Beaches to Bluff in Toronto

Last few days I spent back in Toronto, Ontario. Big city ya know. I already had a good feel for the place already because of my previous trip a few days back via the GO Train. On that trip I explored the waterfront and downtown.  I pounded the pavement hard and clocked some big kilometres. It was a sunrise to sunset day. It worked out great because now on these follow up visits I only had to explore the west and east side of the community thus avoiding the traffic downtown.

My road of choice for exploring was Lakeshore Drive. It was straight through the city, along the waterfront, close to parks. Plus.. I have been following it since Niagara-on-the-Lake so why change a good thing.  First on the park plan was Humber Park on the west side.  Massive park split into an east and west section.  Bikers, walkers, roller bladders, dog walkers and joggers this way and that way. Me.. I am dodging bullets as they wise by. My highlight was the point, away from the main trail,  where there was a beacon and a large boulder shoreline. It was my perch while I took photos of sailboats cruising by.

The waterfront of Toronto on the west side of the community in literally one park after another. The biggest obstacle was parking and paid parking to boot. I do not mind paying for parking if I was to stay in the park for the day but when you visit and hike many parks in a span of 2 to 3 days it can get expensive.

After the waterfront parks I ventured off the beaten track into traffic and visited High Park. It is THE park in Toronto I have been told. You always hear about events in High Park on the radio and in the papers when visiting out here.  At least on the station I am listening to.  On my visit there were no events just people enjoying the 33 degree weather.

I first visited Colbourne House. It is a heritage site of the founder of the park from 1836. It even has a canon in the front yard.  The signage on the trails were bragging about Hillside Gardens. It stated people arrived in the park just to take pictures of Hillside Gardens. Well. we will see about that I thought. That is a big statement because I have seen hundreds of gardens on my trip across Canada.

Hillside Garden Maple Leaf

Hillside Park is on a big hillside and on the shores of Grenadine Pond.  There were gardens. They were well trimmed and maintained.  There is even a trackless train providing tours.  The park was one of the nicest in Toronto but on a Canadian scale there are others with more flowers, fountains, statues, exhibits and art. However High Park is still worth the visit and it did have a g giant maple leaf garden.

My first experience of city beaching came at Woodbine Beach Parks in Scarborough located on the east side of Toronto. Parking was a scare. People were walking the lakeshore path shoulder to shoulder. And finding a private piece of sand turned out to be next to impossible. And like all big beaches there were posers who loved themselves and punks being cool. It is funny what some people think is cool.

Lake Ontario from Bluffs

The highlight of my end days in Toronto was Cathedral Bluffs Park. A short trail led explorers to a high cliff overlooking Lake Ontario, Bluffers Park and a marina.

While I was admiring the long fall down (Main BLOG Photo) another person came to the bluff. A very nice local man. He was telling me he has been coming to the bluffs since he was a kid.  Use to camp and party there.  He also mentions that the bluff erodes about 5 feet a year.

We talked for an hour. We discussed how we both love the outdoors and travel  and in one hour we solved all the world problems with a smile and a handshake.