We are heading towards the North of Nova Scotia and the renowned Cabot Trail around the coast. But we have to get there and the distances in Canada are not to be underestimated. So a night stop at the edge of Battery Park beside the St. Peter’s canal turns out to be delightful. The canal is a shortcut between the sea and Lac Bras d’Or. And we watch a fishing boat transit the canal (only 1 Mtr height difference) and the swing ridge open, all under the control of the lady lock master, who is the first female lock master in Canada.
Of course Alex has to have a fish in the canal, nothing caught except a tangled line, (James Barker where are you?) but a kind local helps.
We have learnt that local advice is to be listened to and head to Louisberg, a partially reconstructed French Colonial fort and settlement. Absolutely gorgeous but near enough closed with just one building open! Canada in May is still waking up from the Winter!
We head towards the start of the trail but really need water for Wendy. See a spot beside Goat Island which is a First Nation settlement to stay but…. security will lock it up at 10pm. However, the young lad does get us water for Wendy, everything happens for a reason. So moving on we find, in the middle of nowhere, the famous Chipping Dales fish and chippy! Run by, yes it’s none other than … Dale! Except they’ve run out of fish. But the burgers were brilliant, best ever.
More driving towards the Cabot trail results in a night stop near St. Ann’s parked beside a motel and a lake. So we wake up beside a lake - seems to be a thing in Canada. But we are at the start of the Cabot Trail.
Gorgeous scenery as we start, quick pit stop for chocolate (yummy), cafe for coffee and buns and a pottery for culture. More beautiful scenery including a ski slope, with snow, at sea level. The snow is a hint!
We stop for lunch at Warren Lake and stroll around the 4km trail enjoying the white sand beach and local wildlife with evidence of beavers and coyote Pooh. Emma nearly loses a shoe to a bog but I come to the rescue! Playing Pooh Sticks on a suspension bridge at the end of the lake in the wilderness is slightly surreal.
But there is more Cabot Trail to drive, so onwards and upwards over higher ground - with little pockets of snow around. We end up right at the tip in a little fishing settlement of Bay Saint Lawerence. Which has a motel! So talking to Debbie the owner we park Wendy beside the motel. Then move her very close to the motel because of the high winds. Alex discovers the coolest den on the local beach and the fishermen look at us thinking are you mad?
Day two of the Cabot Trail. Weather is iffy. Winds still strong. We drive. Up and down. More up and down but beautiful scenery. Then a really long up …. into the snow! Lots of it all around, about 2 feet deep. Quick snowball fight. Then a bit of down and stop for lunch by the Skyline Trail head. Iconic views but not for us. Just enveloped in cloud and rain. Even in the rain, clouds and wind the Cabot Trail is fantastic, well worth driving it even with a few white knuckles.
Next stop is Antigonish and the Half Cocked Brewery. Brilliant choice, good food, excellent beer and we're parked up with another small van for a change . Of course it was ‘Trivia Night’ - think pub quiz with a Canadian theme. We came third out of 8, thanks to being able to identify Princess Beatrice and knowing the maple leaf on the Canadian flag has 11 points. Or maybe it was lovely Alicia from the next table who decided to help us not come last! We met lovely people at this stop especially Alicia and her daughter Michaela and family (choose St. Andrew’s University!) and Daryl the local vet, and the lovely Kira and Declan children of the family who run the brewery who Alex played with. Declan is a budding artist and drew us a cool team name picture thanks Declan! Meetin people and such nice ones as here is just the best part of travelling!
The bicycles were unpacked and a ride back into Antigonish the following day with a following wind was great. The town has a beautiful university (no students as it’s half term, or something) but Alex gets some child time in the playpark. Then the 7km ride back - against the wind and uphill, thank g…d for electric assistance! But the brunch ( and a small beer for Emma) was very well earned. Drunk the beer and I now have the hat to go with it! Loved the xpa and brought a few tinnies with us for the road.
Away we go, didn’t really want to leave, but on to the next stop at the Age of Sail Museum at Port Grenville. Oralee greets us as we arrive, makes us at home and shows us around. Her parents founded the museum and it’s excellent and community funded. Really worth a visit. It’s located on an old shipyard beside the Bay of Fundy, last ship made there was 370 tons wooden 3 mast. Get to see how the tide comes in as well.
So many miles, beautiful places, fantastic
people, excellent beer - words don’t do them justice.
Guy
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