Beltline Trail

One of the prettier trails in the city. Still doesn’t rank as high as the Martin Goodman or the Don Valley in my books but decent for this area. It’s fairly long, which is a treat compared to the tiny «parkettes» and «trails» in Toronto that are walked in 10 – 15 minutes.
I usually end up here when my friend’s out of the city and I have to walk her dog. The trail is entirely on-​leash but about 20% of dog owners will let their dogs roam off-​leash. Your pup needs to have decent recall though as there are residential backyards bordering the Beltline and it runs through quite a few major intersections. I also usually end up picking up at least 15 different kinds of poop! Dunno know what it is about the dog owners that utilize this trail — one of THE WORST areas for doggy poop.

Since becoming a runner, I utilize this trail frequently when I am out for a fitness or training run.
The pros are:
— Central to the city and accessible by public transit (Davisville and Eglinton West TTC stations)
— Flat surface and well travelled (even during the winter — to pack in the snow)
— Outstanding tree-​lined path providing some shade during the hot summer months
— People are generally courteous and share the path with you (i.e. move out of the way if they are slower than you)
— Connects to Mount Pleasant Cemetery which is another popular destination for running and walking that has minimal motorized traffic
— Detours connect to prestigious neighbourhoods such as Forest Hill
Unfortunately, there are some cons:
— Very busy during peak hours
— You do have to jaywalk across a couple of busy streets (Avenue and Bathurst) which is another reason to try and avoid peak hours
— Not all pet owners are responsible as far as cleaning up after them
My general conclusion would be that for training runs, it’s best to go early to avoid the pedestrian traffic and it makes having to jaywalk across the busy streets easier as there would be less car traffic, hence more frequent opportunities to run across the road. During peak hours, it is great for walking the dog or walking with friends and where you can get a bit of shade from the hot sun.
** I work near the trail and use it for my lunch time walks. Sadly, this area was largely affected by the ice storm (see photos). I realize that the priority for the city was to restore electrical power to the neighbourhood residents and then clear the streets of the tree debris. I do hope that the trails and parks do not get ignored and are cleared in time for the spring.

.. . summer is officially here!…
It’s summertime! Which means it’s the days with the most hours of daylight! So let’s take to the outdoors and celebrate!
The sun is beaming, the skies are blue, the landscape is bursting with colour, and it’s the best season to take your adventures outside!
Adventure doesn’t need to be at an exotic locale. It doesn’t need to cost any money, nor require you to spend any time planning! Just use what you have; be it your car, your bike, your hiking boots, or just your runners — and go where you haven’t been before! It’s that simple!
So, as a tribute to summer adventures, we decided to take our bikes along a new route, simply following one unknown trail to the next, and discovering delightful little surprises along the way!
When seeking local adventures, one of my favourite outdoor hobbies is trail riding. What I love about the outdoors is that there are so many interesting things to observe! Just look and you will see!
The bike trail we stumbled upon had so many sites that instantly make me happy! When I explore a trail for the first time, I am always anticipating what sites we will discover along our journey! Today was a great example of this as I jumped off my bike every 5 minutes to take photos of all the delightful little things that we encountered that made me smile! Here are some of the favourite «happy» sights:
— riding through «natural archways» of the towering trees
— riding over wonky wooden bridges
— riding over train tracks
— riding next to a speeding train
— riding under massive architectural bridges
— seeing fields of colourful flowers
— riding through rustic tunnels
— finding beautiful signs & patterns
— discovering random objects
— passing graffiti surfaces
— seeing a breathtaking skyline
— watching a sea of sailboats
— stumbling upon a lighthouse
— looking at things in a different perspective (Is that a rock or a stone bench?)
— writing words in the sand
These are excellent motivators that get me outdoors and has me excited about being active!
What are YOUR summertime outdoor activities and why does it make you smile???
Trail Level: All types
Surface: varies from gravel and paved
Length: undetermined — as far as you want to go (just keep track of time)
Sights: lots of interesting sights to feast your eyes
Traffic: go early before 10am on the weekends and the trail is pretty much all yours!
Shade Level: tons of trees that block the sun!
Cost: FREE!

I decided to tackle part of this path on Thanksgiving Day (yesterday) because it was hot and sunny AND it has probably been about 25 years since I actually walked through some of these paths. Why did I wait so long???
My friends and I put on our best lululemon gear, hiking shoes and filled our backpacks with snacks, water and in my case, a massive amount of sunscreen (I can’t believe I needed it so much on October 10^th!). We met at Davisville Station and headed down to the Beltline Trail at the north gate of Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
I admit that we got a bit lost as we wandered through the cemetery and couldn’t find the Beltline signs, but it was ok because the cemetery is beautiful. Thanks to my brilliant sense of direction, I got us out at Bayview Avenue and we headed south to Moore, where the path ends at the cemetery and then descends into the Don Valley Ravine path network. The trees are changing colour, so it was absolutely stunning to walk under the canopy.
We continued to the Brickworks, which is more revitalized every time I go, though as you approach that section, the silence of nature is replaced with the sounds of the DVP. After another of many snack and rest stops, we decided to head to the Moore Park ravine area, and ascend up to Bloor Street, where we came out near Sherbourne station.
It was an incredible 3.5 hours to spend walking through a hidden gem in this city. No cars are needed to get to an entry point as it is very TTC and bike/​walking friendly. My only complaint would be that the maps that one can download from the City of Toronto Parks website are not clear and I missed a few of the trails I wanted to walk along that split off the main path. Washrooms are open from May — October, so keep that in mind.
People are friendly and there are a lot of dogs to say hi to. I highly recommend this as an activity for just about anyone who likes nature, people and happiness. Just don’t forget to bring water, a camera and in my case, plenty of snacks.

This path starts 2 minutes away from my house and is my second choice when working out. It’s crazy how quiet it is back there even though it’s parallel to Chaplin Crescent and crosses over Bathurst Street, Eglinton Avenue and Avenue Road at certain points.
The huge trees starting from Eglinton give amazing shade and have sheltered me from the rain when walking home from Davisville station. Not everyone keeps their dog on a leash, but most of the dogs are too busy with their own exercise to pay any mind to you.
The only downsides are that you can be swarmed by bugs from the Allen road entrance to the bridge by Eglinton. It can also get pretty packed at times with running groups, stay at home workout moms and dog people. The best times I’ve found are in the day and really early morning or late evening.

Take a walk, bike ride or run on this pathway and you will forget you are in Toronto!
Access the beltline from the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, or Avenue Road, or your backyard (if you are lucky enough to live in Forest Hill), and you will see many other like-​minded recreationalists and dog walkers enjoying this shaded path.
I love it for a quick lunchtime run. It’s so quiet and peaceful. Really, an oasis in the city of Toronto.