Port Whitby (Waterfront Trail) & the Pumphouse

You know I think this weather has really made it difficult for me to discipline myself in keeping my posts up to date.  Here's another one long overdue!  Continuing eastbound on the waterfront trail (east of Lynde Shores) you will come to an off-road and paved part of the trail at Port Whitby for about 60 km.  This port has over 400 slips and is an award-winning docking facility.  A couple of weeks ago when I was there taking some pictures along the pier, I happened to notice a seagull perched on top of a sign looking as though it had a broken wing.  As I approached more closely, it was obvious that it had been badly injured by a fishing hook and fishing line (see more about this story in "A Seagull's Demise" in this blog).  Although this sight was pretty sad indeed, it was an otherwise beautiful day with many people beating the heat enjoying water activities, like sailing and swimming.

Lions Promenade

Port Whitby and Pier

Further up around the bend, you'll see the Lions Promenade, where people gather to meet and eat, or get shelter from the rain, which is sometimes necessary when a sudden rainstorm catches you by surprise!   The Rotary Sunrise Lake Park is directly east of the pier.  You will almost always see this park alive with people enjoying picnics, BBQs and family get-togethers because of its beachfront access, and lots of parking.

Rotary Park

The Pump House, circa 1904

Along the boardwalk, I noticed a ruin up ahead of some sort with a fence surrounding it.  I didn't let that stop me though, and I squeezed through an opening just wide enough to let me know that I wasn't the only one doing this!  I immediately began taking some pictures with the idea of doing some research later on to find out what exactly this place once was.  After no luck in my search, I decided to call the Town of Whitby's Parks & Recreation Department.  They knew exactly what I was describing and told me that it used to be the Waterworks Pump House, circa 1904.  They just refer to it as "the Pump House". I thought that was really neat.  I love history, especially structural history.

Ronald Deeth Park

Thickson's Point

Okay, so literally back on track here once again, continuing on foot.  Right after I edged out of the Pumphouse, I spot a sign which read, 'Welcome to Heydenshore Kiwanis Park"  They have these parks  named individually because the property is so expensive here, so this way the costs can fall under different municipalities or institutions, which seems like a good idea.  

Exiting woodland at Thornton Ave

Thickson Woods

There's an uncommon feature at the Kiwanis park, which isn't found in most other nature parks. Apparently, on June 23, 2012 the Rotary Club  teamed up with the Town of Whitby to unveil the first Outdoor Fitness park.  There are 10 pieces of equipment in all, and since it's a new commodity around here, don't be expecting to have your 'turn' anytime soon.  Personally, I'd rather just keep moving along the Waterfront trail.  Through Ronald Deeth park to Thickson's Point, you'll enjoy breathtaking and refreshing views along the water. You will soon find yourself coming to the paved ending of the trail at Thickson Road, which will force you northbound off the trail for another 10 minutes.  After that, you'll enter into some really pretty natural woodlands, called Thickson Woods.  There's a point of interest in the trail that I liked where you were given

Wall-e?

the opportunity to learn more about what you were looking at.  First of all, there are optical binoculars (sort of resembled, 'Wall-e; remember that Walt Disney movie?) As well, they have an interactive audio sound-box that you can crank up to hear an audio voice speak a bit about the parks and marshes in the area.  For some reason, it brought memories back of the Ontario Science Centre when I was a child.  I really enjoyed walking through Thickson Woods and would recommend this portion of the trail for photographers, and nature lovers who enjoy open fields, wildflowers, butterflies, grasshoppers and multiple species of birds as I do.  


Advancing further on the Waterfront trail eastward, you will come to Intrepid Park.  Here you will see a war memorial from WWII, referred to as Camp X.  If you want to do some reading on that, you can find it here.

Thickson Woods

After almost 3 1/2 hours and 15 km of walking, believe me it was really catching up to me, especially from the heat.  As I was visiting in Oshawa for dinner, off the trail I went.  It was already close to 4:30!  The sun was high and hot in the sky, trekking along Park Road South.  Passed the nearly ghost-like GM plant in Oshawa.  The once "bread and butter" of this town was just a skeletal remnant of its glory days.  Took some side streets past some empty lots and a few boarded up homes before reaching a Mac's store to have the most delicious "slushie" ever! (well at least that's how it seemed at the time).

GM Plant @ Thornton Avenue

Finally arrived at 5:00 to the front doors.  Oh, the dinner..you can decide whether or not it was worth the walk...:p

Hermitage Ruins-Ancaster

 The day was perfect, but exploring the Hermitage Ruins in Ancaster had me whispering through the wrought iron gates, what happened here?  You could feel the loneliness of the place, even before learning of it's history, the Ruins are aptly named.  

In 1830, at this very spot, there lived a Reverend named George Sheed who built his home here.  Unfortunately he never lived to see his dream come true of ministering his own church because he died before it was finished.  In 1833, a Greek man named Otto Ives along with his wife and beautiful niece took over the property and moved in.  They had hired a coachman named William Black, who fell in love with the niece.  Unfortunately Mr. Ives was a man of status and connections, and therefore denied William permission to marry his niece.  Back in those days, it was important to maintain a certain status and it was considered unwise to marry someone with no money.  As you can imagine, this broke Williams heart.  The devastating reality hit him so badly that he had gone to the gatehouse and hung himself.  :( The next morning when William was supposed to bring Mr. Ives and the niece to town, the carriage never arrived.  Minutes later screams were heard from the coach house where they found Williams cold, body dangling from the rafters.

What makes this story even more heart breaking is that in this era, when someone took their own life, they weren't given a proper burial, because it was considered a sin.  So poor William was given a shallow grave at the nearest crossroads of the mansion.  It is because of this sad tale, that the area is so popular for paranormal activities.   The paranormal society claims that you can hear William crying or seeing him wandering the grounds, sometimes alone or with a woman by his side.  Well I don't believe in that sort of thing, but that doesn't mean I don't believe that others do.  They have their right to believe this, just as I do to not believe.  I just find that his life and the way he died horribly sad. 

The mansion had passed a few more hands and in 1855, Mr. George Brown Leith bought and sold 10 acres to his daughter and her husband 10 years later.  In 1901, Georges youngest daughter Alma Lauder took over the estate.  Alma loved the home so much, she never left it and even after a house party left the house in ruins in 1934, Alma refused to leave the home she loved.  She died at 87 years old, and once again Paranormal activists believe her spirit is still roaming the property.  The only remains of the estate to this day is the old gatehouse and the ruins of the original home. 

Darnley Grist Mill Ruins

In the early part of the 1800's, Crooks Hollows was at the centre of some progressive industrial growth in Upper Canada.  Named after James Crooks, its founder, who saw that Spencer creek had a lot of potential in the town to build and grow upon.

During the war of 1812, James Crooks, who saw the soldiers in the area were having a very difficult time, had built the Darnley Grist Mill with the hopes of producing flour for bread.  James Crooks saw the Spencer creek to not only power the mill, but to provide water for the crops as well as drinking water.  He obviously was a visionary.  Darnley Mill was the first of several businesses that had developed.  Soon a distillery, blacksmith shop and a general store opened its doors.

Ten years later, the old grist mill was made into Upper Canada's first paper mill.  But Crooks sold it off because of lack of power.  This is when I find the story gets a little strange.  The paper mill had passed through three hands (Helliwell, Ellen Bansley, Robert Sanderson) before it was eventually sold to Mr. Stutts in 1878.  James Stutts and his sons ran the business for 7 years.  Until one gloomy gray day such as this one, when the boiler had blown the roof off the boiler house as well as the roof of the main building killing one of Stutts sons' John.

Although Darnley Mill continued to run for years after, it was once more brought down for good after a fire which gutted the building in 1943, never to be rebuilt again.  

Where I stand in and among the ruins taking pictures, you can sense the isolation and the bleak remains of this town.  Although there are beautiful homes and quaint little stores at the hairpin of Old Brock road and Crooks Hollow Road, this town was forgotten about after the railroad had bypassed it altogether.  Nowadays, you can visit the ruins of Darnley Grist Mill and see the remains of a man's dream one brick at a time.


Other links: Darnley Cascade, Crooks Hollow.

Dundurn Castle-Hamilton

I've been to Dundurn Castle several time over the last three years, and have yet to find my way inside her doors.  I just haven't shown up at the right times I guess.  Since weekend hours are limited too.   Dundurn Castle is located at 610 York Blvd. in Hamilton.  It's an historic site now, and was built in 1835 and was once the home of the Sir Allan McNab who later became the Prime Minister of the "United Province of Canada between 1854 and 1856. 

This castle is huge and now owned by the City of Hamilton it has 72 rooms in an area of over 18000 square feet! It took three years to build.  I haven't gone inside yet, but will make that an item on my bucket list.  The outside grounds are stunning enough, which includes a "mystery building" on the eastern part of the property.  A beautiful house that no one actually knows who or what it was for.  Some assume it was meant for a chapel, or a theatre. Others believe there were tunnels being built under the castle grounds leading to the 'mystery building' perhaps for some cockfighting? The grounds also contain a civic museum and Dundurn park which is a great backdrop for wedding photography.
  
More on castles to explore in Canada and beyond are added to my bucket list.

Casa Loma

Casa Loma has weekday hours from 9:30 am to 5:00 with the last admission at 4:00, but you are able to take photographs of the outside of the castle anytime.  We plan on returning to take indoor shots of the rooms of the castle.  You might want to check their website before going as they are currently doing renovations to the castle over the next few months and some areas of the castle won't be accessible.

I especially love the wine cellar, the swimming pool and the riding stables so much looking forward to revisiting soon!  There is a tragic history of Sir Henry Pellatt and the gift of the castle to his wife and the riches to rags story.