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.

a tour of the historic gardens of annapolis royal

On Sunday afternoon, we went for drive down towards Annapolis Royal. We drove along the Bay on the way there, and then through the countryside as we headed back home. It's a beautiful drive and one we particularly enjoy, as it follows the winding Annapolis River. The river begins behind our property, at the Caribou Bog, and snakes through the western part of the Valley, all the way out to the Annapolis Basin. Annapolis Royal is a sea-side town that boasts a rich historic past. It dates back to when the first settlers arrived in Canada, as early as 1605 (previously called Port Royal), and therefore has many historic homes to admire. It's a tourist destination with a few seasonal cafes and shops, making it a pleasant town to walk around.

It's also home to the Historic Gardens and it's been on my list of things to do this summer. The gardens are spread over 17 acres and incorporate a number of styles. I only had an hour to myself, so I planned to spend my time in the ones that most interested me, namely the Rose Garden and the Governor's Garden. I was thrilled that I was able to catch the rose gardens in full bloom and what's more, I had thought to pack my camera, just in case! I was also pleasantly surprised by a few other features in the garden and as a result, found myself lingering among the lavender, unaware that the closing hour of five had come and gone. (Fortunately I could still slip out the exit gate.)

[ photo from website ]

While there were so many styles of gardens to view, I didn't have time to really take in most of the gardens. Aside from the Rose Garden and the Governor's Garden, a few other unexpected favourites were the Knot Garden, the Dykewalk (which I only saw the entrance to), and La Maison Acadienne, a reconstructed Acadian home.

I couldn't resist photographing this charming doorknob on the historic home. All of the accents are painted in a classically English sage green.

We'll begin our tour in the Rose Garden - a mass of fragrant, unruly blooms in a maze of perfectly edged beds. The many types (apparently hundreds of cultivars) create a vast variety of colors and various shaped blooms. A few early bloomers had already reached their peak and left a scattering of petals, but most were at peak bloom. The oldest variety I came across, a leggy and rather sparse white rose called White Bath, Moss was from 1810.

There was a semi-circle of Iceberg Roses when you first enter that were putting on quite a display. The blooms are smaller, and clustered together. What I like about this variety is that you can see the various stages of opening at once. I prefer this to other varieties that are clusters of all the same stage bloom. It's more pleasing to the eye.

At the back of the Rose Garden is a maze, and at the entrance, this arbor that is covered in a pale pink climber.

I can't wait for the climbing roses we planted this spring to reach this stage.

There were quite a few varieties of English Tea roses, which are always a favourite.

This little spot was my favourite - a little bench, tucked off to the edge of the gardens, in the shade.

I had to pull myself away to continue the rest of the tour and headed next towards the Dykewalk. While I didn't have time to do the entire walk, I popped down a little ways so I could see the river. The river starts off quite small at our property, and by the time it reaches down to the basin, it's large and grand looking.

Near here is also La Maison Acadienne. I've been reading through the history of the Acadian peoples and look forward to returning with the boys to tour this home. I didn't realize until afterwards that there is a little kitchen garden here. I always love a good kitchen garden.

I had missed most of the peonies blooming, but there were still a few lingering ones to enjoy.

There are so many different and interesting plants to enjoy throughout, it would take days to fully take them all in.

With not much time left, I made my way up towards the main house again, to spend my last few minutes in the Governor's Garden. I always love a formal garden, and this one had some of my most favourite features - boxwood hedging, climbing vines and espaliered fruit tress.

The plaque outside the gardens reads "From 1710 to 1749, Annapolis Royal was the capitol of Nova Scotia and the home of the governor of the colony. This small formal garden is based on a description of the original governor's garden in 1748. It is constructed in a formal colonial style, with straight, raised geometric beds planted with herbs, flowers and fruit tress that would have grown in the eighteenth century."

Because the Governor's Garden is near the exit, I was about to make my way back as it was nearing five o'clock. I couldn't help but notice, beyond the water feature that sits at one end of this part of the garden, hidden by taller hedges, there were a couple of small stone steps leading higher up. With a couple minutes to spare, I couldn't resist wandering up to see what was above and I'm so glad my curiosity got the better of me. Here is where I found the Knot Garden and a sweet patio to the cafe.

The lavender was also just about to bloom.

After a few minutes here, I pulled out my map, hoping to find the quickest way to the exit and instead, saw I had missed the water gardens entirely. I hurried down, as they weren't far, and spent a few minutes listening to the water trickle from the upper pond, into the middle, and then down to the lower. The cupped blooms of the water lilies and the saucer-like lily pads were beautiful. It's such a tranquil place in the gardens and had I have brought my book, I would have sat and read there.

Surrounding these, there were quite a few beds with Hydrangeas that are still a couple weeks away from blooming. Later this summer, I will have to return, and bring the boys with me. We will likely do the historic site in town, Fort Anne, while there.

If you are somewhat local, I encourage you to go and view them for yourself. I imagine they're always changing as the seasons unfold.