● Riding to Carp – a popular cycling destination (a new guide on GoBiking).

Carp is about 35 kilometres west of Ottawa’s downtown core, and is a popular rural cycling destination. It is home to Alice’s Village Café, a relaxing coffee shop type restaurant that seems to have become a favourite gathering spot for cyclists who like to stop for a coffee or a bite to eat. In addition, there’s an excellent country pub nearby.

In terms of attractions, Carp is where you’ll find the Diefenbunker Museum (the federal government’s old cold war bunker) and the Carp Fairgrounds, which host a farmers’ market every Saturday, and the annual Carp Fair every September.

Carp is also a good destination for people who tend to ride on pathways and bike lanes, but would like to try cycling a little beyond the city’s urban limits on some quiet country roads. While the second half of the route to Carp involves roads that do not have any type of bike lane or paved shoulder, they generally have very little traffic.

If you’re interested in heading out to Carp, I have added a guide on the GoBiking website about cycling to this village on Ottawa’s west side.

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