Cabot Trail...

On a foggy, overcast Saturday morning we headed for the famed Cabot Trail. This was as far east as we were going to get. We started off at 9:20 a.m. after fueling our car and bodies, looking forward to what turned out to be 268 miles and five hours of twisting, turning, mountainous roads.

First we enjoyed the scenic Bras d'Or Lake and St. Ann's Bay. After which we headed inland some and when the sun peeked out we snapped shots of the fall foliage and rushing rivers just beyond Goose Cove. It was beautiful. From there we snaked up Cape Smokey Mountain to an elevation of 902 ft. We couldn't see a thing, the mist was so thick.

Once back at a little lower elevation the fog had lifted and the sun allowed us to revel in the spectacular views of Atlantic Ocean waves crashing against huge boulders as if a war was raging between earth and sea.

About half way through our travels, but still on the Atlantic side, we entered Ingonish Ferry, then South Ingonish Harbor, then Ingonish Beach then Ingonish Center, then finally Ingonish where we had a great, made fresh for us, seafood chowder at Main Street Restaurant and Bakery. Of course we needed something baked to take along with us for later.

Just past Ingonish we entered Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It encompasses most of the top of the island and we would travel through it for about two hours. The road meandered along the ocean's edge reminding us of Hwy. 1 along the California coast.

Crossing over the island to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence side, we found fewer deciduous trees, more scrubby undergrowth, and more pine trees, so less color. But it made us think the island was much larger than it is. The mountains seemed to start at the ocean and stretch to eternity.

The first village we came to on the Gulf side was Chéticamp, a French ancestry village where most of the signs were in French first, then English. You could tell that fishing was still the major source of industry there. From there it was back across the island and back home, arriving at 3:30 p.m. What a great experience this was, something not to be missed. Click on the pictures to see the full size version...