Buckingham: Riverside Trails and Local History

You can explore Buckingham while planning your trip by discovering trails along the La Lièvre and the history of the former log slide. The described out-and-back routes differ in starting point, distance, and walking time. There is also an interpretive centre with a permanent exhibition on the development of the Buckingham sector. This lets you decide what to focus on when planning your stay: a trail connected to the log slide, a riverside route, or a visit to the exhibition.

Compare trails and walking times

La passerelle 2 is an out-and-back trail of about 1.7 kilometres from the Tigre Géant at 385 Avenue de Buckingham to Parc des Anciens combattants near the Brady Bridge on the west bank. The route passes the water tower and crosses a footbridge built on the former log slide. The estimated walking time is about 30 minutes.

Nearby, the Sentier de la voie ferrée runs from Rue James, opposite the sports centre, to the water treatment plant at 100 Rue Charles. This out-and-back trail is also about 1.7 kilometres long, with an estimated walking time of about 30 minutes. Parking is available in the area. The two routes are the same length and have similar estimated times, but lead to different destinations and offer different points of interest.

The Sentier du belvedère sur La Lièvre runs along Avenue de Buckingham beside the La Lièvre River. This out-and-back trail is about 3.5 kilometres long, with an estimated walking time of about 45 minutes. Compared with the two 1.7-kilometre routes, both the distance and walking time are longer. Distances and walking times are estimates and may change; take them into account when planning your day.

The former log slide and crossing the river

About one kilometre of the former log slide used to transport logs has been converted into a pedestrian and cycling trail. Visitors can walk along the structure and cross the river, experiencing local history firsthand. The footbridge on the La passerelle 2 route also connects with this former use: it was built on the former log slide.

Another feature of the riverside trails is the Sentier du Lièvre Ouest. It provides access to the Brady Bridge and a safer way to cross the La Lièvre using environmentally friendly transportation. This makes crossing the river one of the practical features to consider when choosing between the trails described.

Local history in Buckingham

The Société d’histoire de Buckingham operates an interpretive centre with a permanent exhibition on the development of the Buckingham sector since 1824. The exhibition offers a distinct historical focus alongside the trails and the former log slide. If you want to make history part of your trip, you can consider this visit as a complement to the trails, without assigning it the same walking time as an out-and-back route.

If you are looking for a hotel in Buckingham, you can plan around what interests you locally: the route and its estimated time, the history of the log slide, or the development of the Buckingham sector. For a shorter walk, two routes are listed as about 1.7 kilometres and around 30 minutes; the river route is listed as approximately 3.5 kilometres and 45 minutes. Treat these figures as estimates that may change when planning your time during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Templeton

Return to the main travel overview: Gatineau.