This was a fun little adventure and an off-grid nature preserve visit. I made a visit to this place twice. The first time was a nighttime event to view the Perseids Meteor Shower. The second to experience one of the off-grid cabins and trails.
Dark Sky Perseids Meteor Shower Event
The Perseids meteor shower event was a nice introduction to the area. The adventure started with the drive to the preserve. While it said 1 hour from Ottawa, it really depends on where you’re located in Ottawa and downtown Ottawa traffic. I went through downtown Ottawa on a Friday night to get to the location, which added 45-50 minutes to my trip. There was some event going on, construction, road closures, detours and more. I’m located south of downtown near the airport, and the estimated time from the Ottawa International Airport to the preserve, without traffic, is about 1 hour and 30 minutes. If you’re thinking of a day trip to the preserve, budget for a 2- 4 hour round trip, depending on what corner of Ottawa you’re located in.
Crossing the Ottawa River
The drive there wasn’t that big of a deal. It’s a bit long, but it’s scenic and there are nice stops along the way, depending on the route. After all, it’s the journey, not the destination! The second time I visited the area, I avoided downtown and used the bridge along Chenaux Rd from the Ontario side to Portage-du-Fort on the Quebec side. On the way home from the second visit, I used the Quyon Ferry. There is one other bridge that takes you across the Ottawa River, located near Pembroke, Des Allumettes Bridge, I want to try this route as well, with a visit to Pembroke along the way. I prefer the routes that avoid downtown. There is, of course, the Champlain Bridge. That can get you across the Ottawa River. This bridge can get busy at times, so it may not be much better than going through downtown, but a good option too.
Our Off-Grid Nature Preserve Experience
Once at the preserve, it’s not that bad. The little road Chem. Fierobin, the preserve’s main building it located on is very slow, narrow, and bumpy road. The first time you drive on it, it can be a bit unexpected to have to slow down that much. But it’s really not that bad. What it may be like in the winter, I have no idea. Whether or not I’ll ever find out is yet to be determined.
The preserve boasts an off-grid experience with nature trails and the occasional event. The fees for use of the preserve is a bit confusing. There’s an Earth pass and a sky pass. I’m happy to pay the fee to enjoy the resources offered. What resources and services are offered? With the Earth Pass you get 50% off cabins and a free tour of their ruins.
For me, the draw was the walking trails, it is dog-friendly, with off-leash areas as an option. The tour to help get me oriented, I thought, was a nice touch, and I was excited to get started with this. The cabin is a nice touch and affordable, with the Earth Pass.
My second visit was a night in a cabin. Prior to my second visit, I asked about the tour and when the next one was being held. No tour was scheduled, nor were any plans for scheduling one during the next month. I decided to give the cabin a try within my one-month Earth pass and see if I could navigate the trails on my own with the map. I think the best way to share my experience is through a pro and con list.
Pros
- Quiet area.
- I’m able to drive right up to the cabin, at least during the summer months.
- Comfortable cabin with all the necessities, stove, dishes, eco toilet, bed, water, generator for light, and BBQ.
- Off-leash for dogs.
- Potential for a lot of exploring and walking.
I’ll try and expand on the pros. The area is very quiet. When the sky is clear, you can certainly see a lot of stars. During the summer, it was possible to drive right up to the cabin I chose. This isn’t the case for all cabins, only the Stargate cabin. The cabin itself was comfortable. With the windows closed at night, it was very comfortable for sleeping. Everything you really needed was provided in the cabin. Instructions on what to bring were clearly provided in writing, which was great. There was even light provided through a generator. I wasn’t expecting light and thinking of ways I should bring my own. I didn’t have to, so this was great. There is great potential for walking and exploring, and from what I gather, during the winter, snowshoeing. All things I enjoy and miss, given climate change, the erratic winters in the city. And of course, dogs are allowed and no extra cost and on or off leash. This is a huge pro for me.
Cons
- My biggest con is that the trail map and/or unmarked trails were hard to coordinate.
- The offerings of TheLand don’t coincide with what is being advertised on the site, nor is the site up to date with events and activities taking place on TheLand.
It’s always so much easier to talk about cons, unfortunately.
My only other experiences with staying overnight anywhere in a commercial setting have been through Airbnb, in Hotels, residence settings in universities or colleges, and bed and breakfasts. I’m unclear what TheLand falls under, but it is clearly a different set of parameters that the service falls under. The service is quite virtual and less in hands on which seems ironic for a place that prides itself on an off-grid experience.
While there is a customer service number that can be texted with any questions, when I asked before arriving if it would be possible to meet with the proprietor of if they are available for questions, I was met with they are busy with family, friends and doing everything to run the business on their own. I found this odd as I’ve never met a business owner who would tell a paying customer/guest that they have all these other outside commitments and were not available. It makes me wonder what or where I would go in case of an emergency, especially given that this is an off-grid location.
The Avenza app is used for the trail map. There are a few trials marked on it. This preserve boasts 20 km of trails. I would have been happy just being able to go for an uninterrupted, frustration-free walk in the woods with the dog for a couple of hours. However, the map and the real-life trails were quite confusing and difficult to coincide. This made walking or locating trails quite frustrating and unenjoyable. Getting lost with others can be fun. Getting lost or turned around on your own isn’t fun at all, and that was my experience. Having a few signs to indicate the start of a “Trail X this way” would have been helpful and instilled confidence in using the app and map.
When I mentioned this difficulty with the map, I wasn’t provided much help, except perhaps that it’s not a place for beginners. It was a place for people to enjoy with their friends, families and furbabies. Unfortunately, I don’t have friends and family who are interested in exploring the outdoors to this extent, so I’m left on my own with my one furbaby who doesn’t know how to navigate any map!
The discussion got more confused and remained text-based, which didn’t help the misunderstandings and confusion and left me with the impression that this land only welcomes those guests who can take care of themselves and are left to their own devices on the land.
Suggestions for The Land and Prospective Visitors
I have a few recommendations, which I’m sure will not be noticed by anyone, especially TheLand.
We are all busy, and finances are tight for everyone. Video is a great way to document information and to educate. A few videos explaining pertinent things for the preserve in general and for each cabin. Videos can also be downloaded onto a person’s device, so it wouldn’t have to require wifi.
A few video ideas:
- Video showing the entrance to each cabin.
- A video showing the entrance to each trail is marked on the map.
- Video showing how to download and use the map.
- Self-guided tour of the ruins with markers along the trail.
Regarding signage or markers:
- A sign for the entrance to each cabin. The cabin driveway entrance wasn’t clearly marked, so it took me a bit to find and ensure it was correct. Not a big deal, but it would have been helpful to have a sign with “Stargate Cabin this way” on it.
- Signage for the start of each trail and perhaps an arrow every so often to ensure you’re going in the right direction.
Suggestions for visitors:
- This booking wasn’t through Airbnb or any other platform, that I noticed. I believe the booking SaaS used was logify . This concerns me a bit as I’m unsure what rights or protection are provided to the guest in the event of unforeseen circumstances or misunderstandings with the host. I would suggest asking. I should have asked before booking.
- There is a small village not too far away, Ladysmith. If you feel the need for a bit of off-grid life, it’s not far away.
- I was able to text but not make a phone call with any consistency from the cabin. I would recommend telling someone who has access to text that you’re visiting this place in the event of any emergency.
This is by no means a slight against The Land. I think it has a lot to offer in its simplicity, and for the right person or circumstance, it can be a wonderful weekend getaway. I would certainly love to visit again, if welcome. As it stands, I do not feel welcome, free to speak, share my views, concerns and confusions about, or ask for help from The Land, which makes me feel less safe and unsettled on TheLand. I will be looking for other off-grid nature preserves to explore and learn more. While I didn’t mention it above, Dark Sky Preserves are another interesting thing I was introduced to during my visit to the Perseids Meteor Shower event. I’m looking forward to exploring this as well.
LeTerrain Off-Grid Nature Preserve
Location: 528 Chem. Fierobin, Ladysmith, QC J0X 2A0
Hours: 24 hours
Website: https://www.leterrain.land/
References
- Perseid meteor shower 2024: All you need to know, by Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd, August 11, 2024, EarthSky.org, URL: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-perseid-meteor-shower/
- Quyon Ferry, URL: https://www.quyonferry.com/default.aspx
- Des Allumettes Bridge, Government of Canada, URL: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/services/infrastructure-buildings/bridges-docks-dams/allumettes-bridge.html
- Champlain Bridge (Ottawa), Wikipedia, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champlain_Bridge_(Ottawa)
- LeTerrian, URL: https://www.leterrain.land/
- Logify, URL: https://www.lodgify.com/
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