Arisaig Provincial Park

We keep raving about the Provincial Parks. This one lies on Route 245 north of Antigonish, about one hour from our cabin. The park sits on top of a cliff with picnic and camping sites.

There are several hiking trails that lead through the woods down to the beach  You really can't get lost here; the park is just not that big. At one point, you're in the cool woods with glimpses of the water beyond and then you're out in the sun right on the beach.

This coast is unusual because it's made of shale. Here, you can see one of the small streams that cuts through the shale banks on the way to the ocean. The shale is known for fossils and it's pretty easy to find small samples in the loose rubble on the beach.

There's a lot about this place that reminds us of Skaneateles Lake in the Finger Lakes of central New York - the shale beaches, the crumbling slate banks, and the cold water. Except, this is the ocean as you can see.

 The park overlooks the port village of Arisaig, which you can see here with fishing boats, the restored lighthouse (serves ice cream cones) and the seafood plants.

Uisge Ban Falls Provincial Park

Another provincial park, this one in Victoria County in Cape Breton, only a few miles from Baddeck. The park is easily reachable by car and offers a spectacular water falls and hiking trails along the river through a wonderful forest.

The forest path along the river is littered with large rocks, some of which are entwined with the roots of trees. How in the world could a tree survive and grow in that location? 

The 20-minute walk leads up the river ravine into a rock-walled chasm that grows deeper and deeper, with sides reaching 500 feet at the falls. The Uisge Ban Falls tumble down in two stages - impossible to photograph adequately - and offer lots of viewing angles. 

There is a longer hike back to the parking lot, through a mile or two of sugar maple (seen here), birch, spruce and white pine. Loads of lichens and mosses and nothing but the sounds of birds, small mammals and the river. Definitely one of our favorite places.

St. Pierre, Cape Breton

It's easy to waste a day doing nothing in Nova Scotia. We spent one day in St. Pierre, a little town on the main road from the Canso Causeway to Syndey.  "Little" means no stoplight and a one-lane bridge on the main route.

Cape Breton is a mix of peoples and St. Pierre is evidence. Once named San Pedro, then St. Pierre, Cape Breton also hosts Irish (Gaelic) and Scots as well. The music here is fantastic.


St. Pierre is best known for the small canal that links the Bras D'Or Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. They're not really lakes, but large inland seas with salt water. But the lakes are protected, so there are few waves and only a small tide. This is a sea kayakers' paradise.

We visited Battery Park, one of the many Provincial parks in Nova Scotia, which lies along both sides of the canal. Campers park along the seacoast and picnic areas with tables line the canal. The park warden was a very helpful college student.

The local lobster boats park right in the canal, since the waters are protected. Most of the fisherman are done checking their traps by noon. We could see them unloading crates of live lobster to the refrigerated trucks, which would take them to market and someone's table that night. Of course, you can buy lobster right off the boats if you want (cheap).

The canal has a system of locks so boats can get in and out of the lake.  Here the seaside locks are closed and the lakeside locks are open in the distance.
Looks like this is also a great place for fishing.





We're always on the lookout for good fish and chips. Believe it or not, Chubby's in St. Pierre's wins the prize for us. Best we've had yet.