This portion of the trail from Lakeside Park in Ajax to Port Whitby was explored on a bike instead of walking. When you first come through Lakeside Park in Ajax you'll have one of the nicest views of Lake Ontario on the Waterfront trail. Located on the south east area of Ajax, Lakeside has plenty of wildlife to see because of its close proximity to Carruthers Marsh and Lake Ontario.
Carruthers Creek Marsh area has no formal paths but it's been traveled so many times through so many generations of nature lovers, you'll see numerous informal pathways. It is considered a Provincially Significant Wetland (also known as Watershed) area and is accessible to hikers and walkers who want to visit here. You'll see many sedges and rushes, and of course ducks, birds and fish that come to feed here. I'm still working on capturing that 'awesome' fowl photo, but they keep flying :)
The trail goes north and you'll find yourself on and off-road paths but its a nice mix from stunning homes on Ortono Road, to rolling hills of farmland to the wooded scenery of Lynde Shores Conservation Area.
The Lynde Shores Conservation Area is 156 hectares of land on Lake Ontario along Lynde Creek. It includes parts of the Cranberry marshes, a natural habitat for marsh birds and wildlife in the area. If you ever want to visit this place, you'll have to make sure to take a garbage bag with you because it's garbage-free which means anything you bring into Lynde Shores, you take out of Lynde Shores. There are no picnic tables inside the C.A., but there are some near the parking lot off of Victoria Street, if you want to stop for something to eat before going in.
By the way, if you are coming here by car, you can park on the side Victoria street (east of Halls Rd). Did not visit the Conservation area, but on this day opted to go down Halls Road instead and headed east on Victoria Street towards Port Whitby. Great run today, and will come back to visit the Conservation Area on foot. Still in all, saw lots of beautiful scenery and took way too many pictures.
One last thing...
If you are wondering about the butterfly...I found her on the soft shoulder on Victoria Street. I stopped to pick her up off the pavement and put her on top of a wooden post, and gave her something to eat.
After passing by the enormous and high-security Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, you will soon be in the area of Duffins Creek. As you enter, you will see a welcoming sign, which will give you answers to any questions you have just in case you feel lost!
Simcoe Point is the point of land that overlooks the mouth of Duffins Creek (Simcoe Point). I thought the area would be an ideal place for a cottage or a home because of the flat land and beautiful lakefront views. I did some reading about Simcoe Point, and apparently back in 1912, John Henry Greenlaw had built a house here called the "Simcoe House" and used it for a summer retreat. Unfortunately, he died soon after it was built, and soon the property was sold to new owners who turned it into a popular destination. In fact it attracted visitors all Ontario for over 25 years or so. Simcoe point however declined rapidly after the Great depression and had burned to the ground sometime in 1950's. There's a plaque which is erected there today, showing the history of the area and the people buried there.
 |
| Veterans Point |
Duffins creek, was so well known in earlier times to be loaded with salmon, that the french called it ":Riviere au Saumon". It was a spot for early settlers who built mills, and dams along the creek, preventing salmon from swimming upstream to spawn, this eventually led to their decline. Today, it has its own character and all kinds of fish, trout, white sucker, carp and bass spawn here. When you are here, its easy to forget your in an urban location.
If you are walking the Trail, you will find that the east side of the creek leads to a asphalt path that winds it way directly into Rotary Park in Ajax. With this feature, Rotary is perfect for bikers, joggers, strollers, in-line skaters, and people in wheelchairs to enjoy the waterfront views. The Ajax Waterfront Park continues much like the Rotary park with its running trail along the top of the bluffs thorough the park. There is a nearby locust grove that lines the view to the east.
 |
| Locust Grove |
Passed The Veterans Point Garden, which commemorates the Town's history and is dedicated to the HMS Ajax, the Defense Industries Limited Please read more here:
The trail continues east along the asphalt path to Pickering Beach Road, where the park ends. Although you'll be on-road for about a kilometre, there is usually little traffic around so you can go on the shoulder until you get back onto the trail. This is called Pickering Beach, beautiful scenery, and many of the original homes built after the war are still there. The historical features still remain. There is so much history here.
Carruthers Creek Marsh area has no formal paths but it's been traveled so many times through so many generations of nature lovers, you'll see numerous informal pathways. It is considered a Provincially Significant Wetland (also known as Watershed) area and is accessible to hikers and walkers who want to visit here. You'll see many sedges and rushes, and of course ducks, birds and fish that come to feed here. I'm still working on capturing that 'awesome' fowl photo, but they keep flying :)
The Lynde Shores Conservation Area is 156 hectares of land on Lake Ontario along Lynde Creek. It includes parts of the Cranberry marshes, a natural habitat for marsh birds and wildlife in the area. If you ever want to visit this place, you'll have to make sure to take a garbage bag with you because it's garbage-free which means anything you bring into Lynde Shores, you take out of Lynde Shores. There are no picnic tables inside the C.A., but there are some near the parking lot off of Victoria Street, if you want to stop for something to eat before going in.
If you are wondering about the butterfly...I found her on the soft shoulder on Victoria Street. I stopped to pick her up off the pavement and put her on top of a wooden post, and gave her something to eat. 
