thanksgiving week in the highlands - a trip around the cabot trail

We are often asked, as fairly green Nova Scotians still, what we love about this place we call home. There are many answers that come to mind, but one that I feel many people aren't aware of, is how beautifully diverse the landscape of this province is. There are parts that feel so classically New England-like, where the coastline here seems to blend seemlessly with those across the waters belonging to Maine. There's the fertile Valley that runs between the mountains, parallel to the Bay, a patchwork of farmland, fruit trees and vines.

And then there are the Highlands.

It's as though the last of Scottish blood flowing through me is drawn to this place. As though part of me knows the hills of a home from generations past lie just beyond the horizon. The fog that rises from the lochs there, rolls across waves and settles on the hills here. The same salty waters come swirling in with the tides at the base of each cliff along coastline. The highlands leave me feeling like I've returned home.

When Ryan's family decided to come and spend Thanksgiving here, we wanted to make it extra special, so we decided to head up to Cape Breton for a few days away together. We booked a cottage right on the water in Chéticamp, with the ocean to the front and the mountains behind. We took our time heading up, stopping to stretch our legs in Margaree Harbour. We follow the sign for Sandy Bathing Beach, and parked at the bottom of the dunes. We wound our way up through the roses well past their bloom, and stood at the lighthouse steps overlooking the harbour below. An old, white farmhouse sits at the top of the hill, flanked by two lighthouses. Just beyond the tall dune lies Margaree Harbour Beach.

When you climb up the dune, you smell the water and hear the waves before you can even see the beach. 

This is the view from our cottage. We could watch the sun rise behind the mountains from the back and see the sun sink below the horizon in the front.

If you've never heard of the Cabot Trail before, it's Canada's version of California's Highway 1. Honestly, before driving it, I didn't realize our East Coast had mountains like this. You wind along the coast, hugging the edge, climbing the mountains and descending down into the valleys. Lookoffs line the road at every beautiful vista so you can get out and take in the views.

 

Add the beauty of the changing leaves and it's a grand tour.

 

Not to mention those gorgeous October skies.

We kept things easy and usually ate out, or we picked a charcuterie and sipped wine at dusk.

On our way home we showed them Inverness Beach - one of our favourite beaches in Nova Scotia. It was grey and moody, but it didn't stop us from enjoying a stroll on the beach in the drizzling rain.

There are so many other places we stopped - Ingonish Beach and Neil's Harbour are other favourites. And if you're really adventurous, go all the way out to Meat Cove.

Whatever you do, just give yourself plenty of time to stop. It's the kind of drive that on paper is three or four hours, but will end up taking you the entire day. But trust me, you won't mind one bit.

hirtles beach and beach hill road

We are a family that loves the water. We are also a family that loves to explore. It isn't surprising then, that nearly every drive we take leads to the ocean. There are so many cozy harbours you pass through as you wind along the shores of the Bay of Fundy. There are so many pleasant towns in the countryside with grand homes and rolling farmlands. And there are so many quaint fishing towns with their weathered huts on stilts, and their rusty lobster traps laying about and their colourful buoys bobbing in the waves. But when given a hot summer afternoon and an empty schedule, we pack our swim suits and books (and a million other things it seems), and we head to the beach.

We stumbled on this beach back in March, when my sister and her family were staying with us over spring break. Back when the waves crashed and the wind whipped icy spray as you walked the shore, and your wet face froze and the cold was almost unbearable.

The beach is called Hirtles Beach. It's down past Lower Rose Bay and in the Upper Kingsburg area, south of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Driving down Hirtle Beach Road and Beach Hill Road felt almost surreal. We had no idea an area like this existed here. It was like stumbling onto some road on Long Island, or town on the coast in Massachusetts, but with a decidedly Canadian feel. The cottages that line the hill as you drive in are an unusual blend of historic and modern, something I have yet to discover anywhere else in Nova Scotia (yet). Between centuries old homes sit modern cottages, many designed by world-famous architect Brian Mackay-Lyons. It has such a unique feel to it because though the styles can vary dramatically, there's a sameness to them. In the end, left to salty air and the seaside winds, they all wear the same way.

I packed a picnic for us to bring - as many snacks as are required to occupy four growing boys for the period of an afternoon. And for Ryan and I, we stopped in a nearby town, at a farm stand no less, to pick up two giant lobster rolls that the locals here have been raving about.

This cottage, perched on the top of the cliff, is obviously a favourite.

The beach itself is amazing. The waves were so much fun for the older boys, and while it's a bit rocky at the top, there's plenty of sand when the tide is out, and beautiful surroundings. It was windy, and the water was cold, but it's also the beginning of July.

The air is salty and the blooming beach roses add a sweetness. It's such an intoxicating smell, one that's found in some of my favourite places, and always brings with it a wave of the sweetest memories.

    

Something that makes this particular spot so great, is that while the ocean is cold and wavy, there are a couple of ponds just steps away, on the other side of the beach. These are warm and feel Caribbean-like, especially after being in the Atlantic. They were perfect for the little ones to swim in. It's also slightly more sheltered from the wind.

It was hours of fun body-surfing, combing the beach for shells, and chasing the tide. The water is cool, and with the wind, I'm thankful we threw in blankets in sweaters. I love being by the water on a warm day, but I think I especially love it when it's cool enough to sit with a blanket around your sundress, or to throw a cable knit sweater over your t-shirt and shorts.

As you drive down the back roads, the roads follow ponds with the ocean in the distance, and the cottages, randomly scattered, line the hills.

If you follow Beach Hill Road past the turnoff for the beach, there's a small community just a little further down, encircling another pond. Here you can find another little beach area that is part of the Gaff Point Trail.

Another favourite cottage overlooking the coast.

By the time we're thoroughly windswept, skin salty and sand everywhere, we pack up and make our way home. We take the slow, scenic way of course, while the boys sleep quietly, worn out from a day in the sun and waves.

The drive along the Lahave River is beautiful. You wind in and out, following the river, never leaving the edge of the shore. Here the old homes, all scattered along the banks, and church steeples, standing prominently at the furthest points, always remind me of a folk painting. For the first time, we saw all of the sailboats moored in the bays, a sign that summer has arrived on the coast.

trip east - part two

 

This is the beautiful Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia. The landscapes can vary so much in this province, but this particular part of it reminds us of home. The valley runs parallel to the Bay of Fundy, along the Western side, nestled between two mountains. The mountains shelter the area and have created a sort of micro climate, perfect for apple orchards and vineyards, both of which are abundant.

We spent a day driving around Grand Pre - a UNESCO world heritage site and a memorial to the Acadian people forced to leave. As early as 1605, the French settled in the valley in Port Royal (Samuel de Champlain), and made their way up the valley becoming the Acadians. They were known for their use of dikes to hold back the tidal waters, creating rich farmland. In 1755, the British forced  the Acadians to leave, but the french influence is still evident today. Then New England Planters came in, invited to occupy the farmland left vacant, and take over cultivating the area.

We packed a picnic and ate at The Lookoff (on the North mountain), which offers the most beautiful views of the Valley. And it's not just the scenery that's so charming - situated on the farms are old Colonial homes and grand barns. Classic four-square farmhouses are also prevalent and occasionally you drive past a grand Palladian home with it's large chimneys.

While the climate is very similar to ours here in the Niagara Region, they are probably about two weeks behind us. This meant that we got to enjoy the Apple orchards in blossom, and the Lilacs in full bloom.

We'd be driving down the valley on the original highway 1 (which winds through each small town), and we'd be almost giddy pointing out home after home.

This was my favourite little cottage in Nova Scotia.

At the other end of the Valley is Annapolis Royal. The little towns along the rivers in Nova Scotia remind me of a folk painting.

I didn't take near as many photos throughout this part of the trip as I usually may have. We spent a lot of time driving, and I tried to just enjoy as much of it as I could in the moment with the kids.

After spending a few days in Nova Scotia, we began our trip back home. Our first stop was in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick (deemed Saint Andrews By the Sea). It was Canada's first seaside resort community, with the grand Algonquin Hotel up on the hill overlooking town, and charming seaside cottages and inns at the water. We stayed at the Seaside Beach Resort, a collection of little cottages that reminded me of Nantucket.

Next we headed towards Woodstock, Vt. We stumbled across this little town called Wayne, ME on our way. We had to turn around and drive through it a second time because it was about as classic small-town USA as you could hope for - from the general store to the bunting flags hanging from the river bridge behind it.

Here I quickly popped into an antique shop - Bittersweet Antiques, while Ryan admired the owner's garage.

We drove past Mount Washington and by the time we made it to Woodstock, the town was asleep. It was still pretty to drive through, but we promised next time to spend a couple days there.

It added so much to have the kids with us experiencing things. It wasn't always easier, but it was an adventure! And an adventure is what we were going for.