Manotick has grown a lot since its amalgamation into the City of Ottawa in 2001, but its downtown still has a village vibe. People stroll from shop to shop, flowers bloom in front of cafes and a historic mill ensures people don’t forget the Rideau River community’s roots.
I started my most recent visit to Manotick by stopping en route at Beryl Gaffney Park on the south edge of Barrhaven (3889 Rideau Valley Dr.). The 39-hectare park has a network of wooded, largely flat trails along the Rideau and Jock rivers. I spent a happy hour meandering along them, getting glimpses of the water through the mixed spruce, maple and birch forest. I even spotted a heron fishing for lunch.
A five-minute drive from the park took me right into Manotick, where my first stop was upscale casual clothing retailer Lindsay & McCaffrey (1160 Beaverwood Rd.). The appealing fall selection includes sweaters by Australia’s Zaket & Plover, socks and sweaters by the U.K.’s Seasalt Cornwall and boots from Canadian favourite Sorel.
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Speaking of footwear, in the same small mall you’ll find Mansfield’s Shoes, which has been selling stylish, comfortable footwear by brands such as Rieker and Vionic for almost 35 years.
A block away, I checked out Lasting Impressions Gifts (5552 Manotick Main St.), a sun-filled shop that sells gourmet foods, table linens, candles, mugs, cards and other gifts. Many of the items are Canadian-made, including bowls, cutting boards and other pieces crafted by woodworker Philip Lee in nearby Kars.
By that point, I’d worked up an appetite, so I had a restorative cup of Earl Grey tea and a brown-butter cookie at 692 Coffee and Bar (5546 Manotick Main St.). Bowls, sandwiches, overnight oats, charcuterie and other light items are also available, along with coffee, smoothies, lemonade, kombucha, wine and beer. (I wasn’t in the market for a full meal that day but in the past I’ve enjoyed great meals at the Black Dog Bistro at 5540 Manotick Main St.)
Fortified with caffeine and sugar, I set off to explore the rest of downtown Manotick. Not surprisingly, I soon ended up at Watson’s Mill (5525 Dickinson St.), a working 1860s gristmill that’s the village’s best-known landmark. It’s well worth touring, but I’d seen it before, so instead I ambled across the street to Dickinson House (1127 Mill St.). Built by the mill’s first owner in 1867, it’s now a pleasant small museum chronicling the history of the mill and the village. From Sept. 6 through Oct. 12, the house and mill are open on weekends. After that, they’re open only for special events throughout the rest of the fall and winter.
Around the corner from Dickinson House, I couldn’t resist popping into White Clover Soap (1134 Clapp Lane), which recently moved from a smaller shop elsewhere in Manotick. The new location inside a heritage home offers lots of room to display the company’s handmade soaps and candles. With scents such as lime leaf and spruce, peppermint and tea tree, the place smells as heavenly as you’d expect. You can also browse for jewelry and other items by Canadian artisans.
Intrigued? You could plan a day trip to Manotick to coincide with the Taste of Manotick festival, taking place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. Local restaurants and cafes will be offering tastings and there will be live entertainment, family activities, a car show and a dog show, too.
Award-winning Ottawa travel writer Laura Byrne Paquet shares her sightseeing tips for eastern Ontario and beyond on her website, Ottawa Road Trips.
