My First Trip Report Begins- USA & Canada

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Cape Breton Island, we briefly visited here 4 years ago, swore to come back, here we were fulfilling our vow.

If you have not been here, it is a IMO a magic place, gorgeous scenery, lovely people and a laid back lifestyle, we were spending 5 nights here with a great deal of anticipation.

Across the Canso causeway, first port of call was Tourist Information, very helpful as we wound our way to our BnB in North Sydney. So you have Sydney on the other side of the harbour, Norht Sydney on the other, and an actual Sydney Harbour, for those of us from NSW, very familiar.

We travelled via the Bras d’Or Lake Scenic Drive, a massive lake system on the island. Eventually arrived at our BnB, bit smaller than North Sydney I am familiar with. Note on the door let your self in, lovely accommodation at the Heritage Home BnB. North Sydney is the exit point for the ferry to Newfoundland.

Our host provided a couple of food recommendations, one of which was the Black Spoon Restaurant. My research prior to our trip had really good reviews, they don’t do bookings, 1[SUP]st[/SUP] in best dressed. We turned up at 6.00 pm, 45 minute wait, leave your name and come back. Turned out to be an hour by the time we got a table, worth every minute. And the lines at the door did not diminish.

Off to Fort Louisbourg and Iona the next day.
 
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As usual I am up early for an explore of where we are staying. Like many towns on Cape Breton this was a fishing village and the fishermen still ply their trade from here.

I must admit I like the design of these homes, most are wooden in structure and appear fairly dated.

The car ferry was being loaded for its journey to Newfoundland, bon voyage, that destination is on the bucket list.

A few photos

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This is our first time staying in a B&B, it’s a bit like a doll house inside, fine china laid out for breakfast and a communal dining table.

Interesting to talk to fellow travellers and compare experiences, most from the US and a couple from New Zealand, but we forgave them ;).

A photo of the outside of the B&B.

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Great TR, next trip to Canada we have now included Halifax in the list .....
 
Fort Louisbourg, a recreation of the original fort, a bit of history as told to me by one of the national park guides.

The original fort was razed in the 1700’s down to the foundations and in some places ground level. In the 1950’s the original plans of the fort were located, in the 60’s and 70’s a massive reconstruction effort was undertaken. The original quarry was re opened for the reconstruction of the main fort with the roofing, if my memory is correct as imported from France, and the fort and surrounds rebuilt to their original designs.

It is now a re-enactment of life in those early days of Canada's history, quite often I have visited these type of places to find them poorly done, this one was quite good, with the canon fired at noon with the resulting smoke hanging around.

A few photos

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Cape Breton is an easy island to get around, again we travel around the bras d’or lake to the Highland Village Museum at Iona, or as they say in Gaelic “An Clachan Gàidhealach”

This one is a bit different for a re-creation, they take you through different times, beginning when the original immigrants from Scotland migrated here. There is a huge Gaelic influence in this part of Canada, including the Ceilidh, fortunately I missed out on one of these much to my better half’s displeasure, but if you own two left feet :rolleyes:.

However I digress, the village takes you through the role play of history of Gaelic settlement on the island, we had an interesting discussion about funerals in the early days. Well worth a visit with a stunning vista.

A few photos

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Our final breakfast at the Harbour Heritage B&B, if you are over this way I would recommend this as a place to stay. Our breakfast table consists solely of USA visitors from all over that country, again interesting to discuss where we all live.

One couple are heading to Halifax for a couple of days, I give them the tip about the lobster pound. He made sure he caught me before we left to get the details.

We are now headed to get on the Cabot Trail, we stay on the Bras d’Or Lake Scenic Drive heading south till we hit Baddeck, more of a village than a town, we then head north to our destination.

Spectacular views around this lake system, one of those places you can constantly stop and enjoy mother nature, though I must say their beaches have nothing on Port Macquarie :D

A few photos.

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Continued

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The Cabot Trail, immensely popular with Motor Bike riders, and us more mundane motorists. 300 klm of great scenery, this is our second journey our first we did in one day, this one a bit longer.

We arrived at Ingonish which is entry to the national park, we had bought a park pass when we visited the Citadel in Halifax which covers all the Canadian National parks. A bit of a stroll up the hill to view the lakes from the western side.

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So we were travelling up the east coast of Cape Breton, our first detour to Dingwall, which principally consisted of a road with maybe 3 cottages :confused:.

Our next stop Neil’s Harbour, a fishing village. A nice little Chowder Hut here, we decided to have a light lunch with the seafood chowder, pretty good. Then they bought out the mixed seafood platter for the table behind, realised we should have had that for $39 CAD, whole lobster, snow crab, scallops the list went on.

At least the outside view was good as well.

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Our next call our stopover Bay St Lawrence at Burtons Sunset cottages. The tip of Cape Breton island overlooking the Gulf of St Lawrence.
The next day was Labor Day we were advised by our host, we had a small kitchen inside plus an offer to use the BBQ. We were advised nearest store was at St Magarets, when we enquired where that was he pointed 200 metres down the road, cozy neighbours.

Nice harbour here with whale watching tours, however I can do that at home during the appropriate season in my own boat. Turned out his brother in law operated the tour, we watched the boat go out and just cruise around, not a whale in sight.

Quick visit up to the wonderfully named Meat Cove, nice view from the cliffs.

Back at the motel they have seats facing the west for what I agree are memorable sunsets. I shared one with a gentleman from the US who was travelling around the island accompanied by his girlfriend on motorcycles, glass of red wine in hand watching the sunset.

Perfect end to the day.

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Thanks Irv what a wonderful TR, have visited Halifax but not the other Islands, they do look wonderful, thanks for the great photos as well.
 
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The next day we headed to the Skyline Trail, heading south on the western side of Cape Breton. Down through Pleasant Bay which has a great restaurant called the Rusty Anchor, and on to the highlands of Cape Breton.

A few ways to enjoy the trail, short trail there and back, long trail there and back, or long trail there and short back (or visa versa). We chose long there and short back.

There is purportedly a large moose population here, unfortunately saw none.

Stunning vista down the coast, follow the winding road that goes for miles, no wonder bike riders love it. A few photos.

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