Todmorden Mills - An Urban Oasis in the Middle of Toronto

Even though we have been living in Toronto for almost forty years, there are still many interesting and pretty
places where we have not visited.

Todmorden Mills was one such place.

The Cottage at the Todmorden Mills

Each year, during the last weekend in  May, Toronto and many cities across the provinces in Ontario host the Doors Open event.






Many historic, interesting and significant buildings are open to the public to visit, free of charge!









No longer used as a mill, there are a number of  buildings at Todmorden Hills and they are now used for heritage, cultural and arts events.


We visited two houses one of which was  a  cottage with a spacious kitchen furnished in the early 1950's style.

As evidenced by the wooden fence built on the middle of the property, the other house we visited was divided into two separate dwellings at the time.














 The larger portion of the house with a formal sitting room lived the foreman of the mills whereas  the workers lived in the smaller section.

We hiked the tree lined trail

I personally likes the cottage better as it looked really cute and cosy !


After visiting the historic houses, we hiked on a trail shaded by tall trees on both sides.

We discovered ponds, bridges and beautiful scenery along the way.

Fiddle heads !

As we strolled along, we saw fiddle heads, wild Geraniums and many beautiful wild flowers and plants.

I learned that the wild Geraniums are tough flowers. They can withstand the harsh Canadian winters and come back and bloom, year after year!

I jumped at the chance and bought one from the lady selling these plants at the Centre.

These beautiful Wild Geraniums come back and bloom year after year!

Though in the middle of the city, we felt as if we were miles away from Toronto!


How on earth had we failed to visit this beautiful historic part of Toronto was beyond our understanding!

Tomorden Mills - A quiet escape from  the busy life of Toronto within the city!

During the summer months, Torontonians race to escape from the city on the weekends driving miles away to their cottages or elsewhere.

However wee seem to have forgotten what we have right here at home.

Sometimes in life, we are so busy looking for something we yearn for that we neglect to see what's right in our own backyard!

We are glad we rediscovered Todmorden Mills.

When we feel like an escape from our modern life,  we can always turn back the clock and back to the past for a couple of hours by going to the mills!

R.T.
Tomorden Mills
Toronto's Doors Open 2016