Middle Head Hiking Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park
First day’s hike after arriving on the island, 5km around the peninsula through rain and high winds, salt spray and crashing waves, and classic Nova Scotia pink granite rocky shores.
Seine Cove surf
Seine Cove with a view of Spring Point
First hike day success
Keltic Lodge at the Highlands
Ingonish Beach rock hunting on the drive home
home sweet home at the spooky little farmhouse
Early morning birthday rise
Breakfast cake for mom’s birthday (best hike fuel)
Cape Smokey Provincial Park: Cape Smokey Coastal Hiking Trail
Day two hike after mom’s birthday breakfast: misty 12km outback trail through colour-changing woodlands, pine forest, some marshlands, and along the Cape Breton coastline.
Jack Pine Hiking Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park
One last hike before the drive home: a quick loop of the 2km Jack Pine Trail passing Black Brook beach.
Black Brook beach
As the name suggests, this trail leads you through a small forest of rugged Jack Pines, which are uncommon in Cape Breton. They cling to the rocky terrain amongst Blueberry and Crowberry bushes, Reindeer lichen and other hardy coastal vegetation. This little area was noticeably quite different from the rest of the island, owing to the distinctive Jack Pines which are separated from the rest of their range by several hundred kilometres.
