August Long Weekend on the West Coast of Cape Breton

One of the highlights of every summer since I moved home is the long weekend in August which is usually spent in Cap LeMoine, Cape Breton.  

Back when I first started working at the place I still work at to this day, I met a good friend who had a family place on the west coast of the island and I've been in love with the area ever since the first time we went almost 15 years ago.  

The weather always seems to be nice around this time every year and this year was no exception.  The only downfall was the fire and woods ban that meant we couldn't go any hiking or venture into any wooded areas.  No big deal.  Thrift shopping, beach hopping and sunset chasing kept us busy all weekend.

The house we stayed at this year had a huge deck where we could watch sunsets and meteor showers.  We searched for the northern lights but didn't see any this year.  Just sitting out on that deck on those warm, dark nights in the country was enough for me!

We arrived late afternoon the first day and unpacked and grabbed some food in Cheticamp.  I always sleep so well in the country with the summer breeze coming in through the window and the natural sounds lulling me to sleep. 

Mornings are equally nice and that first morning, I got quite the treat when I walked out onto the deck to catch the first morning rays.  A mother deer and her fawn were grazing on the lawn when suddenly the young one got a burst of energy and started running back and forth across the lawn with mom looking on.  And yes, I did catch this on video! 

Later that day, we drove to Inverness to hit the thrift shops after stopping at the new Dancing Goat location for coffee and sweets.  We've been going to the closet for quite a few years and usually find some things but Sew Thrifty was a new one for me.  I was surprised by what I found there.  I'm very petite and have a very hard time finding pants in the right length without having to hem them or roll them up.  I found two beautiful, gently-worn pairs that day!  

After shopping, there was still plenty of daylight left to hit beautiful Inverness Beach.  Now, this part of the trip was a little disappointing.  I'm used to the beach being all sand.  On this day, there was nowhere that was untouched by rocks.  I tried my best to go in the water without hurting my feet but it was impossible.  There must have been a storm in the days before.  I was in for quite a bit and the water was beautiful but the rocks made it hard to get in and out of the water so I eventually gave up and joined my friend on the shore where she was searching for beach glass. 

We didn't stay that evening for sunset because we had a date to meet my sister and her boyfriend in Cheticamp for supper.  We met at Le Gabrielle and found a table in the lively bar area where there was some live music.  As usual, the food was delicious and I got to spend some quality time with my sister who was home at that time visiting from Alberta.  That evening, the drive back to Cap Lemoine was relaxing as the calm water twinkled under the twilight and the stars shone brightly overhead. 

The rest of the weekend was more beaches, sunsets, stargazing and scenic drives.  And then came the worst part - leaving.  But the best part is knowing that this heavenly place is only a two-hour drive away and I can come back anytime! 

 

I Love These Long Weekends in Margaree

Besides my regular vacation I take in Mid-August, the long weekend during the first week of August is one of my favorite parts of summer because that's when I usually head to Margaree with friends and stay in the area for several days hiking, swimming and enjoying the peace and quiet of the country. 

 

This year was a little different because someone who had never been there came along.  An international student from the big city who wanted to get a taste of authentic Cape Breton rural life. Since he had never been outside of the urban area of the island, I decided to take the long way around the Cabot Trail to get to Margaree.  

We left early to make it to Ingonish in time to have a bite to eat for supper and than drove onto Pleasant Bay and Cheticamp while it was still light enough to enjoy the scenery. Of course, we made a few stops at some key locations along the way.  There was sightseeing at The Point and Ice Cream at the lighthouse in Neil's Harbour.

I love showing off my beautiful island to new people.  This trip was extra special as the person was young and super excited to be seeing something new.  Watching his eyes light up and his head spin around in all directions as he took it all in made me super happy.  To hear someone who was so well-traveled ohhh and awww at the beauty of my little island made me realize how lucky I am to live in such a special place. 

 

It was almost dark when we reached Cheticamp and stopped for gas and some snacks.  It was quite late by time we pulled into the old country house that would be home for the next few nights. 

There's something about staying in an old country home overlooking the sea.  Those old homes have character!  This one is well over 100 years old.  Our foreign guest expressed a mixture of emotions upon discovering that there was no Wi-Fi, the floors creaked and mice were frequent visitors.  I think he was culture-shocked for a bit at first but settled in quite nicely to his rural digs.  

 

I always sleep so well in the country especially in an old house such as the one we were staying in.  No distractions from modern amenities, just the sound of the wind howling outside and the fresh summer night air flowing through the windows.   

Over the next few days, we made good use of our time.  The first day was the only one that was hot and sunny enough to head to the beach so that's exactly what we did.  We drove the 40 minutes to Inverness and staked a spot in the sand.  My newfound friend-from-away grew up in a desert climate so he wasn't used to taking dips in the ocean nor could he swim.  I got a good laugh watching him slowly inch his way to deeper water to duck while he shivered in the icy water.  The water wasn't cold to me at all at 21 degrees Celsius but I can understand how someone from a dry, hot climate would find it cold. He finally ducked and tried desperately to mimic me floating in the salty water.  It was so salty, it seemed almost impossible to sink.  Alas, every time he tried, he sank beneath the waves.  I gave him credit for venturing into the water at all let alone trying to swim!

 

The second day, we did some hiking as it was too cool for swimming.  We drove to Cheticamp first for morning coffee and breakfast at Evangeline and a scenic drive along the Cheticamp Back Road in search of an elusive look-off we were told about at Plateau.  

Since we were in the area and were making good time, we decided to take a hike into the Gypsum Quarry.  Although it was too cool for swimming, it was too warm for hiking.  We found that out about 20 minutes into our hike when we felt like turning around but had gone that far, we might as well go all the way to the quarry.  

Our plans to be out of Cheticamp and on the way to Egypt Falls for a hike were delayed when we got caught in parade traffic.  I always forget about the parade for the Festival de l'Escaouette that happens on the long weekend every year!  So we didn't find the look-off but we did get to see part of the parade before hitting the road again. 

The last time I went searching for Eqypt Falls, I had a hard time finding it.  That was a long time ago and this time I had a GPS so we found the trailhead to the falls pretty quickly. 

It was a about 12 or 13 years ago the last time I did this hike and I remembered it being difficult but very short. It's funny how the memory works.  It took about thirty minutes to reach the falls and the trail was much harder than I remember!  There were very slippery spots and ropes had to be used to get down some of the more steep areas.  To make matters worse, I didn't have the proper footwear for such a hike.  

 

Slowly but surely, we made intact.  One thing that stayed true to my memory was the beauty of the falls.  And once again, our foreign friend was in awe at the natural beauty around him.  He kept talking about all the open spaces and trees!

Our last day in the country was not a very nice one.  Rain, rain, rain. We packed up, cleaned up and headed back to the city. Back to our routines and jobs...until the next long weekend.

A Long Weekend Like the Ones I Used to Have

It was a yearly tradition and then Covid arrived and it wasn't anymore.  Things changed in the years of the pandemic, people changed, routines changed.  I began to think that those August long weekend trips to  Margaree were a thing of the past. 

That's why it was such a surprise when the invite came from the friend I used to travel to Margaree with to spend the weekend there.  I had a four-day weekend coming up for the civic holiday in August and I had a desire to get out of town and spend some time in the country.  And that's exactly what I did. 

We left early that Friday morning and headed straight for Inverness Beach before checking into the old farmhouse that would be home-away-from-home for 3 days. It was supposed to be off and on rain showers all weekend with Friday afternoon being the only time that looked decent enough to enjoy some time at the beach.  The water was lovely...warm and calm as it often is on the west coast of Cape Breton. However, it was windy and probably not the best day to try and set up my new beach tent!  Let's just say it didn't stay in one place like it should have! 

It didn't rain although the sky threatened to at times.  I was just happy to have been able to go for a refreshing dip in the clear, warm water of Inverness Beach followed by a long walk in the surf along that long stretch of coastline. 

Nightfall comes sooner in mid-summer so we left the beach around 5:30 to get back to the house and unpack before dark.  With our chores complete and some reheated leftover pizza in our bellies, we settled in to relax for the evening. 

The next day was a mixed bag of weather so it was hard to decide what to do.  We drove to Inverness to do some thrift store shopping at The Closet.  I was surprised to find quite a few things in that tiny shop.  

Next, we drove to Cheticamp intending to hike the Salmon Pools Trail in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.  We attempted this hike a few years ago and had to turn around due to bad weather.  We hoped to finish it this time around but that was not to be.  The moment I turned the car off in the parking lot, the rain started.  We drove back to town and stopped for our traditional ice cream at LeBlanc's General Store (I had the Blackberry Cheesecake ice cream, of course).  

When we exited the store, the rain had stopped and a crowd was gathering along the road.  Curious as to what was going on, we asked someone passing by. "There's a big parade at 2 and they'll be closing this road very soon."  We could have taken the Cheticamp Back Road to get back to Cap LeMoine but instead, we decided to stay right where we were and watch the parade. 

The parade was part of the Festival de l'Escaouette and for a small place, I was surprised at how many floats there were! It was nice to see all the families out with their little ones, smiling and waving and having a good time.  

Back at the house that evening, the skies threatened rain and thunderstorms. The barbecue we had planned was postponed so we stayed indoors and tried our hands at some virtual reality.  I'm not a video game person by any means but I always wanted to try this.  I donned some futuristic-looking headgear and raced my Corvette through the streets of some ancient city in Italy. It was interesting.  I admit it was easy to get caught up in the realistic feel of it and at times, I felt like I was actually behind the wheel! It was fun for a short time but not something I could see myself getting hooked on or doing on sunny days that are best spent outdoors. 

My last day in the Margaree area was again under threatening skies.  It was too cold and windy to head to Inverness for some swimming and too close to rain to do much hiking so we went to Cheticamp and got some coffee and sat on the beach on Cheticamp Island for a while before heading to Le Gabriel for our traditional yearly feed of French Onion Soup and Nachos. 

The weather may not have been great but it wasn't the worst part about the entire weekend; the worst part is always the moment we have to say our goodbyes and hit the road for the long drive home.  But boy, it was nice to be back up there again!