The South Scarborough Loop

Tonight was hero riding from start to finish. Not a wisp of wind, and hot enough for a decently shiny sweat. Awesome.

Chasing Maureen and Ambrose on the Waterfront Trail. Beauty night on the SSL #teamcolinblog #lovescarborough #SouthScarboroughLoop #gatesgully

Oh baby...Gates Gully made a triumphant return to its former state!

With all the rain, there are a few of these sections. Once again, it's not just a grind, you gotta pick the right line.

So awesome.

Hey...did everyone see this? It's the GRAND OPENING of a place that aims to keep bikes from the dump.

Up-Cycle.

Tomorrow!

I think I'm going. If you have some time to go ans support a local business, lemme know and you can come with.

Annnnnd it's right off the South Scarborough Loop! I can't ride it right now, but I'll sure as hell include thisn place in my SSL blog post (which is being updated as we speak).

Boom.

I thought I'd share this here. It's an important post for me.

147. Truth and Reconciliation Acknowledging the Land A Moment of Reflection on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Every cyclist has their favourite rides. Mine is a local ride I call the South Scarborough Loop. It r…

CLOSURE UPDATE!
October 2023

There is only one small closure on the route, and it's an easy work around. The bridge under McCowan Road, between Thomson Park and Bendale Park, is completely closed, however, it's a quick shot to and from the road in either direction.

Other Construction Zones:
East Point Park: Finished!

Morningside Park: Done!

Three Bridges: Sporadic closures...but opening soon.

Waterfront Trail (b/t Gates and Guild): Open

The Old Chemical Plant (b/t Copperfield and Grey Abbey): Open

Annnnnnd there's a new part of trail about to open! Stay tuned for details about the north side of Ellesmere, north of Three Bridges.

The SSL is AWESOME any time of year...but it's particularly awesome during shoulder season.

Here's my post from last year. It's been updated to reflect the reopening of the trail through Morningside Park (between the main lot and UTSC), and the closure of the East Point Park Bridge (with a sweet bike around at Janellan Park).

133. The East Scarborough Loop Whatta Route! Presenting: The East Scarborough Loop! Mm hmm. The EAST Scarborough Loop. It’s a combination of the South Scarborough Loop, with the addition of the the North Scarborough Loop,…

Well this stinks.

The washout along the shore at the East Point Park bridge is closed for construction, from the west side of the Highland Creek Sewage Treatment Plant, to the East Point Park bridge.

It's totally unpassable. Locked fencing at the bridge railing.

This means a slight detour in the SSL...which is fine, but it also means the climb, descent, and view at P**p Hill is off limits.

Sigh.

I'll be posting a Strava of the detour asap, but until I can, the detour is a snap.

Option 1 (from the lake):
From the parking lot at P**p Hill, just snake due north on Beechgrove (with a slight jog west and then north again past the tracks), and then down into the park at Lawrence Avenue.

Option 2 (From Col. Danforth):
Leave the Ravine at the Lawrence Avenue switchbacks, and then turn south on Beechgrove.

Note, Beechgrove snakes, but if you stay on it, the road goes directly from Lawrence to East Point Park.

Nice!