Scarborough Bluffs

Lonely Planet review

A few kilometers east of The Beaches, this gnarly 14km stretch of glacial cliffs jags up from the lakeshore. When Elizabeth Simcoe came here in 1793, she named the spot Scarborough after the town in Yorkshire, England, also famed for its cliffs. Several parks provide access to clifftops, from where views sweep across the Bluffs to Lake Ontario.

From Kingston Rd (Hwy 2), turn south at Cathedral Bluffs Dr to reach an excellent vantage point, Cathedral Bluffs Park. It's the highest section of the bluffs (at 65m) and once belonged to the Sisters of St Joseph, whose property extended from Kingston Rd to the lake. Erosion has created cathedral spire-like formations, exposing evidence of five different glacial periods. You can also access the shore at Galloway Rd further east. Below this section of Bluffs off Brimley Rd, landfill has been used to form Bluffer's Park, a private marina and recreational area.

Unless you have wheels, getting to the Bluffs can be a drag, and if you do have a car, parking is severely limited. One option is to take the subway to Victoria Park, then bus 12 along Kingston Rd. Ask the driver to let you off near Cathedral Bluffs Dr, east of the St Clair Ave E intersection.