Sunday, June 17, 2007


Route taken on hike (click to enlarge)

I led a hike through Crothers' Woods on Saturday. Starting at Broadview Subway Station, I led about 25 people through Todmorden Mills, and then through Crothers' Woods. The first leg was along a trail known as "The Flats" (the bikers came up with these monikers) which follows the river pretty closely up to the forks of the Don. Then I went on a loop along a trail known as "Party Atmosphere" and the looped back south along another trail known as "Catalyst".

After stopping for lunch in E.T. Seton Park, we went back south along the "Ridge" trail which hugs the slope just below the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood, around the North Toronto Sewage Treatment Plant and then by Loblaws. My original plan was to cross Bayview Avenue, go through the Brick Works, up the Moore Park Ravine, pass through the Mount Pleasant Cemetery and end at Davisville Subway Station. However it was so hot and sticky that I decided to end the hike early and head back up Pottery Road to Broadview. The remaining hikers (about half the crew dropped out at lunch) didn't complain.

Rather than ending at the Bow and Arrow for a pint, I stopped at Dairy Queen for strawberry sundae. The hike was about 12-13 km long. Not ideal conditions but it was a goodhike and I plan to do it again.

We encountered many bikers on the Flats and the Ridge but none on PA or Catalyst. Most were courteous, said hello, and stopped to let us by although one guy muttered "I thought this was a bike trail." So I think overall it was a good experience for the hikers (and bikers) to see that the trails are share-able.

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