cherryj

Hello. I'm traveling to Nova Scotia with 3 friends for a 2 week trip in late September. The first week will be spent on Cape Breton Island. We'll have a car and will stop for 3 nights in Mabou, staying at the Mabou River Inn. The next 4 nights we've rented the Beach View and Hillside cottages from the Walshes in South Harbor, near Dingwall.
Has anyone stayed at either of these places? Any comments on them?
I'm also looking for information on music in either of these 2 areas. The Red Shoe Pub in Mabou has closed. Does anyone know of other Celtic music options near Mabou on Saturday, Sunday or Monday?
Has anyone traveled or stayed in the South Harbor area? I'm looking for suggestions for Celtic music, restaurants, kayak rentals or hiking recommendations in this northeastern part of the Island. Thanks for any help.

Tanya

I would simply call the places you have booked and asked what events are happening around the time of your stay. They will know what music will be playing in their respective communities. I know Cheticamp used to have an open mic on Saturday afternoons at their local tavern. Various local artists (some well known) would show up to play.

ChrisS

You're in luck! I just got back from a glorious week on Cape Breton but haven't had a chance to post my trip report yet. You've picked two great areas in which to stay! My partner and I stayed in Baddeck, Dingwall, and Margaree Valley, all of which we enjoyed, but when we drove through the Mabou area, we decided we needed to spend a few days there on our next trip; it's lovely.

Here are my suggestions based on my trip:

First, the South Harbor area, since it's nearer where I stayed. There's a great kayak rental place, Eagle North Canoe & Kayak (www.cabottrail.com/kayaking) right on South Harbor. We started to rent from them, only to change our minds when a deluge of rain began. But they were very friendly and helpful and located on a beautiful inlet that we really wanted to paddle.

For other water adventures, I can't recommend too highly "Sail to the Whales" (www.capebretonisland.com/whales), which leaves from the little harbor in Bay St. Lawrence, north of Dingwall, three times daily (9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.). This was without a doubt THE highlight of our trip. There are many whale watches available, but this one is unusual in that it's aboard a 52' schooner, so you get the fun of sailing as well as whale watching. Plus, we went along a gorgeous stretch of rocky coastline (from bay St. Lawrence to Money Point) that is inaccessible by land, so you'd have no way to see it otherwise. We saw four or five pilot whales quite close, several seals, and at least eight bald eagles soaring over the points and sitting on the rocks. Unforgettable!

In terms of hiking trails up north, when you first drive into CB National Park on either the east or west side, you'll be given a map that shows all of the trails in the park, with short descriptions, so you can pick which ones you like. Not on that map but also good (up north) are trails at White Point (out to a windswept headland) and Meat Cove (very up hill to an amazing lookout point). Meat Cove is definitely worth a visit, if only for what must be one of the most scenic picnic spots in North America. Don't let the mention of scary unpaved roads put you off (as it almost did me); the road wasn't too bad, even in a sedan.

We ate very well in the north: at the restaurent at the Markland Resort in Dingwall (gourmet only, a bit pricey, and be sure to make a reservation); at the Chowder House by the lighthouse in Neil's Harbor (good, inexpensive lobsters, crab, and seafod chowder, as well as various fast food); and the Rusty Anchor in Pleasant Bay (amazing snow crab, good fries, moderate prices and no reservation needed). We're seafood fans, and I think we ate crab, lobster, or salmon for almost every lunch and dinner for a week. It was heaven!

Before leaving the north, you might enjoy stopping in Arts North, a gallery on the Cabot Trail just west of Cape North village. It's full of local pottery, jewelry, textiles, etc., much of which is pricey but beautiful. And a last suggestion would to be sure to drive the "Alternate Scenic Route" that runs between Cape North (I believe) and Neil's Harbor. It winds along the coast, through every fishing hamlet.

If you spend any time in the Ingonish area on the east coast, I strongly recommend taking the "Ride with the Eagles" chairlift up Mt. Smokey. It runs continually from 10 to 6, costs only a few bucks, and offers magnificent views. In that area, I also recommend the Atlantic Restaurant on Middle Head between the golf course and the Keltic Lodge and especially the Middle Head trail, which leaves from a parking lot just past the Keltic Lodge. More fabulous scenery.

I don't have the same amount of information about the Mabou area, but if you'd like to hike, there's an extensive series of beach trails that leave from the parking lot at West Mabou Beach, as well as another set of trailing in the Mabou Highlands. We bought a local "exploring Cape Breton" book (sorry, I don't recall the exact name), which gave us many suggestions for getting off the beaten track.

I didn't eat there, but according to one of my books, the Glenora Inn and Distillery on Rt. 19 between Inverness and Mabou is a "Taste of Nova Scotia" restaurant. Every place we ate in NS that had that designation was good, so I'd give it a try. They apparently have pub food from 11-9 daily and a dining room (fixed-price menu for $40C per person) from 5-9.

Lastly, Celtic music, which is also one of my passions. I think the best way to find music once you're there is to scan all of the notices posted at shops, restaurants, and tourist spots for ceilidhs and concerts. You can also pick up a newspaper-like insert of Cape Breton musical events (we say it everywhere, but alas did not bring it home with us). Finding a concert can involve some serendipity, so to make sure we heard those wonderful sounds, we bought a couple of local CDs (one by fiddler Natalie McMaster and one a collection of tunes recorded at Cape Breton ceilidhs) and played them in the rental car and we drove around the island. It provided the perfect feel for what we were seeing.

Similarly, to get you in the Cape Breton mood, order the book "Island" by Alaister MacLeod from Amazon. It's a collection of short stories by a wonderful writer who gew up on Cape Breton and gives you a feel for the island's farming, fishing, and mining past (and, to some extent, present).

Sorry to go on for so long. I guess this reply will take the place of my trip report. Anyway, I hope this info. helps. If you'd like more, just ask.

cherryj

Thanks so much, ChrisS! It sounds like you had a great trip. Now you've provided so much wonderful information to use on mine.
You've answered many questions I had about some activities -- I will definitely put "Sail to the Whales " on my itinerary. And it's nice to know that the folks at Eagle North are helpful. That's the kind of information that only comes from experience.

I am also grateful to hear that you survived the Meat Cove drive. I too have been very wary about trying this. I'm glad you were brave enough to try it and pass along your reassuring words.

Your suggestions about the hikes and food make me wish I was there already! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your wealth of information.

I have read Alistair MacLeod and I look forward to visiting the area he wrote about.
I'll make a full report when we return.
Thanks again.

MEMac

The Red Shoe Pub was closed briefly, but will be opening again. For details go to :

http://www.redshoepub.com/