My Favourite Route

I am happier than a pig in poop these days because my favourite running route has finally re-opened after the winter melted away.  We were lucky this year- with a very early heat wave in March, the snow and ice melted away and the river path opened up much earlier than last year.

I took these pictures in the mid-summer last year, meaning to post them, and then totally forgot about them until I finally said hello to my favourite route again this spring.  So here they are for you!

First I run along the streets towards the path:

And then I used to take some stairs to the path, before I discovered a longer route that involved fewer stop lights:

Now I skip the stairs and go along the street a little farther, start taking the pathways and go under the street instead of waiting for a light to change:

And then I'm there - along the river on the bike path, which has as many runners and walkers as bikers, and we generally play nicely:

As I run along the pathway the river comes into view:

On a sunny day, there's always plenty of company:

(I usually avoid this route on crummy days because it will be quieter and I don't feel super safe down there by myself.)

Looking over the river I can see the buildings in Quebec:

And as I keep running along the Parliament buildings come into view:

(Sometimes I can see the Supreme Court as well, if I'm paying attention or running in the other direction.)

The bridges are lovely as well:

And the comes the National Gallery:

During the summer, the tour boats are waiting for their next eager passengers to dock:

And the comes the locks between the river and the canal:

And then hill with the beautiful Chateau Laurier rising up along the left side:

And then I reach the top of the hill by the top of the locks:

(The hill is more fun to run down than up, but sometimes you have to do the hard stuff.)

And for a bonus, sometimes I run up and down the canal either before or after I run along the river:

Just looking at these pictures makes me look forward to my next run!

What are your favourite running routes?