Dear Readers, I’ve walked along the Beltline before, but Sunday was such a spectacularly beautiful day that we decided to do a section that we haven’t done for a while. First up, we walked past what will eventually be Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail station. It’s been a bit of a disaster, this project, running well over budget and over time, and currently with no actual date for completion. The station is here, but sits behind chicken wire, just waiting for something exciting to happen. Let’s hope it’s finished soon – the project runs west to east, with 25 stations, and would go some small way to taking some of the pressure off of the roads and the existing subway system.

Anyhow, for now we’re on foot, and marching through some very fine houses, including this one with some modern sculpture outside.

And honestly, I must have arrived for peak American Robin season this year, I have never seen so many, and if they’re not fighting they have beaks full of worms, so clearly breeding and nesting season is in full swing.

And just look at the squill! So pretty.

Anybody know what this is? I’m guessing wasps nest, but happy to be corrected.

And how pretty is this alder?

I rather like the friendly road signs of Toronto. Look at this little guy…

And then we’re onto the Beltline. It used to be a railway track, but now it’s a multi-use path, with cyclists and runners and walkers, and generally it seems to work, unlike spaces like the Parkland walk in Haringey, where it’s narrower and so there’s less space for people to get past one another .

Here’s yet another squirrel – they’re gathering nesting material so, although the trees are not as far into their spring finery as the trees in the UK, there’s definitely some sap rising,.

And I love the new leaves on this weeping willow.

There are markers for where the various stations on the original railway line would have been.

And some rather fine street art commemorating the people who worked on the original rail line.

Some of the houses that back onto the Beltline are very modest, and some are extremely grand.

And here’s a quick recommendation if you’re in the Eglinton area – a bit of lemon and blueberry cake at the Crosstown Coffee Shop on Highbourne Road is well worth a stop.