Nova Scotia
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3 Big Mistakes I Made While Backpacking the Bluff Wilderness Trail
Last week, when the blog on the Bluff Wilderness Trail was posted, I promised to share the lessons I learned on this backpacking trip. They may not look like big mistakes, but together or even separately, they could cause big headaches or worse. Full disclosure: I ‘m a bit embarrassed to admit them, but here they are. I cheaped out on a sleeping bag. I have a good sleeping bag, but it’s big and heavy.I wanted one small and light for backpacking-and I got it. It was plenty roomy-I checked that out beforehand. But it’s kinda hard to gauge a sleeping bag’s warmth from the comfort of one’s…
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The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail
For a while, I have had this reoccurring thought that I needed to get out of my comfort zone. So when a friend asked me if I’d like to go back packing along the Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail-I said sure. Back country camping was something I have been wanting to do, but …I’ll admit it.I was afraid of big furry beasties. Turns out, beasties were not the problem [click_to_tweet tweet=”Let me just say this right off- the Bluff is a bitch” quote=”Let me just say this right off- the Bluff is a bitch”] It’s all la-de-dah for the first 3 minutes along the boardwalk. Don’t be lulled…
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3 Easy Trails in West Hants
Sometimes, you don’t want to struggle along a steep, rocky, long hike. Sometimes you just want a few kilometers outside in nature-I know I do, which is why I am sharing the information on these pretty easy trails in West Hants. Keep in mind, there are other great trails in West Hants, but today it’s gonna be these 3- Irishman’s Road, Smiley’s Provincial Park and the Salt Marsh Trail in Cheverie. Irishman’s Road Trail This is one of my oft used trails to take the dog walking and there are plenty of options for length. There are all well marked, but it’s best to familiarize yourself with the trail map…
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The Jodrey Trail, Blomindon Provincial Park in 2019
It’s been several decades since I hiked the Jodrey trail and all I remember about it was that it was muddy and steep. Guess what? it’s still steep. The trail climbs 190m winding through hardwood forests up, up and up! I know 190m is not much for the lot of you fit as a fiddle folk-but it is for me and it’s one of the reasons I wanted to try it again. Was it as hellish as I remembered? It wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong. The Jodrey Trail is no walk in the park. I was breathing pretty heavy way before I got to the top. But with age comes…
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Flounder Fishing in the Minas Basin
Most restaurants in Nova Scotia use haddock in their fish and chips but at home, I use flounder . My family heads out in Mid June to early July to Houston Beach (below Blomindon) to catch some for supper and some for winter provisions. Like all Bay of Fundy adventures, this one is tidal. (Find time times for Blomidon here) The plan is to wait for the tide to come in and lift us off the bottom, so with the help of a set of bicycle wheels set on an axle, we push- pull it down closer to the water line. Our crew usually tries to be there about 3…
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Hiking Up Moses Mountain
I always pre-hike an unfamiliar trail in preparation for a guided trek, so we planned this hike for a beautiful sunny Sunday morning. This was attempt #2- we previously hiked what we thought was Moses Mountain-but nope. We are nothing if not stubborn,so today, through a somewhat circuitous route, we managed to drag ourselves to the top. It was worth a second try.⁸ How to Get There Take exit 5 from Highway 101, turn left from the off-ramp towards Windsor and then right on highway 1. Turn left onto Highway 14 (the Chester Road) Drive just over 11 km and you will come to a sign that says Mill…
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Black Rock Fundy Shore Trail-A Hike Uncompleted
This blog allows me to impart information-I hope useful-to others and to report my successes and also those outings that were….let’s say less successful than I would like. A recent hike along the Black Rock Fundy Shore Trail was one of those outings. On a cool overcast May morning, we set out to do the 7.8 km Fundy Shore trail, starting from the Black Rock Community Centre. We weren’t newbies to the trail system; we’ve done shorter trails there before.But I have always wanted to do the one along the shore line. The community has done a wonderful job with trail upkeep and the Black Rock Fundy Shore trail is…
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Meandering to Meander River Falls
It was a perfect day to attempt to find the Meander River Falls-not too cold, not too hot, not raining and not icy,like the last attempt.. It was just right. Good thing too, because we spent an inordinate amount of time, while still heading in the general direction of where we thought the falls would be,climbing up and down the ravine in search of the trail.Great leg workout,though. There were sections that absolutely resembled a path where humans trod. Others I’m pretty sure were game trails…which we gamely followed. The path is clear once you step off the road, easily leading you to the falsehood that it will be that…
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Polly’s Cove Hiking Trail
It took me three tries, but I finally found the Polly’s Cove hiking trail. And it’s not because it’s all that hard to find either. I don’t know what that says about me. We won’t go there, I guess. The parking at the trail head is sparse indeed- 4 vehicles would mean each being perfectly parked. Highway 333 is winding with some sharp corners and there is very little in the way of shoulder so not the safest place to park by the side of the road. There is another small parking lot just down the road (towards Peggy’s Cove).That just means a short hike before your hike. The terrain…
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Forest Lakes Trails -Hike to Cameron Lake
Don’t you love Facebook events? It’s an opportunity to find trails I would probably never know about. This was the case on a recent frosty Sunday when a couple of friends and I took advantage of a guided trail along the Forest Lakes Trail system in Ardoise. Forest Lakes is a country club with luxury seasonal and overnight housing rentals and real estate. Out of my price range ? Absolutely. No matter. The trails are open to everyone. I suspect this was a marketing maneuver to get people up close and personal with their property. And why not? But with my my less than stylish hiking gear-I was wearing my…
