High Park Residents of Toronto's west end know they are lucky to live near one of the city's oldest and largest parks. Not a weekend goes by that you can't see countless runners enjoying the scenic, paved roads or any of the numerous trails. A rolling 1.25-mile loop circles the upper level around Grenadier Restaurant and is good for timed intervals, while the abundant hills, including Spring Road, are perfect for improving leg strength. This 4.5K natural cinder trail was once home of an 1890s commuter steam railway, bisecting Forest Hill and Chaplin Crescent before crossing the TTC yards at Davisville. Hop on at the east end at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, or start in the west at Allen Rd.
Runners enjoy the cushioned path and welcome the shade from the trees in the summer heat.
If you want to keep going beyond the Belt Line, this 1873 cemetery provides ample paved pathways, rolling hills, minimal traffic and the quiet and tranquility you would expect from such a location. As morbid as it sounds, one of Canada's premier master runners trains every day in a cemetery. Lots of trees shade runners in the summer, while those who continue year-round can always find the roads clear of snow. Take a short ferry ride to Wards Island anytime of the year for a 10K loop to Hanlan's Point and back. Beaches Boardwalk Start in the east at the foot of Victoria Park Ave.