red tower

This red tower in the middle of nowhere is a socially distanced escape from Toronto

Many travel plans may have gotten cancelled or postponed this summer due to the pandemic, but it doesn’t mean you can’t still escape the city.

The Red Tower, described as "a beacon on the hill" might be the perfect place for a pandemic-getaway.

It's located down the road from the village of Warkworth, just north of Lake Ontario near Belleville. It's a private house on a hill with a private kitchen, just big enough for two guests.

The tiny house was designed by late architect Clive Russel and his artist partner, Sheree Rasmussen, and is so thoughtfully designed that it almost looks like a sculpture.

Rasmussen owns the property, after her husband passed away a few years ago.

"It’s such a great space," Rasmussen told blogTO. "I wanted people to use it, so I decided to rent it out."

The tiny house was originally built to be an art studio for the creative couple and is exactly 10x10 in size - small enough that they didn’t need a permit to build it.

Rasmussen added a deck, outdoor shower, outhouse, and firepit to better accommodate guests.

The owner of the tiny house has been getting a lot of interest this summer as people are looking for an escape - especially one close enough to the city.

The Red Tower is also up to COVID standards as Rasmussen has the place professionally cleaned after each stay - even if the booking was just one night.

She leaves a five hour window between guests to properly disinfect the space, and asks guests to bring their own linens and towels, a policy she started just before the pandemic hit.

Glampers may be enticed by the large outdoor deck, 30 acres of walking trails through the forest, the beauty and architecture of the house, and of course the free WiFi.

Lead photo by

Red Tower


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