After Pembroke and Rapides-Des-Joachims, we followed the Trans-Canada Highway, looking for places to explore on that rainy weekend. As soon as I saw a sign saying “Head, Clara and Maria,” I wanted to check out the place. What a funny name!

Head, Clara and Maria is a township in Eastern Ontario, in the County of Renfrew on the Ottawa River. The townships stretch along 60 kilometres of Highway 17. All the activities are located nearby the road, the rest is mostly wilderness. Population is only a bit under 300 people, with a density of… 0.3/km2. That’s Canada for ya!

We spotted a railway in Stonecliffe. If I understood the local history right, it is part of the Brockville—Ottawa railway, later know as the Canada Central and then the Canadian Pacific Railway, the transcontinental railway scheme.

I love disused places and railroad tracks, so I couldn’t resist snapping a few pictures.

Stonecliff
Braken
Feng, Thinking
Logs
Private Property (Okay, Got The Message!)
Railroad Tracks
Ready To Jump…
Jumping!
Holding Hands

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12 Comments

  1. Linguist-in-Waiting September 13, 2010 at 9:36 am

    That is a beautiful and rural place, with a very funny name too! And I can see you’re already wearing hoodies and sweaters, it’s that time of the year again, eh?

    Reply
  2. Soleil September 13, 2010 at 1:38 pm

    The real question is: who is Head? Clara and Maria are real names, but then how does Head get into the mix? Is it also someone’s name, or perhaps a reference to what they do to trespassers up there, like those antlers? Haha.

    Reply
  3. Sidney September 13, 2010 at 9:05 pm

    Looks like you enjoyed the place !
    Nice to see you so happy !

    Reply
  4. Yogi September 13, 2010 at 10:36 pm

    It looks as if you both had a great time. I love railroads. But I think most men my age, or older, do.

    Reply
  5. Nigel September 14, 2010 at 5:09 pm

    This reminds me of a set of pics Gail posted some time on the railway tracks. And yes, I love railway tracks 🙂

    Reply
  6. London Caller September 14, 2010 at 9:49 pm

    What a funny name?!
    Did Clara & Maria actually create the shampoo firm called Head & Shoulders?

    Reply
  7. Tulsa Gentleman September 15, 2010 at 1:00 am

    Ah, the often present but seldom photographed Mr. Feng. I love sharing your travels with you. Travel writing is your calling you know.

    The little town I grew up in had three railroads that ran through it. The sound of trains rumbling through was like the sound of the ocean. After awhile you didn’t notice it.

    Happy traveling.

    Reply
  8. Seraphine September 15, 2010 at 1:19 am

    hahaha poor feng. don’t you feel sorry for him
    taking him everywhere
    when he could be at home eating sandwiches
    and watching hockey games?
    no wonder he sits looking at the water
    miles from nowhere, surrounded by ferns
    listening to the soft click click click
    of your camera
    another slap shot photograph hitting the net.

    Reply
  9. Seraphine September 15, 2010 at 1:21 am

    p.s. i love the picture of you on the train tracks.
    you look like you are *really* enjoying yourself.
    but but but… how did you get a moose or
    polar bear to take your photograph???

    Reply
  10. shionge September 15, 2010 at 4:31 am

    Hey I like that ‘holding hands’ shot, who took it? I love your attitude in enjoying life to the fullest 😀

    Reply
  11. khengsiong September 15, 2010 at 9:00 pm

    I bet you put the camera on the ground when you took the last picture. Interesting perspective.

    Reply
  12. Zhu September 15, 2010 at 11:34 pm

    @Linguist-in-Waiting – It was the first time this season I wore lng sleeve and yes, it was a bit chilly!

    @Soleil – I tried to found out but didn’t learn anything about the name! I know, it’s driving my crazy 🙂

    @Sidney – It was fun 🙂

    @Yogi – Really? Why, is that the magic of crossing a continent by train?

    @Nigel – Yes, I know she is a railway lover too.

    @London Caller – 😆 They should!

    @Tulsa Gentleman – I rarely see any trains around Ottawa, but I grew up nearby the main train station in Nantes and you are right, after a while you don’t even pay attention anymore.

    @Seraphine – I got a polar bear to come and set the timer so that we could be both on the picture. And Feng tagged along because hockey season hasn’t started yet, of course 😆

    @shionge – We set the timer and put the camera on the ground 😉

    @khengsiong – You guessed it right, fellow photographer!

    Reply

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