Elora Gorge and Trail

The Grand River is one of my favorite places to go in the warmer months.  It flows through the bottom of the Elora gorge, approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long, with limestone cliffs reaching 22 metres (72 ft) high. 

The Elora Gorge is another remnant of the last ice age much like the Scarborough  bluffs, it was formed from glacial meltwaters.  The area includes a park with camping sites, hiking trails, and is also popular for kayaking and tubing.  

When we went there people gathered in a row to do some ziplining.  Usually in the summer months in July and August only, you can buy a seat across the Gorge suspended in the air for about 5-10 minutes for $40 a head.  That's a little too much money for such a short time for me not even for the thrill of it all.
 

 Located nearby is the "old swimming hole", at the Elora Quarry Conservation Area, a 0.8 hectare (two acre) which was a former limestone quarry Elora Quarry did not become a conservation area until 1976, but it was a popular swimming area long before that.

This shot was taken a little later in the year

The Elora Gorge Falls are located a bit upstream from the Gorge.  It's roughly a 7 m tall waterfall. 

As an interesting fact: The Quarry served as a film location in the 2017 adaptation of Stephen King's novel It.

There are wonderful trails in and around the Gorge as well to explore.   Absolutely one of my favourite go-to places in Ontario to get out the big city and go exploring!

Jungle Cat World

The Jungle Cat World was opened in 1983 by Wolfram and Christa Klose.  The park is still owned and operated by the Klose family.    Located in Orono, Ontario. 

 
Jungle Cat World was initially just a tourist attraction to show exotic animals, primarily for recreation rather than education. Over the years, the park has taken a much more active role in educating visitors.


Although here, I love that every day they do an educational feeding tour around the wildlife park.  The Large cats, wolves and primates are fed.  How can i not love this?

Jungle Cat World's Night Safari is a guided tour around the wildlife park at night. This allows the public an opportunity to observe some of the activities of the nocturnal animals.

My husband loved feeding the rabbits which came right up to him.  I thought this was so sweet. Campers are also educated on animal welfare, wildlife conservation, and eco-friendly living by participating in some of the above-mentioned activities that Jungle Cat World offers.

For me this is my happy place. Although I hate to see animals living in captivity, they  tell me that they are better off than in the wilderness and have a great life of food that is given to them in a safe, healthy environment.  In my mind, wild animals need wilderness and everything that comes with that.

even the wood bleeds

Edwards Gardens

I remember going to Edwards Gardens a few times as a child with my parents.  Much hasn't changed since then, as far as I can recall.  There are still beautiful garden features like annuals, roses and wildflowers surrounded by rockery here, but for the most part much is as lovely as I remembered.

Edwards Gardens and Toronto Botanical Gardens are both located  on one of several tributaries in the Don River (Wilket Creek) where you can overlook spectacular views of large centenarian willow trees, stair rises, waterfalls and bridge arches.  

The summer is when the gardens come to life, and although rarely preferring summer over fall, this is the only time when everything is in bloom.  Much of the structures on the estate originally entitled to Alexander Milne (a Scottish weaver) who  settled there after 1812 still remain.  Alexander remained only for twenty years and left the property neglected.

Thankfully the land was bought by Rupert E. Edwards in 1944 where he had created a beautiful garden and  restored the wool and sawmills still there today.  Rupert sold the property to the City of Toronto in 1955 and it then became a public park.  

Today, Edwards Gardens and Toronto Botanical Gardens are enjoyed the world over, as well as a city treasure for its hiking and cycling trails, gift shops, floral shows, as well as a photographic goldmine.  With its trimmed lawns, flower beds, rivers and creek, and exotic trees it's a perfect backdrop for a wedding and wedding parties.  

My son and his fiance were scoping out a few venues for their wedding and I can see endless possibilities for perfect photographs here.  Edwards Gardens has won an Award of Excellence for the Regional Citation category from the Canadian Society of Landscaping Architects.  I guess that explains why. 

If you do decide to have a wedding ceremony or have formal wedding pictures taken at a city park, you do need to have a permit.  I didn't know this.  If you need more information, click here.

Ontario Place

It's been so many years since I visited Ontario Place, but I decided to check it out on the long weekend because I was given free tickets to the Cinesphere for the viewing of "Under the Sea'.  We brought the bikes out because the weather was just gorgeous.

The Ontario Place calendar is loaded with events and I really hope it takes off this year because it has sooo much to offer, especially for young families!

For starters, if you are an avid bicycler like me you are always on the lookout for new bike trails to discover - Ontario Place has just opened a new trail called 'Trillium Park, William G Davis' .  It has full boat access either by water or by land, and for those who choose to walk-in their transport - there are plenty of canoe lift-offs.




We loved the film at the Cinesphere and you know movies just don't look as good as they do here!  Every moment seems up-close and personal.  The chairs are relatively comfy but would have liked it if they laid back just a little.  A note for the cyclists though: we had trouble locating racks or proper bike security here yet.  I hope that changes since there are plenty of two-wheelers around.


I should mention that the Ontario Place's Trillium Park incorporates a lot of Indigenous culture.   There was a lot of consultation with First Nations that went into it.  The Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation were involved in the consultation process, so I've heard.

It took around three years to build the park.  The trail, itself, used to be a parking lot.   All the trees, plants and shrubs total about 1,200 trees and 28,000 shrubs and perennials.  They're all indigenous.

The rocks and boulders that surround the park were transplanted from the Muskoka area.

Total cost was around $30-million, but the end result is a bicycle, dog, and jogger friendly,.

We saw lots of people splayed out on the grass during the late afternoon. The green space was less overrun than other similar spots in the city.  We stopped to have our lunch of egg salad sandwiches while overlooking the lake in two perfectly set Adirondack chairs.












I'll be back again and again and I certainly hope Ontarians will rediscover it too.