Meadow Trail of the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park (Cataract Falls)

One of the prettiest areas near Toronto definitely has to be the Caledon region.  For cyclists it's an astronomical challenge with enormous hills and valleys. Caledon is in the region of the Oak Moraines and the Chedleton Badlands and has gorgeous vistas which makes it a paradise for day trippers.

The Forks of Credit Provincial Park is a part of the Bruce trail and streams the Credit River all the way through it.  It is home to an abundance of nature trails including the Meadow trail which leads you to an old historical mill and a cataract waterfall.

The mill was purchased by John Deagle back in 1820 and features a cascading waterfall.  John converted the mill into an electric generating station which dammed the credit river that created Cataract Lake.

The generating station was later sold and purchased by Ontario Hydro but was shut down in the mid 40s.

There is evidence today of the dam that was destroyed.  Today it is riddled with destruction and graffiti, although the ruins of the mill and the powerhouse are still in the park.  The stairs and bridge leading to the mill have been closed off due to erosion and construction this summer.

We as well as others found a way to venture closer to the waterfall.    It's a shame that people had destroyed the ruins of the Deagle mill with spray paint, as it's a reminder of the history there.  It's far to

o dangerous to try to clean it up now. 

The Meadow trail as a I mentioned earlier is a part of the Bruce trail and is about 4 km long.  There are several entry points, but I refused to pay $6.80 per head just to visit a trail, so we found a paid parking lot which only cost $2.00 by meter for 2 hours.

Provincial parks are becoming increasingly expensive, but in this case I really feel it's the principle of the matter.  For example if you drive your car into the park, you will be charged $6.80/per person in the vehicle, which I think is ridiculous.

We had a great time as I had before seen the Belfountain waterfall but never knew there was another waterfall located in the same park.  If you decide to come, I would suggest either pooling your money to go through the park from the main gates or entering from Meadow trail.  The trail is simple, and very steep at times but it's really good workout and to be honest it was a slow incline coming back out of the park so I never really noticed it.

Claude Presbyterian Church, Inglewood

 Sometimes while I am day tripping, I might pass something that catches my eye to the point where I will stop and turn around to take pictures.

This was one of those times.  A little church located off the side of Hurontario Street in Caledon on my way home from hiking.


As you may be able to tell by the shadows on the small church, the day was long and the church had been closed already.

That's too bad because I would have entered and gladly so, not because I am religious by any sect or ceremony, but I believe in the soul and serendipity and that all things come to us by plan.  Maybe that sounds silly - I think what I mean to say is that I believe our destinies change by the choices we make.

Being inside a church, especially old empty ones, can make me feel closer to what I believe religion was meant to do for us - heal us.  I truly believe we all have the power to heal ourselves if we shut off everything around us and listen.

Churches too I think are made to be beautiful so that it would be easier to make people submit to believing in something greater than themselves. 




Click here to read about the interesting history I discovered about this place.

Toronto Islands - Hanlans, Centre and Ward

One of my  favourite tourist attractions in Toronto would definitely be visiting the Toronto Islands. Any time of year, there is something so magical about living on an Island away from the big city. Even when I was a young woman I would envy the Islanders for their idyllic lifestyle.

One of the first inhabitants to live all year long on the Toronto Islands were the Hanlan Family (Hanlan's Point), who settled at Gibraltar Point in 1862. Several years later the City of Toronto owned the islands after it was transferred from the federal government in 1867. The City divided the land into separate lots to allow for cottages, amusement areas and even resort hotels to be built.

The Toronto islands developed by eroded stone from the Scarborough bluffs as they were carried westward by the currents from Lake Ontario.

To get here you take the Island Ferry located on the Queens Quay in Toronto, otherwise known as 'The docks.' For a minimal fare you board a large barge which carry people and bicycles to the island and back again within a set time frame. No one is allowed on the island after 9 P.M.

It's almost like taking a mini-vacation. When you first get off the ferry, you land on the Island's 'centre-point' otherwise known as Centre Island which is between Hanlan's Point and Ward's Island.

Ward's Island, is located at the easternmost point of the island and is named after the Ward family who first settled there around 1830.

David Ward was a local fisherman who raised seven children. His son, William, built the landmark Ward’s Hotel in 1882, just south of the ferry docks at Channel Avenue. Originally the building had two floors and a central, third story tower, but in 1922 the tower and upper floor were removed after the structure deteriorated. The remaining building operated as a grocery supply and ice-cream parlour until its demolition in 1966. The hotel, in addition to Wiman’s Baths, built in 1881, created a pleasant resort that attracted many visitors.  Today,  Ward's Island is where the residents live.  

The west side of the island, commonly known as West Point, rapidly became a resort destination for the citizens of Toronto; the first summer cottage community was found here. In 1878, a hotel was built by John Hanlan at the north-west tip of the island and soon after the area became known as Hanlan’s Point.

Centre Island amusement park and a baseball stadium for 10,000 spectators was built in the 1890s-1910. Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run here!




Today, there are no more hotels, and the local residents enjoy peaceful seasons, and I've been told resent the hub-bub that summer months bring with the amusement parks. They try to keep to the themselves, but I'm sure they look forward to the quieter times of the year when they can have the island to themselves again.

If you prefer to get around by bicycle like the locals do here, there is a place to rent bicycles on the island, but we bring our own bikes across the ferry with us. It's a wonderful flat ride and not too busy either. Lots of beautiful homes here, which gorgeous gardens in the summer. You can rent kayaks or standing boards for recreation in the lagoon.



On the islands, there are lots of places to get lost and be alone, or sneak a peak at the Toronto skyline across the lake. It's a home away from home and when it's really hot in the city, there's always a balmy breeze off the lake to waste the day away.

Everyone knows the Centre Island Amusement park with its free concerts, expansive picnic areas, petting zoos, amusement rides, bumper cars, scrambler ride, ferris wheels, and mini putt golf. Truth is when I come here, I almost never go to there.


While here, you'll want to check out the Meany Maze which is a maze of shrubberies lots of fun to test your sense of direction. Of course I was hopeless and decided to follow others out. It was either that or I would sit in a corner and just wait to be found.


The Lake Light Marker is located near Gibraltar point, is the earliest Lighthouse on the Great Lakes, which stood in 1808, shaped like a hexagon, topped with a wooden cage housing a whale oil lantern for light. It stood 52 feet high. It was later raised to 82 feet in 1832 equipped with a revolving light. The lighthouse has a reputation of being a haunted building since the disappearance of its first lighthouse keeper, J.P. Rademuller in 1815 and a later discovery of a partial skeleton nearby.



On a lighter note, there is also a slew of elderly boat and yacht owners who coop in their water vessels all year long on Mugg's Island. It's a way of life for them by the water and they've sold their northern cottages for a trip across the lake a lot closer to home. Sounds like a great idea to me!

Markham's Rouge Valley Trail -Wilbur Latimer Way

 We went on a nice walk with family this afternoon in Markham.  Met up initially to do some pottery painting, but it was far too busy in the 'Crock Pottery Barn' so we all strolled along the Main Street in Markham which is always bustling with locals and tourists especially when the weather gets warmer.  


One of my favourite shops is the old Firehall which has been turned into a confectionery shop with every kind of sweetness your heart desires.   There are plenty of outdoor cafes, patio bars, ice cream shops and crafts boutiques. 

My son and his fiance have a young Pomeranian puppy which came along for the walk too!  They call  it 'practice' for when the real baby comes, but I know there's a lot more to it than that! But I don't want to scare them off on the idea :)

Just a little piece of history about the Town of Markham:  It was founded in 1791 when John Graves Simcoe was appointed the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada.

Simcoe spent much of his term making improvements to the military security of the new territory by clearing Yonge street, and creating a system of free land grants, both of which greatly influenced the establishment and growth of what became the Township of Markham. He also responsible for giving the Township its name, after his friend, William Markham, the Archbishop of York at the time.

The architecture in Markham is seen today as some buildings still stand that were built as early at the late 1700's in the Georgian style tradition with simple details and an unadorned look of symmetry and practicality.  

The Georgian Tradition was tweaked in the mid 1800's into nuances of other forms of architecture like Regency, Ontario Cottage and Classic Revival which added French doors walking out onto tent-like verandas and bell-cast roofs with trellised and garnished posts - while keeping the symmetry as in the arrangement of the Georgian style.

I just want to add a little more about historical architecture...  Of course the reaction to this restrained and rational Georgian style became tweaked once again by the late 1800's during the "romantic era"  as seen in the style of Gothic, Roman, French Victorian and Italian with elaborate designs of steep roofs, bay windows, dormers, turrets, multi-paned and stained glass windows, fancy verandas with turned wooden posts, patterned shingles and decorative brackets and spandrels (spandrels are the decorated triangular pieces on either side of an arch)

However, most of the bubble popped by the 1900's to mid-century from the elaborate and garish design right back to its humble beginnings with simple box-like 2 storey structures.  Although there were no exterior ornaments, inside had chunky railings and decorative glass windows.  It was practicality at its best.  If you take heritage walks in Markham you can see examples of all of these style of homes and buildings.  That will be something I will want to do this summer.

The Markham today is one of the most diverse and financially successful towns in Canada and still growing.  It has beautiful parks as it's geographically located in parts of the Rouge Valley system. 


One such parkland is the Wilbur Latimer Way trail, which is part of Markham's Rouge Valley system.  As you can see by the photographs I took, it has so many features that any good trail would have.  Water fountains, water falls (small ones), bridges, vast green open spaces for picnics, and lots of trees and of course a lake bed with plenty of waterfowl.  

Oh and who was Wilbur Latimer?  This one was much harder to locate.  I still really don't know who Wilbur Latimer was, but I can tell you that his family owned several properties in Markham dating back over a century ago.  He was born in 1898 and passed away in 1993 and was laid to rest with his wife in the Bethesda Lutheran Cemetery in Markham. 

Markham's in full seasonal swing now if you come over and bring a basket or two.  Fill up on fresh cut flowers, locally grown produce or stock up on some goodies.  You can see on any street in Markham the old with the new world feel.  Quaint and rich in heritage, it's really a fun place to live and visit.