Only one word can describe today…….WOW!!!!! We’ve taken sooo many pictures since we’ve been in these Atlantic provinces, but today broke a record!!!
Shane, our van driver picked us up at 8:20 and we drove into Baddeck (Ba Deck) to pick up the Gupta family and we were off for the Cabot Trail (185 miles of endless beauty).
The Cabot Trail (a full loop finished in 1932) is located in the Highlands of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia winding in and out of the Cape Breton National Park. We sat back, relaxed with cameras close by and let Shane take us away and narrate along the way….
Stopped at the beautiful Keltic Lodge which was voted #1 best golf course (Highland Links) in Canada. Had lunch at the Mountain View (excellent crab salad sandwiches and warm blueberry cobbler a la mode!) Sooo good! We stopped in Cheticamp (thought of you and Bob, Judy B) to check out Flora’s gift shop and watch the lady (one of 25) who put on demonstrations of rug making (or coasters, placemats, bookmarks, etc.) There are many art galleries along the trail, along with shops selling pewter, jewelry, pottery, glass and rugs to name a few. Shane said these folks have nothing to do in the winter months, so that's when they make their wares to sell during tourist season (May 15th-October 15th).
Although it's still August, we did see some touches of fall color and I can only imagine the Cabot Trail in the heart of Autumn - oh my!!!!! We passed the Clucking Hen (coffee shop/bakery) that Shane said is thee place for local gossip!
Lobster and snow crab are what this fishing area is all about! Shane took us down some rough side roads to a fishery, Neil's Harbor, Green Cove (small version of Peggy's Cove without the lighthouse and pink rock versus white), Sugar Loaf and Aspy Bay -
all so picturesque!
We preferred the west side of the trail as there are sooo many trees on the east side which blocks a big part of the view (a lady in the laundromat had mentioned this a few weeks ago......and it is true, but still overwhelmed with such awesome natural beauty!
Here’s just a “few” memories to share….
Piller Rock
White Point
Farm country - beautiful Margaree Valley
The Gupta Family from Winnipeg
Beulach Ban Falls
We returned to Daisy around 4:00, jumped in Toad and drove into Baddeck - what a darling little town of 900 but soo many nice shops, eateries and charm galore! The first aviation flight in Canada was out of Baddeck and Alexander Graham Bell and his wife Mabel had a summer home here (with much acreage overlooking the bay). Dr. Bell, originally from Edinburgh, Scotland has a museum in town. He and Mabel are sitting (statues) on a park bench by the water. I hit the shops while Mark sat in at internet/coffee cafe with his I-pad, coffee and raspberry/chocolate dessert!
Today is the 44th anniversary of when Mark proposed! What a wonderful way to spend it amidst all the beauty of Cape Breton Island!
Tomorrow we are off to Prince Edward Island!
Tomorrow we are off to Prince Edward Island!
1 comment:
Evening Pat: I too think the west side of Cape Breton is the prettiest, but there are some spots on the east especially coming around the top that are just spectacular when you can see the water from up high on the cliff and there are no trees. We actually went from West to East so we came to Cheticamp first. We had great blueberry pies, ice cream, etc. in that area. Glad you got to enjoy some blueberry confections. We actually visited a lady in her home who was making hooked rugs, small wall hangings and other items while we were traveling on Cape Breton. I did not buy anything for me, but did pick up a small hanging for Vernette as a surprise and she bought one that complicated the one I purchased. We bought some stained glass angels in a little shop in Cheticamp and the lady in the shop made her own things. She told us also that they worked all Winter to sell their wares during tourist season. Brooke has one of the angels in her cabinet in the livingroom/computer room. We found such lovely shops in the villages we visited in the Maritimes. Everything was locally made and very unique. Have fun in PEI and remember you will have french fries coming out your ears by the time you end your visit. The potato is a BIG. BIG, BIG crop for PEI and everywhere we ate that was about all they were offering. They were very good, but we were quite tired of them by the time we left PEI. Safe travels. Love, Judy
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