Route Author: Greg Woitzik
Location: Port Perry, Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario
Estimated Gravel Time: 85%
Full Route Map:
Distance: 101.9 km (63.3 miles)
Suggested Tire Width: 38mm
Amenities: The route’s starting point is the town of Port Perry, which has all the amenities of a quaint tourist town including cafes, pubs/restaurants and convenience stores. The town of Uxbridge, just past the route’s halfway point, includes all the necessary conveniences, including several cafes and general stores. Finally, the villages of Sunderland and Cannington provide two final opportunities to resupply before the final push to the finish.
Parking: Parking can be found throughout the town of Port Perry, including the Scugog Association Soccer Fields. Parking can also be easily found in the alternative starting point in the town Uxbridge, including on-route at Elgin Park, just south of the town centre. Finally, parking is also available at the Community Centre in Cannington at the northern tip of the route.
Route Description:
The Durham Destroyer is held every July and includes three routes of 302/163/102kms respectively, each covering some of the Durham Region and the Kawartha’s finest gravel roads, singletrack, and rail trails. The following presents the shortest variation of the Durham Destroyer, the 100km “Rookie” Edition.
Beginning from the Scugog Soccer Association parking lot off Old Simcoe Rd., just north of Port Perry’s town centre, the route transitions from pavement to gravel upon reaching Township Line 8. After approximately 7km, make a left and head south along Marsh Hill Rd., through the hamlet of Epsom (no amenities) and continuing via quiet asphalt to Township Line 6.
Here, make a right and follow the well maintained gravel west to Lake Ridge Rd. After a quick left-right onto Reid Rd., the route heads north to Wagg Rd. and a lovely stretch of treelined unmaintained. Wagg Rd. eventually transitions to gravel and then asphalt before making a right onto some double track located within a section of the Durham Region Forest. Continue north for approximately 5km, following the dirt trails through the forest preserve to the town of Uxbridge.
Departing Uxbridge via Main St North, the route switches gears and joins the Beaver River Wetland Trail, following the abandoned railbed for approximately 27 easy kilometres, passing through the village of Sunderland and eventually leaving the trail behind at the 51km mark, as it makes its way north to the village of Cannington. As the route unofficial halfway point, Cannington offers a variety of amenities and a public park, making for an ideal rest stop. Be sure to stock up, as there are no further resupply options until the end of the route.
After briefly returning to the rail trail, the route heads south, continuing on exposed farmland gravel for 8.4km to the eastern branch of the Beaver River Wetland Trail. Here, the loop head east along the trail for 6.2km before making a right on Fingerboard Rd. and continuing on quiet country pavement before transitioning back to gravel and making a right onto Zion Rd.
After passing through the hamlet of Sonya to Sideroad 18, make a left onto Sideroad 18 and continue south along various dirt roads for 17.7km, all the way to the start of the loop in Port Perry.
