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		Hikes
		Hikes

The Guild (Guildwood)

Just the Facts about The Guild:

		?? KM	40 KM / 40 Mins


Special: Not exactly your average hike, this is a great area to get a little exercise in beautiful surroundings.

Atop Scarborough ’s Bluffs lies a magnificent park that is commonly known by many names, full of sculptures, columns and other works of art. With an interesting history and beautiful surroundings, it’s no wonder that this is a very popular spot—especially on weekends!

The historic buildings of the park have undergone several transformations—from private property, to an arts colony (“The Studio”), to a naval training base during the second world war, to a hotel. The Guild Inn was the Guild of All Arts at one point and had mandate of preserving art and sculpture while providing arts education. Many of the sculptures and works of art that are found on the grounds were donated from collectors and saved from demolitions across

Toronto . The works of art make The Guild a very popular site for wedding photography and commercial filming. As a matter of fact, though it isn’t a terribly popular show, Rob and I are very big “Dresden Files” fans and one of the episodes was filmed at The Guild.

Since Rob does wedding photography by trade, he had visited Guildwood Park a handful of times before I caught my first glimpse. I was really impressed with not only the artwork but with the views atop the Scarborough Bluffs! The Guild just seems like the perfect place to bring a few close friends for a picnic. Later, there are hikes around the area that will bring you more into Bluff territory but I strongly urge you to explore the grounds before you take off on a longer hike. Sometimes, there are public performances at the ‘Roman theatre’—I had to take the personal opportunity to get up there and recite a few lines from Shakespeare!

Rob had a blast taking pictures of all of the sculptures. On his previous visits, he didn’t have much time for his surroundings and was more focused on his subjects… so he looked like a little kid in a candy shop! We tried to get a closer look at the boarded up buildings on site but they have been very careful to erect a perimeter fence. So, no glimpses inside the famous buildings! Apparently, there have been ongoing debates as to whether to demolish or restore the buildings but no final decision has been made as of yet.

Ok, I'll admit the front does not bode well. Someone in a wedding party I was shooting with said it looked like Romanian tenament housing. Dont worry, better things are behind.

Have you ever marveled at all the great history and sculptures Europe has everywhere. Here is a chance to shoot some in our own backyard!

At the very back, they have a great view of the lake. I would like to see how far along the Bluffs you can hike!

Here is an interesting piece. It's about 15 feet high, so most pictures would come out smaller at the top then at the bottom. (think of how a building looks small at the top.) I'll do a short tutorial on how to stop this soon

For more information about The Guild (Guildwood):

The Guild Sculpture Gardens : A Walking Tour

http://www.toronto.ca/culture/brochures/brochure_guild_walk_2001.pdf

The Guild

http://www.toronto.ca/culture/the_guild.htm

Virtual Tour of Toronto’s Waterfront (take the tour east and westbound from the Guild too!)

http://www.toronto.ca/waterfront/tour/guild_inn.htm

Our every fun loving adventuress/writer flashing her pearlies.

Hikes

The Guild (Guildwood)