ABOUT OUR TRIP: 

We liked the idea of free parking for the whole day so the Trail Visitors Center was our start point again. Make sure that you have all that you need to eat or drink because once you leave Fredericton there are no snacks or refreshments until you get all the way to the Taymouth market.

We took the Gibson trail eastwards over the old railway bridge which eventually headed us north to Marysville and the old cotton mill on McGloin St, which is a huge four story brick building built in 1885. It was once one of the largest cotton mills in Canada!

The Gibson trail runs out at McGloin St and at the end of what was the old cotton mill our group split up. All the bikes except the roadsters turned left on Bridge Street and crossed over the river to get onto the Nashwaak trail, which is located on the other bank. It is an exceptionally pretty trail and follows the meandering Nashwaak River and takes you directly to the Taymouth market.

The roadsters who preferred to go fast elected to go straight across Bridge St onto River St/Rd which eventually turns into highway 628; that brings you out just beyond Taymouth where you’d need to head west (turn left) to get to the market. There are a few hills and one in particular (without any shadow of a doubt) will bring some colour to your cheeks! :0)

The Nashwaak trail along the old railway line takes you directly to the Taymouth market. It could be best described as better suited for mountain bikes as it does get a little harder going in some places where the crushed rock gets bigger, but if you take your time and pick your way it is a lovely trail.

Fresh Water Spring in Penniac

If you try it and don’t like it you have from when you re-cross the river via the old railway bridge until Penniac to change your mind and take the road option as it criss crosses River Rd a couple of times where it runs parallel to the trail. From Penniac onwards however, you’re committed because River Rd leads away from the river and heads for the hills.

Incidentally there is a fresh water spring that the locals have been drinking from for generations. It’s located between the Penniac Bridge and the community of Penniac, and flows out of the side of the hill. Look for the cement tub at the roadside pullout. Good cold fresh water. You can rejoin the trail a few more km ahead at the foot of a hill where a stream crosses the road.

Once at Taymouth market there’s a lovely country atmosphere with lots of homemade produce and a place to grab a cup of tea and something to eat.

There was no ice cream but a homemade serving of strawberry shortcake with real whipped cream was an excellent substitution to suffer and most certainly hit ‘the spot’! :0)

It was fun watching the tubers on the river heading in the same direction as us. Highway 148 follows the river so it was both entertaining and fascinating to watch the tubers at various stages of their journey.

There are a couple of service stations, one even has a restaurant and there’s also a snack van where the tubers stop to show off their wrinkly toes from being in the river for so long.

The perfect recipe for a slow sedate, social return trip and the few gradients that there are, are not harsh.

As we came back into Fredericton we went straight across at the lights and did not go back across the bridge, choosing instead to stay on Canada St until we came to the Nashwaak trail again and head South along the paved trail straight back to our cars at the Trail Visitors Center.