Bike Greater Niagara Circle Route
Bike the Falls
Becky Linhardt 2015
Many places in Ontario, Canada, look very much like the US Midwest. However, on the eastern side of Ontario, the Niagara escarpment provides drama as the waters of Lake Erie flow into the Niagara River, OVER Niagara Falls, and through the gorge the water has cut through stone to reach Lake Ontario.
Lock # 3 Welland Canal – looking up to the Niagara escarpment
Visitors arrive from all over the world to experience the views and often the drenching spray on boat tours that take you close to the American and the Canadian Falls. The BIG lake boats use the Welland Canal on the Canadian side as their water route to and from Lakes Erie and Ontario.
Lock #7 after the steep climb
Traveling on the Greater Niagara Circle Route, bicyclists can ride along the Niagara River to Niagara Falls and beyond to circle down, then up over the Niagara Escarpment along the Welland Canal taking time to visit farms, wineries, small towns, museums and more along wide bike/hike routes.
Fort Erie was very important during the War of 1812 and has been preserved with costumed interpreters explaining military life in those days.
Port Colborne on the Lake Erie side of the Welland Canal is a hidden treasure far from the commercialism at the falls and will be the subject of another listing under this tab – Beyond Regional.
American Falls from the Canadian side
Long Weekends said yes to this story idea for its 2015 spring/summer issue. You will see my name on the print story that was sleeved with the Ohio Magazine April 2015 issue. And, in a change that makes sense for our new technologies, they created an app which can be downloaded from the web site www.long-weekends.com.
Bonus: Web Links
http://www.niagaracyclingtourism.com/bike-routes/greater-niagara-circle-route/
www.portcolborne.ca or 905-834-5722
Bonus: Extra Images
Knife Blade Bridge over the Welland Canal
Lift Bridge in Port Colborne at the Lake Erie end of the Welland Canal. It is a great stopping place to take time for some local, fresh caught Fish & Chips while watching the boat traffic from benches along West Street.
View from Queenston Heights Restaurant on the north side of the escarpment where you can watch the Niagara River flow off toward Lake Ontario.