Road Trip - Cabot Trail

Every summer, usually sometime in August, there is one thing that’s on my to-do list and that is to go on a road trip around the Cabot Trail. The past 4-5 years we would rent a van so that the whole family could make the trek together, all of us in one vehicle. This year however, we had less people tagging along, so our trusting Nissan Sentra was able to take the four of us around the Trail. Before heading out, we checked the weather updates, got ourselves ready, packed a lunch and with our cameras fully charged we managed to leave the house by 8:00am. First stop was The Country Kitchen Restaurant in Port Hastings for a hearty breakfast to keep us going until lunch.  Leaving the restaurant, we got on the Trans-Canada Highway 105 and stopped in at The Red Barn Gift Shop then onto the Cabot Trail through the Margarees. Along the way we stopped every so often to stretch our legs and admire the beauty that was surrounding us. The wind was crazy that day and the waves were crashing on the shores with a loud roar sounding like thunder. It felt very refreshing (without actually having to go in)! I couldn’t pass through Chéticamp without stopping at Le Petit Chady Convenience store to say hello and meet in person a fellow Instagrammer.  It was such a pleasure to meet her, I could have spent all morning chatting.  Carl, Julie and Maeghan were back at the car ready to continue on, so Denise’s daughter took a quick snapshot of the two of us before I ran off back to the car. Soon after leaving Chéticamp, we enter the Cape Breton Highlands National Park and drove along the coastline to the MacIntosh Brook Park for lunch. We spent a little over half an hour in the picnic area where we found and set up a picnic table to eat our lunch and then spent a few minutes down by the brook before getting back in the car to head for the Beulach Ban Falls then Meat Cove and Bay St Lawrence.  By the time we arrived at the Englishtown Ferry it was 7pm. There we only had a couple of minutes wait time before getting on the ferry and it takes a couple of minutes to cross St Anns Bay. Coming off the ferry we headed for Sydney where we had a bite to eat then onto the old Highway 4 to home. So here we are at the end of another great day spent with wonderful people and being so thankful for living in such a beautiful place… 

The Cabot Trail Road Trip

Photo of the Week: Pleasant Bay on the Cabot Trail

 

This week's photo for March 8, 2013 was taken while we set out for a day road trip around our lovely island of Cape Breton. We started off the trip by making our way to Port Hastings where we had a hearty breakfast then on to Route 19 to drive the Cabot Trail in a clockwise direction. Not much snow in the fields until we reached the Cape Breton Highlands National Park all the way through St Ann's, Sydney and Big Pond on highway 4. It looks like the north part of the island kept most of its snow while in the south half of the island, most of the snow has melted away and showing signs of spring instead. That's ok too. It was a good day for our trip, the roads were bare and the scenery up in the mountains looked spectacular with snow covered trees,  just like we drove into another world. 

Cape Breton - 33 Highway Photos

I have gathered some of my photos, the ones that were taken from the highways across Cape Breton during summer months where the grass is green and the weather is warm. If you are somewhat familiar with the island, you'll most likely know the location of each photo. If you're not familiar with the island, this is a quick trip around, enough to get a feel of Cape Breton Island while driving through on some of the main highways. Of course it doesn't cover all of the spectacular drives and sights, but another post of Autumn Highway Pics might be in the making. For now I hope you enjoy this drive across Cape Breton Island via The Canso Causeway, Route 19, The

Photo of the Week July 30, 2010

This week's photo was taken in Grand Etang during our trip to Cheticamp on July 27th. At least once during the summer, I like to take a road trip along the west coast of Cape Breton to Cheticamp and the Cabot Trail. Before we left the house that morning, the weather was fine, just a bit overcast, then we hit heavy rain from Louisdale to Port Hastings. I had checked the radar on the Environment Canada website and only noticed a thin strip of precipitation running through Cape Breton, and I believe that was what we drove through  up to Port Hastings. I figured we'll be ok weather-wise by the time we reach Route 19... and sure enough, the radar was right! The rest of the road trip was a mix of sun and cloud with slightly cool temperatures of 20ish celsius.

On this road trip, we ended up in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park as far as the Bog trail where a boardwalk allows visitors to step into a typical highlands bog environment, complete with Pitcher plants, Sundews, Bicknell's Thrush, and orchids. It's a short but very pleasant and interesting walk. From here we returned by the same route, stopping at look-offs and stopping for dinner at the Irving Big Stop in Auld's Cove across the Causeway.

Trip around the Cabot Trail

Took a trip around the Cabot Trail yesterday. Although spring is not officially here yet, it was beautiful mild day with temperatures of 5-6c. We left from Sydney, where only patches of snow was showing here and there on lawns and parking lots. Spring was definitely in the air! We started the trip via Seal Island Bridge, Kelly's Mountain then St Ann's Bay, Cape Smokey, Ingonish and up around Big Intervale,  through Cheticamp and the Margarees and back on the Trans Canada to Sydney. You can say we did the trail counter-clockwise.  The photos up above are taken on the northern tip of the Cabot Trail in the Highlands.  The snow banks on North Mountain had to be at least ten feet high. This time of the year, I don't usually look for snow, but I was in total awe with the the beautiful snow covered scenery around us. Since we didn't get much snow all winter around home, this was a pleasant change. Now I am looking forward to spring and summer...

Art prints - Grand Etang

Grand Etang

This reproduction is from an original acrylic painting done by myself, Cecile Samson. This print is 5x7" and is set into an 8x10" mat. Grand Etang is located on the picturesque Cabot Trail, just a few kms south of Cheticamp. The print depicts the simple beauty and colourful landscape by the sea. Please visit the Cape Breton Living Art Gallery at http://www.capebretonliving.com/galleryhome.htm where you can find more information and more artwork.