Explore the villages of Rideau Lakes on foot this season! When the spring sun shines so do the communities of Chaffeys Lock, Delta, Elgin, Newboro, Portland and Lombardy. Discover the architectural and cultural elements of an intriguing past. Check out these five unique walking tours this spring and revel in Rideau Lakes!

Be sure to grab a drink on the way from a cozy cafe in Rideau Lakes or pick up a sweet treat from a bakery here to nibble while strolling!

Walking Tour of Portland

Established in 1816 as a stepping off point for settlers intending to make their homestead in the area, Portland soon became a thriving village of trade and transhipment. Walk through the enchanting history and marvel at some of the oldest residences in the township.

Walking Tour of Newboro

Newboro is known as the keystone community of the Rideau; a village surrounded by lakes and a popular vacation destination. But it was once the site of one of the most difficult and dangerous tasks undertaken in the building of the Rideau Canal: digging, blasting and excavating the connective channel at the isthmus. After that, a village sprang up between the historical communities of North and South Crosby. Did you know that Newboro became independent in 1876 as one of Ontario’s smallest incorporated towns?

Walking Tour of Elgin

Imagine a bustling centre of commerce and culture as one of the leading villages of Rideau Lakes! The history of Elgin is marked in stone – quite literally. Elgin became noticed by builders of the Rideau Canal in the early 1800s for its wealth of stone suitable for the construction of the locks, and has since flourished into the community it is today.

Walking Tour of Chaffeys Lock

Chaffeys Lock was a busy connection point between Indian Lake and Opinicon Lake throughout the 1800s with a continuous flow of ships carrying colonists, wood products, and minerals. Shipping declined in the early 1900s but then a new era of tourism began to develop turning Chaffeys Lock into the attraction it is today.

Walking Tour of Delta

One of the earliest established villages in the township, Delta was first set as Stevenstown in 1796. With the dam, mills, flourishing farms and industry, Delta became home to a remarkable number of pioneer trades and crafts, such as stores, smiths, hotels, a tannery, a distillery, brickyard, foundry, cheese factory, newspaper and much more. These industries, businesses and customs have left a mark on the community’s history – and many of the buildings and traditions remain to demonstrate the life of a busy and prosperous community.

See some of these sites and others during Doors Open Rideau Lakes on Aug. 16 to 17, 2025! Keep an eye out this spring for a full list of sites for this special weekend which allows free access to some of the township’s most intriguing buildings and natural landscapes, in partnership with Doors Open Ontario..

Bonus: South Elmsley Driving Tour

From a fairytale cottage to land owned by Benedict Arnold, the South Elmsley to South Burgess Driving Tour is packed full of intriguing houses, properties, antique barns and surprising tidbits to get the imagination running into overdrive. This fascinating tour features antique bank barns and even a Stationmaster’s House. Hop in the car and tour through Lombardy and surrounding area!

 “Amble casually with us. Imagine the welcome clang of steam boat bells, the aromas of outer-world spices and local cheddar in grocer shops, the humming of mills… the laughter and tears of family and village life as it was fifteen decades ago.” – Heritage Walking Tour of Portland

See all the Heritage Walking Tours and download the guides on the Heritage Walking Tours page.