May 28, 2012

Todmorden Mills, Toronto


Todmorden Mills was discovered actually quite by chance while on an unadventurous bike ride southbound on the Don River recreational trail. Deciding to veer west off Pottery Road in Toronto, I saw the ‘Fantasy farm’ up ahead.  I had always wondered where this was as you could see it off the Don Valley Parkway, but I had never seen it up close.  As I discovered it’s a banquet hall, and set in some really pretty and private country-like scenery great for Weddings.  Right across the lane is ‘Todmorden Mills’.  It’s an historic site owned now by the City of Toronto, but was once a Lumber mill located in a small settlement called, "Don Mills" in 1790's.  
There remains todays two historic miller’s homes, a Brewery building and over 10 hectares of fields containing wildflowers and walking trails including upland and bottomland forests. 

I was surprised when I walked into the historical mill house near the entrance of Todmorden, there were walls of artwork and a stage door leading to a renovated Papermill Theatre and Gallery.  Interesting setting for this.  Honestly didn’t even know it was here.   If you want to find out more about the Papermill Theatre and what's on, click here.













May 15, 2012

Upper Chedoke Falls- Hamilton, Ontario






The Upper Chedoke Falls is a challenge to get to, but the experience in retrospect was a great one.  I had been here before to the Chedoke Trail and had already known where the ‘Lower Chedoke Falls’ were.  What I didn’t know was where the ‘Upper Chedoke Falls" were or how tricky my ‘rock hoppin’ skills would have to be.  




 Stuck literally between a rock and hard spot several times, this rocky crag left much to my problem solving skills.  About 10 minutes into the trek and my partner falls and as he is lying and moaning on top of a bed of rocks, worrying about his phone.  I say, “are you ok?’ to which his reply is “yeah, but I think I fell on my phone” with that I am determined evermore to get to the Upper Chedoke, and for a moment, I am tempted to use his back as leverage to get across the water..lol


Upward and onward, I can hear the rush of water, and up ahead in the distance, I didn’t see a shimmering light, but I did see the movement of waterfalls.  Not one, but two! This was exciting and while he mutters something to me like, ‘remind me not to do this again’, I laugh with the determination of getting ever closer to take that photograph that will instill in my memories forever.  

There she is!  The top of the Niagara Escarpment she is a 15  metre ribbon waterfall and there I am standing at the foot of a beautiful wave of rushing water of the Upper Chedoke Falls!