The village of Carp is only minutes from the West end of Ottawa and is worth a ride. The village itself is peaceful and attractive, with small shops and restaurants. There is a farmers market that’s great for produce and that features the annual Carp Fair and other events. And, hidden below the village, is the former Canadian Forces Base Carp, generally known as “the Diefenbunker” – a self-contained city in a bomb shelter built back in the cold war era and intended to house the government in the event of a nuclear war. The Diefenbunker now houses the Carp branch of the Ottawa Library, but is still also operating as a heritage site.
North of the town on the main road (#5) is a series of a half-dozen S-curves where the road hugs the Carp Ridge. This is a low-speed zone but still an enjoyable ride. Please don’t speed in the town.
Take the Queensway West to the Carp exit (exit 144, next exit after the Canadian Tire Centre) and head North on road # 5.
The Diefenbunker is on your left after you pass through the centre of town, just after the Carp Fairgrounds on your right. The twisty section begins about 500 metres North of the Diefenbunker.
Option: after passing through the S-curves you can turn right onto the Thomas Dolan Parkway (marked in green here) toward Dunrobin. Or, you can continue North and take the ferry across the Ottawa River.