Murphys Point Bike Loop: A Geological Interpretation, by Bradley S. Wilson

This fall saw the release of a new geological field trip guide that covers part of Lanark County. Entitled  Murphys Point Bike Loop: A Geological Interpretation, the twenty-four page brochure was written by Brad Wilson a consulting geologist based in Kingston, Ontario.  It was prepared with the financial support of Ontario’s  Highlands Tourism Organization Recreational Geology Project.

Free paper copies of the brochure can be obtained from the tourism office in the Perth Museum,  Matheson House, at 11 Gore Street East in Perth, and from the  tourism office in the Perth & District Chamber of Commerce office in the Old Fire Hall with Hose Tower, at 34 Herriott Street in Perth.   A pdf copy of the brochure can be downloaded from:

http://sgraycomm.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/murphys-point-bike-loop-aug5-13-final-download-small.pdf

The geological guide covers a 40 kilometer bike loop from Perth to Murphys Point Provincial Park and back along flat country roads.  The author estimates this to be a three hour bike ride.  The route starts in Perth, goes south-east along Rideau Ferry Road (County Road 1), south along Elm Grove Road (County Road 21) which becomes Lally Road, north along Narrows Lock Road (County Road 14 ) and north-east along Scotch Line (County Road 10), returning to Perth.   Below is the map from the brochure.

The guide is clearly written and will likely be enjoyed by both those with a geological background and field naturalists.  It contains numerous figures and colour photographs of outcrops, and the above map showing the location of all eighteen stops on the tour.   The first five pages of the brochure provide an introduction to the geology of Lanark County.   Highlights of the tour include outcrops where glacial striae are visible, an unconformity between rocks of the Precambrian Shield and overlying Paleozoic rocks, the type locality for Perthite, and  a visit to the Silver Queen Mica Mine. 

The best part of the brochure, besides the clear writing style of the author, is that it doesn’t try to cover all of the outcrops along the tour.   It leaves many outcrops to be discovered and explored.

While written for a bike tour, it also works as a field trip guide for those that would rather drive.  However, two points should be kept in mind if you drive.   First, there are some deep ditches beside some of shoulders of the road, and care should be taken when parking.   Second, the tour passes through Murphys Point Provincial Park, and one has to pay to park in the parking lots in the park (for example, the parking lot closest to the Silver Queen Mine, which is part of the park).

This is the second recent geological brochure for Lanark County that has been prepared with the support of Ontario’s  Highlands Tourism Organization Recreational Geology Project.   The first, released a little a year ago, is entitled Introduction to the Geodiversity of Perth: A Self-Guided Tour of Rocks on Display at the Crystal Palace, Tay Basin, Perth, Ontario and was written by Dr. Allan Donaldson, a retired professor of Earth Sciences, Carleton University.   This fourteen page brochure is a walking tour.    This is also a clearly written brochure with colour photographs.  Paper copies of this brochure can also be obtained from the tourism office in the Matheson House Museum in Perth, and from the tourism office in the Chamber of Commerce in Perth.   It can also be downloaded in pdf format from:

http://www.perthtourism.ca/uploads/1/6/1/3/16138712/perth_geohistory_booklet.pdf

If you stop at the Matheson House Museum in Perth to pick up copies of either brochure, be sure to look at the rocks, minerals and fossils on display on the top floor of the museum. 

Christopher Brett
Perth, Ontario

Addendum (October 6, 2016)

Introduction to the Geodiversity of Perth: A Self-Guided Tour of Rocks on Display at the Crystal Palace, Tay Basin, Perth, Ontario, by Dr. J Allan Donaldson

This brochure can now be downloaded in pdf format from the Stephanie Gray’s web site at:

https://sgraycomm.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/perth-geohistory-booklet-sept20-small.pdf