Ivy Lea and Lansdowne

Ivy Lea and Lansdowne sit about halfway between Brockville and Gananoque in the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands. They are not tourist towns in the conventional sense. Lansdowne is a village of a few hundred people on the old highway, with a school, a few shops and eating places, and the exit for Highway 401. Ivy Lea is a small cluster of homes, motels and marinas beside the river. What they offer is access to one of the loveliest stretches of the St. Lawrence, and a base from which to explore the Thousand Islands on both the Canadian and the American side.

The islands themselves are the main attraction. The St. Lawrence here flows between granite outcrops of the Frontenac Axis, a ridge of Canadian Shield rock that crosses the river from Ontario into New York State. The glaciers scoured the surface, and when the water rose the high points became islands, of which there are actually well over a thousand, some with room for only a single cottage or a few pines. The local rule of thumb for what counts as an island is a patch of land above water all year that supports at least two trees. Passing ships use a dredged channel, so freighters and the smaller pleasure boats share the river.

The Thousand Islands International Bridge opened on 18 August 1938. It is not a single bridge but a series of crossings: a suspension span from the Canadian mainland near Ivy Lea to Hill Island, a causeway on the island, and further spans to Wellesley Island and the New York shore near Collins Landing. The Canadian approach, with its high suspension span over the main channel, gives views down the river on both sides. On Hill Island stands the 1000 Islands Tower, a Skydeck observation tower with a view over the islands; on Canada's side, the Ivy Lea Park and its lookouts let you see the bridge from below. Note that crossing into the United States means a border stop and passport check.

The Thousand Islands Parkway is the scenic road of the region. It runs close to the shore for almost forty kilometres between Brockville and Gananoque with a separate paved path alongside, a route for cyclists and walkers that has been part of the Waterfront Trail. Along it you find small beaches, picnic grounds, boat ramps, and lookout points over the river. The surface suits relaxed riding, and the traffic is light outside peak summer weekends.

Thousand Islands National Park is nearby. Established in 1904 as St. Lawrence Islands National Park, it is spread across dozens of islands and mainland sites, and has its main visitor centre at Mallorytown Landing, a short drive east of Ivy Lea. Camping on islands is possible, as is canoeing and kayaking, but you need a boat to reach most of the park. The Landing has trails, a small museum, and the remains of a gunboat from the War of 1812.

Cruises are the usual way to see the islands. Companies operate from Rockport and Gananoque, with boats that pass among the islands and the grand summer houses on them, such as the castles built for wealthy families in the late nineteenth century on the American side. Many of these trips pass close to Boldt Castle, on Heart Island in New York; a passport is required if you want to land there.

Lansdowne began as a crossroads settlement on the road along the river. The surrounding farmland and woods are the quieter side of the region, and the village is the practical place for services and a meal.

The best time to visit is summer, from June through early September, when the river is warm enough for swimming and boats run on full schedules. Early autumn is also pleasant, with fewer visitors and colour in the maple and oak on the shore. Winter is quiet, most seasonal businesses close, and the river can freeze in the shallow bays.

Ivy Lea and Lansdowne are easy to reach by road: Highway 401 passes right beside them, about halfway between Toronto and Montreal, and the exit for the Thousand Islands Parkway and the bridge is clearly marked.