Macnamara Nature Trail Outing

There is a lovely hiking trail in Arnprior called the Macnamara Nature Trail.  It is named after a local field naturalist named Charles Macnamara (1870-1944).  He worked as an accountant for the MacLachlin Lumber Company.  On his one day off a week – Sunday, he would roam the forests, fields and swamps in the vicinity of the current trail.  He was an avid birder, photographer and self-taught field naturalist who gained a degree in science from Cornell via correspondence courses.  Fluent in French, he also mastered German so he could read nature books in that language.  He corresponded with ornithologists, zoologists, entomologists and photographers and even author Joseph Conrad.  One of his photographic printing techniques was patented in collaboration with the U.S. Library of Congress.  He is a real local hero for sure.

Maintained by the Macnamara Field Naturalists Club and supported by Nylene Canada,  the trail is one of Arnprior’s little gems.  It takes a little over and hour plus stops to trace its length to Marshall’s Bay on the Ottawa River and then loop back.  Each year we make the hike at least once.  We did it this past weekend – in the warm sun with no bugs.  It was damper than usual and very peaceful.

Here are a few pics we recorded.

Looking back to Goodwin’s Bay

A restful moment

Thank you Charles Macnamara for establishing this trail and thus helping to preserve God’s beautiful creation.