Escape to Cottage Country

Well, there’s no doubt about it…it’s cottage country time.  With scorching temperatures, maybe a few bored kids at home and some weather weary pets, we dream of cool breezes (or any breeze for that matter), blue water and an inspiring view to peacefully muse over.  Alas, not all of us have a cottage destination to escape to.  Well…actually we do.  Right in our own backyard.

Swansea is an oasis in the middle of the city – it’s cottage country, with all the amenities of being in a metropolis and not a single three hour, traffic-rammed drive in sight.  Surrounded on three sides by water –the eastern border runs along Grenadier Pond, resplendent with weeping willows, nesting swans and wildflowers; the southernmost border is only a five minute jaunt to the beaches along Lake Ontario; and the western border follows the Humber River, with views out across the city.

 

Humber River



Swansea’s character is that of its namesake, Swansea in Wales, England – dominated by lush gardens and tranquil water landscapes.  Established, officially, as the Village of Swansea in 1925, Swansea’s history is equally tranquil.  From farmers to military colonels to painters, Swansea inspires a charmed life.  Artists have always felt compelled to create here – from James Howard’s wife Jemima to the Toronto’s Group of Eleven painters to most famously Lucy Laud Montgomery who wrote her last three “Anne” novels from 210 Riverside Dr. In fact the photo to the right is a view that Lucy would have looked at from her home.  As I stood there, it was easy to understand why Swansea provided a muse for these artists. 

Sunset on Humber River,
courtesy of Swansea.ca

This nook is for grabbing a book and a flask of iced tea to while away the hours under a shady tree.  Or watch an incredible sunset while the birds dive over the water. 



Grenadier Pond



Grenadier Pond has long been an aquatic retreat for Torontonians – beginning with the Grenadier soldiers for whom it’s named.  Citizens have flocked to its green cool shores for centuries beginning with the First Nations. When the Europeans arrived, (Etienne Brule perhaps!) they dubbed it the Garden of Eden.  



Grenadier Pond, photo courtesy of Toronto Standard article,
 "Why Grenadier Pond is Called Grenadier Pond" Nov 15th, 2011



This spots dictates that you sit yourself down on a picnic blanket, throw a line in and snooze with your cap over your eyes till you get a bite.  

  And then of course, there is the amazing beach along Lake Ontario – which rivals in my opinion any other ‘Beach’ in the city (and is also part of the International Blue Flag program too!  For beach quality on the day of your trip, visit Sunnyside Beach Swimming Conditions.)  On this huge expanse of white sand, you can’t help but feel you’re strolling along an old classic summer boardwalk movie – daisy studded bathing caps and surfboards would be fitting.  Sunnyside is a place to make the biggest sandcastles you can and play in the waves to wash off melted popsicles.

'''Photographer:''' Me, Leslie Mateus, a user of the portuguese wikipedia. *'''Date:''' August 28th 2005 *'''Description:''' View of the Sunnyside Park, Wester beaches, Toronto, Ontario, looking west.

Photograph of Owen Staples, RCA,
painting at Sunnyside Beach in 1907

 So when you’re feeling the need to slow down, sit by the water and enjoy this gorgeous summer before the harsh winds of a Canadian winter strike once again – look no further than your own backdoor and head to Swansea.  A day in cottage country is just the thing.