NS and CB in october
 

First NS trip.Hubby and I(47 yrs old)have 8 full days there. Budget flexible as this is anniv/b-day trip. Been reading all posts & Does/Dreamers. More I read, more excited but overwhelmed I get as every area sounds beautiful and w/so many "don't miss" spots. Here's what I have so far, any input on itinerary or timing is much appreciated.
Arriving late night on Fri 9/29. Have 3 nts booked at Pepperberry Inn/Halifax. Had planned to spend all Sat in city, then day-trip to Peggy's Cv & Lunenburg Sun. Thought Sat might be more vibrant day in the city. Then I saw Bluenose II has its final sail of season Sat 9/30. Anyone done this? Was is special enough to flipflop to visit Lunenbrg our 1st day? If so, would Sun still be a fun day in city or is a lot closed?
We'll hit the road on Mon but not sure what route to head. In general I want to split home bases btwn Halifax and Cape B. Prefer not to check in/out of too many places but maybe spend a night on the way to CB, or maybe a night along Cabot Trail?
We love scenic drives, exploring small villages, lighthouses, easy hiking and really experiencing local color, people, food, music and art.We hope to maybe check out the tides, maybe go whale watching or on kayaking tour. We do well in cars together but also want some down time to sleep in, read, maybe walk a beach or sit staring out at water. Like idea breaking up Cabot Trail if its more relaxing that way.
Oh, Celtic Colours fest starts Fri 10/6. Without knowing logistics I bought tickets to concert 10/6 evening in Port Hawksbury. And 2pm matinee concert 10/7 in Inverness.
We have very early flt home Sun 10/8 so I plan to drive back to spend very last night at airport hotel. I know that I may have to pass on one of the concerts if it doesnt make sense driving wise. That's ok as I'm sure there will be plenty of music that week.
I dont so much need help w/what inn to stay in as WHAT TOWNS to stop in. It would be neat to have a mix of experiences in our stays- city, small village, and more remote natural setting. Ok, I've gone on enough. I'm usually a confident trip planner, but this one has me delightfully baffled.
thank you thank you thank you for any help!

Hi,

I can feel just the right tone of your "delightfully baffled" message.

Some of your itinerary and wishes dictates many of your decisions for you, with nights as follows:

9/29 Halifax
9/30 Halifax
10/1 Halifax
10/2
10/3 Cape Breton
10/4 Cape Breton
10/5 Cape Breton
10/6
10/7 Airport - Halifax

That leaves only 2 nights to really contemplate.

(first I need to understand about the concerts - is this an "either OR" wish for you? Or do you hope to go to both concerts?) If "either OR", then do the Friday night one, so you won't have to scramble back to Halifax.

The obvious suggestion for your first blank night (Tuesday night) is the Pictou area enroute to the northeast. The area is charming and worth seeing and it is mostly on the path toward Cape Breton.

IMPORTANT TIDBIT OF ADVICE: You have 3 days/nights near Cape B. for very good reason... and you should be prepared to juggle daily itineraries based on FOG. (you wake up, look outside, and if the sun is out on morning one, you should get your a** to the Cabot Trail - I've done it in the pea soup fog, and it isn't too charming then.) You can tour around Sydney and other areas on foggy days, or even sleep-in if you want to.

Once you have a sense of the area around Pictou, for that Tuesday night, you can decide THEN just exactly where to perch on Friday night on the rebound.

obviously an evening concert in Port H. is going to have you there fairly late, so you won't want to go far. If by chance you're enticed to see the Saturday 2pm performance too, you'd be 60-70 miles from Inverness... with a lot of driving to do upon conclusion. But by perching in or very near Port H. that night, you'd at least have that option.

The highways in rural NS, as you might expect, have very little traffic and you can make time on the big one(s) when necessary.

As for the tides, which I love, the most passively-interested people would get the most bang for their buck at lookout points not far from Wolfville.

If you're into hiking... drive to Wolfville, then Scots Bay, then as far "out" on the cape as you can drive... park in a parking lot and then hike 2 1/2 hours each way to the very end of Cape Split. (upon arrival you'll be up high on a lookout, in a most-likely very windy spot with the highest tides in the world surrounding you.

There are places where you can be sheltered from the wind while having lunch or snacks you would pack. (I'd use a backpack rather than want to carry anything along the path) Said path is gradually uphill but not "steep".

... more about the tide viewing:

at the water's edge between Wolfville and Truro, you can find spots where you can walk waaaaaaaaaaaay out on the beach at low tide. (this dwarfs what you've seen at/near 'home', wherever that is)

Perhaps you could drive toward Wolfville on the Monday morning you mention... if you got there by 11:00am... you could be back from the hike before 5:00, depending upon how much time for rest/lunch out near the end.

After that you get to the car, drive back to Wolfville, and if still interested in the beaches/tides, take the slow path to Truro along Hwy #15.

Upon reaching Truro you're a bit more than an hour from Pictou on the main highways.

Tues morning you could get up in Pictou and explore that area, and then have up to a 200 mile drive to Sydney or, more likely, a nearer picturesque lodging locale of your choice, perhaps in the Baddeck area for your 3-night northern base.

Anyway, you'll find lots of scenic drives, small villages, and easy hikes in the area.

Hope this helps you to plan a tiny bit.

Remember to be flexible based on the fog.

oops, first blank night is MONDAY night, not tuesday night. (just know that I was aware of it)

Thanks, NwMale, for the help. We'll do Fri concert in Pt Hawks. but skip Sat Inverness matinee.I have ???'s but I'm in Hong Kong this wk WITHOUT my trusty NS map so bear w/me.

I like idea of Pictou Mon 10/2 nt. The area sounds great. Would love to experi ence tides Mon but wanted to clarify what you described. Would low tide be when we first get to Wolfville area in late am? Then could we be watching the tide rushing back in later while in Wolfv. or Truro, or driving along #15? And altho we'd so love to, I admit hiking Cape Split is a bit ambitious for us as we aren't used to 5hr hikes. Are there worthwhile shorter hikes or other cool things in the area? If not, do you recommend heading on to Pictou aft beachwalking at low tide?

I'd hoped to spend 2nts somewhere to have a lazy day out of the car. I was leaning toward Ingonish, stopping half way around C.Trail to stay in a cottage.
Maybe we'd golf, kayak or just hole up reading, napping, playing Scrabble. (Lantern Hill and Seascape Cottage Retreat are both available, any thoughts?) Ideally, I was imagining this on Wed&Thurs nts, completing Cabot Trail fri then continuing to Pt Hawks. after that for the concert that night. But now that you've introduced the FOG FACTOR, I realize this might only be possible if we plan to start off to the C. Trail on Tues directly from Pictou. Otherwise if we stay in Baddeck Tue night, and wake up to fog Wed am, we lose our chance for the 2nt stayover. Does that make sense? Would Pictou to Cabot Trail around to Ingonish be an ok drive in one day? Are weather forecasts able to predict fog? (Not sure how to play the resv/canel game at cottages if I'm rolling with the weather.Or don't I really need resv since its off season?)
And what about Ft Louisbourg? It sounds like an interesting place to visit, but am I correct that its rather out of the way so seems like a good part of a day would be devoted to that? Do you see a logical spot to slip that in or better to leave it for next time?

Last question- From what I've read Port Hawksbury doesn't sound too nice. Still, would you just stay there in town anyway for convenience to the concert or is there a nearby town that would be more fun to have dinner and then wake up in? Is Mabou too far?

Thx again so much for any ideas and opinions. It REALLY HELPS a 1st-Timer !!

Hi, first of all, you should PRINT OUT the related tide tables from this website, and have them with you during your trip:

http://www.lau.chs-shc.gc.ca/cgi-bin...=5&zone=30

Given what I described, I thought that the areas near "Cape Blomidon" would best suit your interests in terms of when the tide is best.

NOTE that there is a FULL MOON on the Saturday, October 7, and that will increase the impact OF the tides.

Ultimately, you should probably have the tide tables printed and carted along beginning from day one of your trip through Saturday October 7.

Nowthen, DO NOT get the sense or expectation that the TIDE will RUSH in and swallow cats and small children before your very eyes. This is not the case at all.

On the Monday, after leaving Halifax, the spread between high and low tide is 'only' about 27 feet between high tide @ 8:50am (35.8 feet) and low tide at 2:57pm (8.9 feet). Consider that it takes 6+ hours to go from one to the other, well, we're talking only 4 feet per hour or so.

Note that by Saturday, with the full moon, the spread between high and low tide in the same spot will be more than 44 feet! (1:20pm Saturday high tide @ 44.6 ft, and 7:30pm Saturday low tide at merely 1/3 of a foot). Now you're talking 7+ feet per hour.

To get the full impact of the power of the tides, perhaps you'd do best to search for a spot to watch the "Tidal Bore" (generally someplace in the Truro area). At something near to THREE HOURS before high tide, the Tidal Bore causes the rivers in the area to turn around on a dime and flow UP-STREAM! (so you'd sit next to an appropriate river and "expect" this to happen on que at almost exactly a pre-determined time).

For merely witnessing the impact of the tides other than that, you'd do well to just visit certain spots at or near low tide (and walk waaaaaaay out in the sand) and then return hours (or days) later and time it for high tide, just to photograph the difference.

Last thing about tides to ponder beFORE your trip: it is no easy task to occupy yourself for 6 hours between high and low tide at the same spot. The trick is to have the tide tables and will yourself to go back to the same spot, perhaps on another swing of your trip, and time it for greatest contrast. (a good reason for carrying the tide tables with you - maybe in the glove box with your car rental contract - shrug)

Now, about the hike... if you asked me how many true "hikes" I've done in the 21st century... my answer would probably be "ONE" (Cape Split), so don't get the feeling that I'm any sort of a hiker. (I just learned how long it took, and found it to take just about what they said) I did the hike in chilly March weather with snow still on the ground in shady areas, so I expect early October would be better.

When I listened to your trip/lodging thoughts, I expected that you were shooting for a pair of 3-night hotel spots, and that is the general vibe I was responding to... you could certainly chop the northern stay up differently, OR you could conveniently arrange your "lazy day out of the car" among three consecutive nights at one spot.

By all means, if Youuuuuuuuuuuu have a vibe of a place you want to stay... DO THAT just for the memories and added internal value on your trip. My adoration for and intrigue about Nova Scotia was formed about 25 years before I ever got to go, so I was sufficiently excited just to be there.

(tiny thought to self: I'd be much more confident on the Cape Split hike than when doing any sort of Kayaking <chews fingernails nervously>)

Your strategy for plotting your lodging plans on Cape Breton is really going to be important. The fog possibility has me concentrating even more.

It just seems to me that to stay in a central locale such as Baddeck, for 3 nights, keeps many options on the table and lets you improvise if the weather isn't suitable.

FYI the full circuit of the Cabot Trail (in this case, from Baddeck to Baddeck) is 180 miles and can be expected to take 4 hours of ACTUAL DRIVING TIME.

This suggests that it is doable in a day, if need be, but of course everyone has ideas about where to stop and eat or stay along the way.

In answer to your question:

Pictou to Ingonish via Pleasant Bay (west side of Cabot Trail, that is) is just under 240 miles and should take about 5 hours.

Weather forecasts given a day or two ahead generally give you a great sense of impending fog, but that doesn't help much from this far out. The FOG there can be sooooooooooo THICK.

... and the truth is, you MIGHT not need reservations for everything, since you're going after the end of the tourist season.

People love Fort Louisbourg, and at less than 70 miles from Baddeck, it can be conveniently accessed during another day trip from there.

Many folks on this board have lots of favorite cozy resort type places to stay in the Bras d'Or Lake area, so if interested, you should take advice from others and pick one.

Mabou is only 40 miles from Port Hawkesbury, so it is do-able. Might be good to get there and check-in to your place beFORE the concert just for convenience.

OR you might leave the night open, so that in the event you like Pictou enough the first time around, you could drive the 85-ish miles back there (all on the big highway) in about 90 minutes. This would put you in better locale to strategize your last full day.

Myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy impulse for a last-full-day begun in Pictou, would be a drive to the west along Hwy #6 via Wallace and Pugwash... then via Springhill down to Parrsboro, and back up the Bay shore to Truro and then into Halifax for your night near the airport. (I tally 4 hours of driving along that path, so says MSN Maps).

Perhaps now I should hit "post reply" just to get this sent in one piece, before critiquing my thoughts.

Hope you enjoy the trip!

nw male, i just worked a 16hr flt HKG-ORD and i am bleary eyed and cranky. then i read your message and cracked up. thank you for the great ideas, brilliant insights and especially the humor. you do love your tides, don't you ?! after i get home and sleep for a couple days i'll get out my NS map and start looking at everything you said. (i do like the idea of catching the tides on two different days.) ok- later.

We took a similar trip this summer and loved it. Some tips from that trip may help you plan yours. First, the driving always seemed longer than Mapquest indicated. We had planned to drive from Baddeck to Louisbourg to Halifax in a day. But by the time we got to this part of the trip, we decided that the time in the fortress wasn't worth getting up really early and adding to our drive time. Next, the fog is a factor. We didn't make it all the way around the Cabot Trail because of a foggy day. However, the drive over Cape Smokey and the hikes/beach around Ingonish were wonderful. I urge you to take the Middlehead hike from the Keltic Lodge. The view from the end is beautiful. Third, we spent 4-5 hours in Peggy's Cove so could not have added to that day trip. I don't think one needs to spend that much time but you should allow 2-3 hours. We enjoyed exploring the rocks, chowder at Murray's lobster pound, going thru the art galleries (bought 2 photos of Peggy's Cove!), eating ice cream and playing in the water (go out the back of the parking lot by the visitor center and you are in a little cove area).

Thanks again everyone for the ideas. My trip is coming together nicely. Question- seems like nobody ever mentions taking the Marine drive from Halifax to CBI. Is there a reason you wouldn't want to drive that route one direction and the Pictou route the other direction? Is it boring or something?
Tide question- when I look at the tide tables website what is the best location for me to enter? Hopewell Cape? Because when I put in Hopewell Cape the high tide time was almost exactly the same as the Tidal Bore time in Truro for that same day and that totally confused me.
Last question- would it be realistic to wake up in Ingonish, hit the road early, maybe stop for breakfast at the Clucking Hen in North Shore, then drive to Fort Louisbourg, spend a few hours, then drive to Port Hawkesbury in time to checkin to our hotel and get to our 730p concert? How long should I expect from Ingonish to the fort. I know I can check mapquest but does anyone have more firsthand experience with the real drive time?
Thanks lots-

I just posted that message about Hopewell Cape and then sat here reading past posts to discover (DUH !) that Hopewell Rocks are in NB. So that explains a lot. I will start a new post asking about the best place to view tides in the Wolfville/Truro area and whether its worth arriving for low tide if that happens to be in the early evening (Oct 7). Thanks.

The Pepperberry Inn in Halifax is lokated next to a VERY noisy highway crossing. In my opinion the location is awful! Also it´s too far to walk to the downtown attractions. If you want to stay in this area I would recommend www.thepebble.ca. This B&B is located in an upscale quiet neighbourhood about 5 minutes from the Pepperberry. Wonderful hosts!! Top notch rooms! Like the Pepperberry it´s far away from downtown though.

Hi,

Let me only tackle the parts I know...


"The Marine Drive" from Halifax to CBI (Cape Breton Island?)...

Shall I assume you're talking about ducking down to the Atlantic Coast after reaching Port Hawkesbury and driving back to Halifax that way? (I.E. "Canso" area and southwest from there along the water)

I did exactly that when I was last in the area. I opted for that path beCAUSE I had time to kill... and, well, it certainly did that!

Make no mistake there were some enjoyable glimpses of small-town, coastal living in an area whose very best appeal may still be that society doesn't pass through there to get anywhere.

HOWEVER, at one point (Isaacs Harbour) I came around a curve and saw a sign that said:

Ferry ahead... leaves every hour on the hour. It was 6:52 and upon seeing that sign I floored it, thinking I would encounter some significant ferry dock or something. Truth was that I could almost have coasted the rest of the way to the ferry dock, where I found a glorified 'barge' that shuttled a few cars each run across a waterway about the width of a good golf shot. Made the ferry easily, but then recalled the words of an old scary song: "don't pay the ferryman, until he gets you to the other side". It was a po-dunk ferry, with no true "worries", but you wonder why bother having a ferry at all.

If missing the ferry by moments, you'd just have to drive inland and around. I just didn't like how few true alternate routes there were for getting off the coast and back to a speedy path toward Halifax. I just went all the way on the slooooooow road, arriving in Halifax well after dark.

Given that your trip has places to go and things to do... I just think you should pass on the water route along the Atlantic coast north of Halifax.

It isn't like that is the only coastal scenery you'll see. Peggy's Cove & Lunenburg should suffice for Atlantic coastal viewing.

Now, about the TIDES... If I were packing up to go to Nova Scotia right now... I'd print out the tide table for the following for the entire length of my trip:

Hopewell Cape (you don't need this)
Moncton (you don't need this)

Cape Blomidon
Burntcoat Head
Truro
Hantsport (maybe)

PLUS the TIDAL BORE times for any rivers I could find data for near Truro.

(I would also get the Tidal Bore times for Moncton, but YOU don't need those)

Burntcoat Head isn't likely to be of active interest, except that is where the highest tide ever recorded happened during a storm in 1869. Fun to at least compare the tides and understand the differences from spot to spot. If you actually GO to Burntcoat Head, you're in an odd-seeming spot where you can't really get down to the water, and I think there is a museum-type place that is probably only open during certain months or hours.

You want the Truro one because Truro is so central to all of Nova Scotia and sits at the very tip of the Bay.

Cape Blomidon and Hantsport are basically "look-off" areas where you get an up-high view of how far in or out the tide comes and goes. Perhaps best photographed at low tide, while the sandy areas then exposed are wet with the remnants of the tide that just left there.

Other curiosities are spots where you might come around a curve and see an ocean-going vessel tied to a dock at low tide... sitting on the sandy ocean floor, with the nearest water hundreds of feet away. Just knowing that the tide will have the boat many feet higher, at dockside, in less than 6 hours, really drives the point home.

Lastly, I have NOT done the Ingonish-Port Hawkesbury drive/day you're talking about... but I'm inclined to say that yes, you could do it as mentioned. You'd have the time variable of "a few hours" at Fort Louisbourg to alter as needed to make your drive in the evening.