

Now, of course, Britannia Park (2805 Carling Avenue) is a popular destination once again. The carousel, Victorian pavilions and streetcar line are long gone, but the beach remains popular with swimmers and paddlers, picnic tables are often at a premium, and special events such as theatre performances draw visitors to the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre (102 Greenview Avenue). You’ll also find play structures and barbecue pits.

The adjacent community of Britannia Village is a peaceful place to stroll around. One-time cottages have been converted into picturesque year-round homes, but the ‘hood still has a hard-to-define holiday vibe. Maybe that’s because it’s still home to the private Britannia Yacht Club (2777 Cassels Street), which dates back to 1887, so the nearby stretches of river are often filled with sailboats.

Shopping, food and drink in Britannia

Near one of the main trailheads for Mud Lake (which I talk about later in this post) and just off the bike path, a small cluster of fun and funky shops has sprung up in recent years.

closeup of vanilla ice cream with sprinkles in a waffle cone — Beachconers, near Britannia Beach, makes small-batch ice creams in intriguing flavours, often incorporating fresh fruit.

For instance, you can shop for electric bikes—including city bikes, folding bikes, mountain bikes and even fat bikes—at Teslica (244 Britannia Road). Kitty-corner from Teslica, settle down in a Muskoka chair with a big waffle cone of yummy ice cream at Beachconers Microcreamery (273 Britannia Road). The shop makes its frozen fare in small batches, often with fresh fruit; flavours on any given day might range from blueberry honey to cold-brew coffee. Vegan ice creams are available, too. In the same building, the Britannia Coffeehouse serves fancy coffees, tea, hot chocolate and house-baked treats like scones, cinnamon buns and quiches.

wooden coffee house patio with bicycle frames on patio and sign — As you can tell from the facade, the Britannia Coffeehouse is popular with cyclists.

Meanwhile, over in Britannia Park, the tropical-themed Baja Burger Shack is a seasonal favourite (usually, spring through fall) and sometimes offers live music.

Don’t miss Mud Lake—but tread carefully!

small lake with lily pads, and reflections of surrounding green trees on still water — Mud Lake is a peaceful oasis for birders and hikers.

If you’re a birder, you’ve almost certainly heard about Mud Lake in the Britannia Conservation Area, immediately northeast of Britannia Park. The name really undersells it, as this fragile-yet-beautiful wetland is a wonderful place to visit. Keep the word “fragile” in mind, though. Erosion is a real problem here, so stay on the trails, don’t cycle and (as always) don’t pick anything! Dogs aren’t allowed, either. And, since this area is at real risk of being overvisited, please avoid it during busy times, like weekends and summer afternoons.

narrow dirt trail with green trees and undergrowth on both sides at mud lake in britannia, ottawa. — Most of the hiking trails at Mud Lake are wooded, flat and gentle.

OK, that’s enough with the warnings! What can you see here? Bring your binoculars to look for flycatchers, kingbirds, herons, waxwings, osprey and many other birds—over 250 species have been spotted here. The surrounding woods and marshes are also home to snapping turtles, beavers, squirrels and other critters.

You can access the trails from the corner of Howe Street and Britannia Road, at the east end of Rowatt Street, and off Cassels Street between the Britannia Yacht Club and the Britannia Water Purification Plant, among other places.

Note: From October 2022 until spring 2023, the pedestrian bridge at Mud Lake will be closed for repairs.

Go whitewater rafting in Britannia

Here’s a cool thing even many locals don’t know: From late spring until early fall, Ottawa City Rafting offers three-hour whitewater rafting trips that take you from Britannia Park through three sets of Ottawa River rapids to a point just west of the Canadian War Museum.

If you go to Britannia

Britannia is 14 kilometres west of Parliament Hill. To drive there, head west on Highway 417 (the Queensway) and take exit 129 (Pinecrest/Greenbank). Turn north onto Pinecrest and follow it to the end, where it turns into Greenview Avenue as it heads into Britannia Park. (Note: The offramp onto Pinecrest from the westbound Queensway is closed until summer 2023 due to the O-Train construction project.)

You can cycle from downtown to Britannia along the Ottawa River Pathway. Multiple OC Transpo bus routes serve the area, too.

For more information, see the website of the Britannia Village Community Association.

Looking for more ideas for things to see and do in our region? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide, from which this post is adapted.

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.