Last-minute Fall Road Trip...complete with shopping, beaches and ice cream!

Well, I was thinking about traveling to Iceland this October but instead, I procrastinated and didn't jump on those seat sales I was seeing.  By the time I decided that I would definitely like to go, flights were priced way too high out of my budget. Oh well.  I took vacation time anyway.  Really, I can't think of a better place to spend early fall than on Cape Breton Island!  Iceland or some other Exotic destination can wait until spring.

One day early into my two-week vacation, I took a last-minute road trip to visit a friend at her camper trailer in Jersey Cove.  I decided to take this trip while I was browsing local shops for a Halloween costume.  Now that my nephew is three years old, I figure it's time I start dressing up so he isn't the only one looking like a fool!  A combination of the pumpkin spice latte I was sipping on and the colourful leaves rustling in the cool breeze had me feeling very fall-ish and there are few things in life I love more than a long drive on a sunny, fall day. 

I arrived after a relatively peaceful morning drive.  We took a little walk around the grounds and down to the water.  The sound of leaves rustling in the trees and the water gently rolling over the rocks on the beach was so peaceful.  

In late summer, I heard we wouldn't have very nice fall colours this year due to the drought we had experienced but I thought they looked just as pretty as any other year.  They weren't as bright and there seemed to be fewer leaves than usual but still so pretty nonetheless. 

It was too cold to go swimming and I wasn't really in the mood for a hike that day so I thought it would be a perfect day to go for a scenic drive to Ingonish while stopping at all the gift shops along the way.  This time of year, there are discounts on items that need to be gotten rid of before the end of the season.  And yes, we did indeed find some good deals!

Our first stop was Cabotto Chocolates.  Being the chocolate lover that I am and the number of times I've driven by this place, I never stopped there until this day.  I think it's because I'm always focused on just passing through and getting to Ingonish to hit the beach as early as possible. Or maybe it's because I know I have no self-control when it comes to chocolate!

 

I was surprised at how many different chocolate items there were in this place!  They had a variety of flavors, shapes, sizes..and yes, what I tried, was delicious!  There were also sea glass candy, souvenirs and local books.  I bought a little treat for myself and made a mental note to come back before Christmas for some last-minute gifts some chocolate lovers I know. 

Next, we stopped at the O.C. Emporium.  This is another place I always just drove by and despite my curiosity, I never had time to stop and check it out.  Again, I was surprised at how much stuff was in there!  There were local crafts, homemade soaps, essential oils, herbs, books, jewellery, gluten-free food and almost everything else under the sun!  

Next was the Wreck Cove General Store.  I always love stopping here because it brings back memories from years and years ago when my family always stopped here for treats on the way to Ingonish or on trips about the Cabot Trail.  It still looks pretty much the same as it did then and that's why I like it so much!  I found some great deals on some gifts here.  They had discounted ice cream which of course, I had to sample!  

We kept driving over Cape Smokey and onto Ingonish where we spent the rest of the day enjoying the scenery and stopping at beaches to stretch our legs.  Just before dark, we headed back over the mountain.  

 

 

 

 

On Top of Cape Smokey

Years ago, visitors to Ingonish in the warmer months could ride the chairlift to the top of Cape Smokey to get a view of the land and sea from above.  I never got the chance to do it before the service stopped.  

Now, that service is being offered again but it's much better than the old experience.  Now visitors can ride a gondola up the mountain and enjoy a range of other services that are included in a day pass.

I finally had the chance to make my way up to the top of Cape Smokey this August.  It was a spur-of-the-moment decision and, in hindsight, probably not the best decision considering what was going on at the time.  The day I decided to go was in the midst of a province-wide forest lock-out.  In other words, no one was allowed to enter the forest or have a fire anywhere or for any reason due to the dry conditions Nova Scotia endured this past summer.   

My friend and I arrived before the Gondola even opened and walked around the main lodge.  When the ticket booth opened, we got our lift tickets and free cookies and hopped on the gondola to take the scenic 8-minute trip to the top.  The view was amazing but I was not all that impressed with the experience at the top that day.  The only thing we could do was grab a beer, sit and enjoy the view and go back down.  For over 50 bucks, this didn't seem all that worth it but.  Considering that during other times when the forest is accessible, there are e-bike and kayak rentals and hiking trails available, I would definitely consider giving it another try.  

After our mountain adventure, we headed to Black Brook to do some swimming but the water was so rough, we ended up leaving and spending the rest of the afternoon swimming the clear, calm water at The Point.  After supper at the Seagull Restaurant, we made the drive back over the mountain...another thing ticked off my Cape Breton bucket list! 

 

Jersey Cove, Black Brook, Inverness and Everywhere in Between

It's always nice to have friends in various places around Cape Breton.  One such good friend has a seasonal home in Jersey Cove at the Joyful Journeys RV Park. I pass through there often on the way to Ingonish so I always make a point to stop in and pay a visit or, as was the case early in the summer, stop by, head out on an adventure in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park and stay the night in Jersey Cove. 

I left early that morning with the beach on my mind.  The earlier the better.  It's about an hour's drive to Jersey Cove and another hour to Black Brook Beach where I intended to spend the day swimming and soaking up the sun.  And what weather we had this summer!!  With soaring temperatures, more sunny days than not and clear night skies, you'll hear no complaints from me! 

 

Anyway, I arrived in Jersey Cove around 9:30.  My friend wasn't quite ready but once she was, we took a short walk around the grounds and down to the water before heading toward the Highlands and onto one of our favourite beaches. 

Two years ago, we went to this beach and it was beautiful but we faced disappointment last year when we went.  The beach was rough and there was hardly any sand.  It was so bad, we had to go swimming elsewhere.  I hoped and hoped we wouldn't face the same this year and fortunately, the beach was back to it's usual glory!  

 

Long story short, the water was crystal clear and warm and the beach was all soft sand.  As per usual, I didn't want to get out of the water but when hunger struck and the sun started to dip in the sky, I reluctantly found a spot on the sand to dry off.   

We hung around Ingonish for a while just enjoying the sights, walking North Bay Beach and eating French fries by the shore. It was almost dark when we headed back and we were too tired to have the bonfire and smores we planned to have that evening before bed.  

The next morning brought with it another adventure to another one of my favourite beaches on the other side of the island and this was going to be an all-day and evening event because I never drive all the way to Inverness to leave before sunset.  Sunset is the main event on the West Coast of Cape Breton Island. 

Although we arrived quite early, there were no parking spots close to the beach so we had to walk quite a ways with all our gear. When we finally reached the sand, we found a perfect spot to spend the day.  I dropped my things and stripped down to my swimsuit and went in the water right away.  I'm not one to just lie in the sun for hours and hours; being in the water is my main purpose to be at any beach, especially when its the one with the warmest and clearest waters on the island!

I spent many hours floating in those clear, warm waters that day.  I also walked the length of the beach and searched for beach glass with my friend who was more keen on lying in the sun than swimming for hours on end.  About an hour before sunset, we left the beach to get something to eat in Cheticamp and pay a quick visit to my sister who was visiting from Alberta and staying in a campervan at the local campground. We got back to the beach just in time for the evening show.

I, once again, stripped down to my bathing suit and entered those clear, warm waters.  The air was cooler by that time but the water was still warm.  The sun was quickly falling toward the horizon when I took my spot in the glowing strip that crossed from the horizon to the shore.  There's just something about being in the dark, vast ocean at sunset.  I can't think of anything more relaxing.  I floated in the calm water until that glowing red ball was no more and sky turned dark.  In the distance, I could hear the sound of bagpipes coming from somewhere above the beach. 

We made the long drive back to Jersey Cove via the Margaree Valley and Englishtown Ferry.  I dropped my friend off at her trailer and made the journey home alone.  I'm ok with that.  Late night drives with my music blaring and the sunroof open to the moon and stars above and the windows down to let in the warm night air are my kinda thing!

A Summer Day Trip From Jersey Cove to Ingonish

It's nice to have friends with trailers and summer homes in nice places.  It's especially nice to have a great friend who has a trailer in beautiful Jersey Cove, Cape Breton.  That's because it's the perfect place to enjoy a quick summer getaway.  It's scenic, it's quiet, it's relaxing and it's centrally located near all the places I love to visit.  Baddeck is only 20 minutes away and Ingonish is less than an hour away just to name a few of those places.  Most importantly though, this friend spends much of her summer there in her trailer and loves when company stops by.  Sometimes that company happens to be me.  One such day this summer, it was me.

 One of the best things about Jersey Cove is it's less than an hour away from my house so it's the perfect place to head to if I want a quick getaway.  I arrived at the trailer mid-morning and after we unpacked the car, we headed straight to Ingonish for the day. Our plan was to recreate the perfect day we had the year before at Black Brook Beach. It didn't quite turn out that way but it was still a great day!

We drove to Black Brook as I thought for sure the beach conditions would be perfect on such a perfect day.  As we walked down the hill to the beach area, we realized that there was no beach!  The tide was so high and it was so windy that the water was coming right up to the grass.  There was no way it was safe or ideal to swim there that day.  Off we went in search of another beach. That beach ended up being the little patch of soft sand by the wharves in Ingonish known as The Point.  The water was clear, warm and free of jellyfish and debris. It was lovely. 

Supper that evening was take-out by the ocean.  After a walk along that beautiful beach at North Bay, we headed back to the trailer at Jersey Cove. It was a clear, warm night so stargazing and sitting around the fire listening to music was in order.  The closer I am to nature, the better I sleep and that night I slept like a baby to the sounds of the trees rustling and the waves gently rolling ashore. I awoke to an adorable little hummingbird staring at me through the window right next to my bed. 

The Forgotten Beach - A Day at Black Brook Beach

I first started going to Ingonish as a child but I really started spending a lot of time there when I was a teenager and a friend of mine had a camper parked at the Broad Cove Campground. That was my first real introduction to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. I went back and forth to that camper for several summers before my parents bought one and parked it a few lots away on that same campground.  That family I had been spending summers with prior to that had moved away and no longer came to Broad Cove but I continued to go and have been going there every year since. 

I remember the first time I went to Black Brook Beach.  My friends mother packed us all into the truck and drove ten minutes north into the National Park between Broad Cove and Neil's Harbour.  Of course, having never been there before, I thought we were going to take a dip in a freshwater brook!  There is a brook there with freshwater that leads to the ocean which is lined by one of the most beautiful little beaches I had ever seen. 

For many years,  I returned to that beach but, for some reason, I stopped going and started swimming at other area beaches like Ingonish Beach and North Bay. I think it was a partially because more people started going there so it got quite crowded and the beach was getting smaller and smaller every year so there was less space on it. 

I don't know for sure how long I stayed away from Black Brook but I'd say it was at least 15 years. That streak was broken this year when I finally returned to my once favourite beach and I'm sure glad I did!

I picked up a friend at the Joyful Journey's campground in Jersey Cove and headed to Ingonish for the day.  Our intention was to swim at The Point as I've had luck there recently.  It's calm, it's sandy and I rarely see jellyfish there.  However, on this day, it was calm and sandy but it was polluted with jellyfish!  We headed to Ingonish Beach to check it out and alas, polluted with jellyfish too!  North Bay was too rough and covered in seaweed.  

Defeated, I suggested we try one last place, my old favourite, Black Brook.  When we arrived, the parking lot was almost empty which was a good sign especially since it was high tide and there would be very little space on the beach. 

Things looked decent from the parking lot.  The water looked clear, there was a gentle rolling wave and there were a few people in the water.  However, I couldn't tell if there were any jelly fish lurking on the surface!  Upon closer inspection, I saw none so the remaining test was the water temperature.  

 

 We set up on the beach and stripped down to our swimsuits.  I put my toes in first.  It felt warm.  I inched in a little more.  It still felt warm.  I beckoned for my friend to join me and, reluctantly, she did.  She found it cold.  I'm sure I have a higher tolerance for ocean water as it always seems like everyone else finds it cold!  I dove in. It was warm.  She dove in and found it just tolerable.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed swimming in those clear waters for the rest of the afternoon. 

When my friend complained about her legs being numb and headed to shore, I stayed in the water for about another hour.  I could have stayed longer if I hadn't gotten so hungry.  The option to eat out is always there while on road trips around Cape Breton and there are quite a few amazing restaurants around the Ingonish area.  However, I prefer my old standby when the weather is nice and I prefer to be outdoors by the ocean; an egg sandwich, yogurt and granola bar.  This has been my standard beach meal since I can remember.  It serves me well.  Filling and healthy. 

 When the clouds started rolling in, the wind picked up and it looked like we might get a rain shower, we packed everything up and headed for the shelter of the car just in time to miss the inevitable.  When we reached North Bay, the rain had stopped and we went for an evening stroll along that long beautiful beach before making the long journey back to the campground in Jersey Cove.  

I prefer staying in a tent when I camp but a camper trailer is the next best thing.  It's closer to nature than my apartment in town. We ate some snacks and sat around a campfire before the distant thunder sounded like it was getting closer.  I slept like a baby to the sound of crickets, thunder and the water rolling ashore at the beach nearby. In the morning, I watched some hummingbirds feeding on the deck and a bald eagle soaring above. The drive home wasn't as peaceful as the drive the night before.  It was a workday for most people and everyone was heading to jobs and appointments in the city.  But that's ok because I had the memories of the day and night before to think about as I drove back into civilization.

Some More of my Favorite Place Near and Far

Baddeck Boardwalk – It doesn’t matter where I’m going – around the Cabot Trail, to Halifax or just for a drive along the Trans-Canada Highway – I always stop in Baddeck, even if it is just for five minutes. One of the things I like to do when I stop in the little village is grab a coffee and drink it on the boardwalk that lines a part of the harbor. I can sit there and kick my feet in the water and watch all those luxurious yachts float by and wonder what famous person might be enjoying some time away from the limelight in the peace and tranquility of little Baddeck where no one realizes who they are or pays any attention to them.

The Driveway at Anamaya – I’ve only been there once and may never be there again but I will always remember going for my nightly strolls down the driveway to Anamaya Yoga Retreat in Montezuma, Costa Rica, a place I had the opportunity to stay at for a week last year. The reason I loved taking this stroll every evening before bed? The calm, warm, tropical air, the sights and sounds of exotic animals and insects going about their nocturnal business and the quiet and peaceful atmosphere that was only compromised by the distant sound of the waves crashing on the Pacific coast below.

The Drive over Cape Smokey Mountain – I spend most of my summer in Ingonish, Cape Breton so I’ve driven over Cape Smokey hundreds of times. I often hear stories of tourists hiring local drivers to take them over the mountain because they find the hairpin turns and high cliffs terrifyingly dangerous and I often take people over that mountain because I know that road like the back of my hand. I’ve driven it in the winter, in thick fog, in heavy rains, in thunder storms and on clear summer days. I’ve driven it in the morning and in the dead of night. Every trip is different and I never get sick of that view from the top, no matter which way I look!

The Skyline Trail – I drove past this hiking trail hundreds of times before I decided to hike it myself…and I am glad I finally did! Nature, scenery, wildlife – this trail has it all and the best part of it is the end where the sea meets the sky and a boardwalk spirals downward toward the rocky coastline where whales can be seen frolicking in the surf below. I can sit there until the sun goes down and what a sight it is to see a sunset from that place!

The St. John’s Battery – Right at the bottom of Signal Hill at the end of the trail and right before you enter the little village at The Battery are some old army barracks. The barracks cannot be entered but there is a little hill right beside it that leads to the top of the small building and a flat concrete surface. When I lived in the city, every morning before the sun came up, I started the walk around that trail and rested in that spot to watch the sun come up and the boats come and go through the narrows. Some evenings I went there to watch the sun go down or just admire the spectacular view of the city at night with its distant city sounds - so close but yet so far away.

The Joseph and Clara Smallwood ferry – This ferry is no longer in operation, I made the crossing between North Sydney to Argentia, Newfoundland at least a hundred times over the years. Although I may have sometimes dreaded impending trips across The Gulf, looking back, I have very fond memories of some of those eventful crossings. Impromptu bands made up of traveling musicians from all around the world getting together for jam sessions in the bar, last minute excursions across “just for something to do”, card games with new friends made in the cafeteria area, long talks with complete strangers on the outside deck and even life-long friendships made simply by being stuck on a ship together for all those hours and having nothing else to do! Sometimes the seas were rough and I would retreat to “my spot” on the seventh deck – a reclining chair in the Baccalieu lounge, way back in the corner away from everyone else and in view of the TV in case I wanted to watch whatever was on.

Corner of Bond and Prescott, St. John’s – I moved away from home for the first time when I was 19 and made my new home in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Although I had several apartments during the twelve years I lived in the city, the last one I lived in is the one I will always remember the most. With so many run-down, outdated and expensive apartments around, I was lucky to find this near-perfect gem at a decent price and in a good neighborhood that was close to everything. The apartment was located right downtown but far enough from the main roads to be surprisingly quiet. It was only a short walk from my work and all the other services I needed. It had been just renovated right before I moved in. It had wood floors (I hate carpet). It was high off the ground on the third floor of a house that was at the end of row of attached houses which meant I didn’t have to worry about floods or dampness. And it had a spectacular view of the downtown area and the harbor which allowed me to watch the sun come up over Signal Hill and the boats come and go.

Black Brook Beach – I visited this beach with friends many years ago and have been returning every summer since. It is one of my favorite beaches on all of Cape Breton Island. When I was younger, I loved the main part of the beach where the waves are quite large and all the young people tend to congregate. As I got older, I started to migrate to the lesser used side of the beach where the waves are smaller, the water is calmer and there are less people. This beach has everything; several hiking trails, some look-offs, picnic areas, a waterfall, freshwater swimming area and a beach with warm water, lots and sand and hardly any jellyfish!

Jasper National Park, Alberta – The Rocky Mountains were something to see for sure but it was Jasper National Park that won my heart in the end. In comparison to the other mountain towns in the Rockies, Jasper was more to my expectations in terms of ruggedness, untouched beauty, nature and wildlife. The lodge was exactly how I pictured a Rocky Mountain Lodge to be and that fresh, mountain air made me feel so alive and in touch with my surroundings.

Gampo Abbey Monastery – I heard this place existed but no one ever seemed to know where it was located. I found it one day quite by accident when I decided to drive down a road I had never been down before. I was driving through Pleasant Bay in Northern Cape Breton when I noticed a sign for Red River Road. It looked vaguely interesting and I had some time to kill so, out of curiosity, I turned down. I passed over a small bridge and continued on a windy, country road that soon turned into a gravel road that ran between some rolling hills and the ocean. I soon realized what the road led to when I happened upon a Buddhist shrine on the left-hand side of the road. Not much further passed that was a small parking lot. I parked the car and wandered around and found a little trail that went into a wooded area along a little brook. Little Buddha statues were scattered around the area and I soon happened upon the monastery itself; a simple facility right on the water. The area was so peaceful and immersed in nature that I could see why the area was picked for the sight of a Buddhist monastery.