An 80 km loop out of Orono, over the farm roads on top of the Oak Ridges Moraine, past a working wind farm, down long descents into Port Hope, and back over the steepest climbing of the day.
Distance
80 km
Elevation
1,040 m
Ride time
3–4 hr
Difficulty
Challenging
The route
About this ride
A wind farm, some of the best descents east of the city, a coffee under a railway bridge, and then the climbs that make you earn it.
North and east of Orono the road climbs onto the Oak Ridges Moraine, the ridge of glacial sand and gravel that runs across the top of the Greater Toronto Area and feeds the Ganaraska River. This is why the loop climbs more than a map of southern Ontario suggests it should. Around ten kilometres in the route turns east onto Concession Road 6 and runs straight through the Ganaraska wind farm, an 18 MW site that has been turning since 2016. This is the best of it, open farmland falling away on both sides, the turbines standing right over the road, and the best descent of the day waiting at the far end of it. That section alone is worth the drive out here. From there the ground keeps dropping toward the lake, and County Road 65, 4th Line and Deer Park Road carry you down through Northumberland County into Port Hope.
Port Hope sits at the bottom, where the Ganaraska meets Lake Ontario. Because the town grew slowly through the first half of the twentieth century most of its Victorian core survived, and it now has one of the best-preserved nineteenth-century main streets in the country. Halfway in, we stopped at The Pulse Cafe on Robertson Street, tucked in under the old railway viaduct a block off the water. Leaving town the route runs west along Lakeshore Road before turning north, and this is where the day is decided. There is a lot of climbing left after the coffee, and the pull up Concession Road 5 is the hardest of it. Save something for that, and the last few kilometres back into Orono take care of themselves.
Stops along the way
6 of 6 showing
0 km · Orono
Where we left the car. The old Buttercup Hollow became a community memorial park in 1923 and now has a pool, ball diamond, tennis courts and a splash pad, so there is room to leave a vehicle and somewhere to sit afterwards. It is a short roll up Station Street and Main Street to pick up the route out of the village.
Open in Maps →~2 km · north of Orono
The route leaves the village on Taunton Road and turns onto Best Road. When we rode it in July 2026 that stretch had been freshly tarred and was loose underfoot on a road bike. Surfaces get redone, so it may well have settled by now, but if you would rather not gamble on it, Leskard Road runs parallel and works as an alternative line back onto Concession Road 7.
~12 km · Concession Road 6
Our favourite stretch of the loop, and where you get both the best views and the best descent of the day. Once the route turns east onto Concession Road 6 it runs for several kilometres straight through the Ganaraska wind farm, an 18 MW site operating since 2016 on the high farmland above Port Hope. Open farmland falling away on both sides, the turbines standing right over the road, and then the drop off the far end of it. This is the section that makes the drive out here worth it.
Open in Maps →~41 km · 10 Robertson Street, Port Hope
The halfway stop and the reason to time the ride around Port Hope. The Pulse sits on Robertson Street, tucked in under the old railway viaduct a block from the water, with a big patio out front. Full cafe menu, baked goods, soups and salads, Pilot Coffee Roasters beans, and vegan, gluten-free and keto options if you need them. Hours shift, so check ahead if the whole plan depends on it.
Open in Maps →~70 km · back on the moraine
The most challenging climbing of the day, and it lands late. Once the route turns north off the lake it climbs back up onto the moraine, and the pull along Concession Road 5 is the one that hurts. There is a good chunk of climbing left after the coffee stop generally, so ride the first half accordingly and keep something in reserve for this.
80 km · 5348 Main Street, Orono
Back on Main Street a minute from the park, an independent village spot for something to eat before the drive home. Worth checking their hours ahead if you are finishing late.
Open in Maps →From the ride
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