44°40’51.3″N 76°23’57.2″W
Westport is at the west end of the Upper Rideau Lake. One of the special villages located on the Rideau Canal system, it is often missed by those doing the loop as it is a 45 minute cruise off the route between the Narrows Locks and Newboro Locks. It is a great provisioning stop as it has a grocery store, liquor store, drug store, bakeries, laundromat and just about everything else you could want. Lots of cute shops to poke through and few restaurants if you don’t want to cook on the boat.
It is always nice to visit this village which was part of my old stomping ground near the family cottage. It embraces tourists and the summer cottagers that flood the streets during the summer. There is also a Folk and Bluegrass Festival in early June.
Any one wanting to stretch their legs can head for Foley Mountain Conservation Area just north of town. There is a beach in the Conservation Area where you can land a dingy. There is another beach on Sand Lake on the western end of town.
Rideau Lakes Golf Course is a lovely 9-hole golf course overlooking the lake on the southern shore. My Dad was a charter member here. I have many fond memories of learning to play and his unique methods of scoring a round.
If you are a cyclist, Westport is surrounded by beautiful rides. It is on the Rideau Lakes Cycling Tour – one of the country’s longest-running cycling events – is now in it’s 49th year. This two-day ride ranges from 240-440 km winding its way from Ottawa through picturesque towns and villages along the Rideau Lakes waterway to the shores of Lake Ontario.
Moon Dance IV 