Photo Essay: Two Great Canadian Prime Ministers, Mackenzie King and Lester B. Pearson, Feature in Simerg’s Peep into Gatineau Park’s Autumn Foliage

By Malik Merchant

Pink Lake, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

A city with almost a million people has a magnificent nature park in its vicinity with some of the most spectacular foliage that autumn has to offer. A 15 minute drive from downtown Ottawa brings you to the majestic Gatineau Park – a 361 kilometre nature park with 50 lakes, 5 eco-systems, miles of biking and hiking trails, and hundreds of species of birds, plants as well as mammals and trees. Annually, 2.7 million visits are made to the park whose autumn foliage may be compared with the best that the New England States of Vermont and New Hampshire have to offer, albeit on a smaller scale. Gatineau Park has unique shopping and restaurant around its outskirts and in nearby picturesque towns such as Wakefield.

Wakefield’s iconic pedestrians’ covered bridge along the Gatineau River. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

For the intrepid adventurers, in close proximity to Gatineau Park, there is a bungee free fall – North America’s highest – minutes away on the way to Wakefield. Both Gatineau Park and Wakefield also have lots to offer in terms of our history. Canada’s longest serving Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, built an estate in Gatineau Park while Lester Pearson, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is buried in Wakefield’s historic MacLaren’s cemetery.

 “God Grant that the light of unity may envelop the whole earth.” Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

The 200 feet Great Canadian Bungee site at “The Rock” at Morrison’s Quarry is on the way to Wakefield. It is the highestbungee  jump in North America and continues to provide the thrill-of-a-lifetime for thousands each year. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

A MEMORABLE THANSKGIVING WEEKEND AT GATINEAU PARK

“Reliable” weather forecast had predicted a sunny 2014 Thanksgiving Long Weekend (October 12-13). On Saturday, after cloudy skies with some rain for much of the day gave way to the sun late in the afternoon I decided to drive to Pink Lake, a unique spot in the Park to see what it might have to offer on the following day.

Saturday October 11, 2014 – approximately 6:25 pm, sunset time, a quick trip to Pink Lake, to get a feel for the autumn foliage. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

I reached Pink Lake just around sunset (6:25pm) but even with the little sunlight I was convinced that the show of natural autumn colours on the following day was going to breathtaking. I planned to be at Pink Lake, the first major stop from the southern entrance of the Park on the Gatineau Parkway, no later than 11am, that turned out to be too late. The two parking lots serving Pink Lake were packed with cars. Many cars had been parked illegaly alongside the Parkway, so I decided to take a chance. As I got out of the car, a parking warden arrived and told me to immediately remove my car. I left and set off for the Champlain and Heron Lookouts as well drove along the Fortune Lake Parkway, and went as far as Meech Lake and also covered the Camp Fortune Ski areas.

CHAMPLAIN AND HERON LOOKOUTS,  FORTUNE LAKE AND GATINEAU PARKWAYS

Champlain and Heron Lookouts offer magnificent views of the Ottawa Valley, the farms and the Ottawa River in the distance. After the lookout points I decided to follow one of my favourite route in the Park which is the Fortune Lake Parkway. This path brings you extremely close to nature in all its aspects. On many an occasion in the past, I have seen artists spending hours by the lake painting their favourite scenes. I had not covered all that I had planned in the Park, so I decided to come back.

Champlain Lookout, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Champlain Lookout, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Heron Lookout, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Jogger on Fortune Lake Parkway, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Fortune Lake, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Another jogger on the Fortune Lake Parkway, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Fortune Lake, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Fortune Lake, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Fortune Lake, Gatineau Park. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

One of the most beautiful spots on the Gatineau Parkway is near the North Entrance. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

SCENES FROM PINK LAKE

I was up and out early on Monday, and the sky was clear and the sun was rising, determined to visit Pink Lake. When I arrived at Pink Lake at about 9am, it was a relief to find the parking lots were not full yet. I spent almost two hours at Pink Lake and was in for a joyful time for the remainder of the day. I took dozens of pictures at Pink Lake, after which I went to the estate of the longest serving Prime Minister of Canada, Mackenzie King.

 Pink Lake looking East from lookout point just by the Gatineau Parkway. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake’s larger parking site, near the entrance to the sixty minute trail around the beautiful lake. Photo taken at 9:00 am. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Steps down to the start of  the beautiful trail around Pink Lake. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

Morning reflections at Pink Lake. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

The glories of nature at Pink Lake. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

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Morning mist at Pink Lake. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

A view from the Pink Lake trail, looking West. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

On the Pink Lake trail. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

One of the many lookout points along the Pink Lake trail. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Beautiful Pink Lake. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Sky and land looking their best – the moon in broad daylight in admiration of the autumn foliage. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake trail. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake trail. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake trail – a frisby of leaves? Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake trail – reaching for the sky. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake trail – heroic fallen trees. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

The mica mine from the early 1900’s – operational for a few short years. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake trail scene. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake foliage contrasts. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake foliage. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Along the Pink Lake trail. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Along the Pink Lake trail. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake trail – close to water. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Keep away, Poison Ivy on the Pink Lake trail. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Half-way mark on the Pink Lake Trail – a path as well as this narrow stone bridge connects the east-west trail of Pink Lake. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake – looking from the half-way mark on the trail toward its starting point. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Still green. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Reflection! No camera tricks… PROMISE! Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Proof…. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Marshland – approaching end of the Pink Lake trail from the West side. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

A family visiting Pink Lake. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Pink Lake – looking towards the other end of the Lake from the trail starting point. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Parking lot – absolutely packed with cars at 10:20 am, when I completed my trail walk. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

THE ESTATE OF PRIME MINISTER MACKENZIE KING

The Mackenzie King Estate was created by William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s tenth and longest serving prime minister. During a career that spanned some fifty years — almost half of that as prime minister — King guided Canada from semi-colonial status to complete autonomy.

“It has always seemed to me that the highest joy in life is to be found in some form of public service, that instead of the State being indebted to the one who gives of his time and means to the country’s affairs and to the betterment of human conditions, the obligation is the other way round” – last will and testament of Mackenzie King, Canada’s longest serving Prime Minister. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

The Moorside which contains exhibits on Mackenize King’s life at the Estates, also has a tea room serving English tea and light meals. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

The grounds of the Mackenzie King Estates. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

The office of a politician. Photo: Malik Merchan/Simerg.

The two angels and the restored bench come from Westminster Abbey, London, England. They were purchased by Mackenzie King in 1930, and are housed at Moorside. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

“Such happiness as I felt in being beneath my own roof amid the trees” – Mackenzie King. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

One of the several cottages that Mackenzie King built at his newly purchased land in 1903. This area of the Estate came to be known as Kingswood. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Visitors Dianne and Eric Moore at Kingsmere Lake at the Mackenzie King Estates. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Simerg at the Mackenzie King Estates. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Fruit and vegetable stand with seasonal pumpkins, near the Visitors Centre at Gatineau Park’s North Entrance. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

THE TOWN OF WAKEFIELD AND THE BURIAL PLACE OF
PRIME MINISTER LESTER B. PEARSON

A section of the railway line in Wakefield. Regular scenic trips were available in a steam train several years ago which offered a package that included romantic dinners. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Nathalie Coutou inside her beautiful Wakefield native art boutique, Khewa. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Falls adjacent to the historic Wakefield Inn, see below. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

The Wakefield Inn, a great place to stay for a getaway. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Chalet 1840, across from Wakefield Inn main building. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

The covered pedestrian bridge in Wakefield along the Gatineau River. Photo: Malik Merchan/Simerg.

Canada’s late Prime Minister Lester Pearson received a Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership at the United Nations during the Suez Crisis. He is buried at Wakefield’s MacLaren Cemetery. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

A Government of Canada plaque honouring the late Prime Minister. Near the foot of the plaque at right is shown a sign pointing to the approximate position of the grave, which lies about a 100 metres away. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Burial site of Prime Minister Lester Pearson.  Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

A close-up of the grave of Prime Minister Pearson. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

A view of the historic MacLaren Cemetery in Wakefield. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

“Never let the fear of striking out keep you away from playing the game.” Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

“Love is not changed by death Nothing is Lost All in the end is harvest.” Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

“Everytime I leave my studio in search of new pictures I ask God to open my eyes so that I can see…” Malak Karsh was the brother of the world renowned photographer, Yousuf Karsh. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

“and God turned out the lamp of life…because the dawn was coming”. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

“Summers were so wonderful in the Gatineau we decided to stay here forever.” Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

 Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

 Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg.

After an eventful day, when I returned to Ottawa, I passed by the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat Building before heading to the Byward Market for a well deserved cup of coffee.

The beautiful Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat Building on Sussex Drive, with autumn colours along its South Side, as seen from the front fence of its neighbour, the Saudi Arabian Embassy. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Bunches of locally grown garlic, decorative and edible pumpkins, as well as fresh produce share this lovely stall in Ottawa’s Byward Market. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg

Residents of Ottawa should make the most of what they have in their surroundings. Many I have spoken to – and who have lived here for decades – haven’t ever been to Gatineau Park in the Fall Season! I say to them, get a peep of the autumn leaves, and spend some quality time by yourself or your family and friends. It is a truly rewarding experience, and something you will wish to do every year.

Photos: Malik Merchant/Simerg. Copyright. Reproduction permitted with acknowledgement to Malik Merchant and a link to this post or blog, Simergphotos.com.

Date posted: Saturday, October 26, 2014.

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